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