We'll come back again but first there's work to be done"
He'd even let me see a cowboy show
And big brother Ed's on the bayou fishing
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Papa promised me that I could go
And I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Bren and Lin are the family twins
Well, Papa said, "Son we've got lines to run
He's setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can
At half past, papa he's ready to go
He's gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Even got a lady mink, a muskrat's cousin
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
I saw the cowboys and Indians for the first time then
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Already mama's cooking papa something to eat
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
He's setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can
Tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em into money
To even reach a place where the people stay
On the river floats papa's great big boat
Little baby brother on the floor that's Mack
He jumps in his pirogue headed down the bayou
A home for my papa and my mama and me
Well, they call mama Rita and my daddy Jack
He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana Rivers
My Muskrat hides hanging by the dozens
I told my pop I've gotta go again
And that's how my papa goes into town
The clock strikes three and papa jumps to his feet
Takes him every bit of a night and a day
That's the day my papa takes his furs to town
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
On a houseboat tied to a big tall tree
Got 'em out drying in the hot, hot sun
He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana Rivers
