This is my favorite song of the moment. It's called "Fishing Blues" by Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas. It was recorded in 1928 and is on volume 3B of Harry Smith's *Anthology of American Folk Music* (which if you're not already familiar with you oughta be). The words to Fishing Blues:
Went up the hill about 12 o'clock
Reach right back and got me a pole
Went to the hardware got me a hook
Thread that line right on that hook
Yeah, you been fishing all the time
I'm a-going fishing too
I bet your life, your loving wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite, you got good bait
Here's a little something I would like to relate
Any fish bite, you got good bait
I'm a-going fishing, yes, I'm going fishing, I'm a-going fishing too
Looked down the river about 1 o'clock
Spied a catfish swimming around
I got so hungry, didn't know what to do
I'm a-gonna get me a catfish too
Yeah, you been fishing all the time
I'm a-going fishing too
I bet your life, your loving wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite, you got good bait
Here's a little something I would like to relate
Any fish bite, you got good bait
I'm a-going fishing, yes, I'm going fishing, I'm a-going fishing too
Put on the skillet, never mind your lid
Mama gonna cook 'em with the short'ning bread
Yeah, you been fishing all the time
I'm a-going fishing too
I bet your life, your loving wife
Catch more fish than you
Any fish bite, you got good bait
Here's a little something I would like to relate
Any fish bite, you got good bait
I'm a-going fishing, yes, I'm going fishing, I'm a-going fishing too
Here's a note on Thomas from the Anthology home page:
"Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas (1874-1950s?) was middle aged when he recorded for Vocalion Records between 1927 and 1929. His musical style was so unique that Thomas has continued to be intriguing to modern listeners. Because of his age, his recordings mark one of the few examples of forms of archaic 19th Century African-American music to make it to disk. A blues singer and songster, one of the more impressive facets of his playing was his use of the quills (a form of pan-pipe made from cane). The quill solos along with his backup guitar gave his songs an other-worldly quality.
Thomas himself was a rather shadowy character. He was born and raised in the Big Sandy area of Texas. He played the streets of Dallas and various country dances. Interviews with living relatives in later years paint the picture of a hobo and a wanderer who was often able to travel by train as entertainment for the other passengers (Mac McCormick in the notes to Yazoo 1080/1). Folklorist McCormick quite likely had a chance meeting with Thomas on the streets of Houston in 1949 and described him as a big man, perhaps 6"3" dressed as a hobo (McCormick in the notes to Herwin 209). People occasionally claimed to have seen someone who might have been Ragtime Thomas. It is not known when he died but if McCormick is correct we know he at least was still alive at the end of the 1940s."
