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