Fishing Blues

1928 single by Henry Thomas

"Fishing Blues"

Single by Henry Thomas

Released

1928

Recorded

Chicago, June 13, 1928

Genre

Texas blues

Length

2:44

Label

Vocalion

Songwriter(s)

Chris Smith

Henry Thomas singles chronology

"Bull-Doze Blues" / "Old Country Stomp"
(1928)

"Fishing Blues" / "Texas Worried Blues"
(1928)

"Arkansas"
(1928)

"Fishing Blues" (also "Fishin' Blues") is a blues song written in 1911 by Chris Smith, who is best known for "Ballin' the Jack". "Fishing Blues" was first recorded in 1928 by "Ragtime Texas" Henry Thomas on vocals and guitar with the introduction and breaks played on quills, a type of panpipe. It is Roud Folk Song Index No. 17692.^[1]

The song ostensibly describes the pleasures of catching, cooking, and eating your own fish, particularly catfish. The refrain includes:

Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate,
Any fish bite, you've got good bait,
I'm a-goin' a-fishin', yes, I'm a-goin' a-fishin',
I'm a-goin' a-fishin' too.

Recordings

1928 – Henry Thomas, 10-inch 78 rpm single Vocalion 1249^[2]^[3]
1930s{?)^{[citation needed]} – Sam Chatmon,^[4] included on the 1979 album Sam Chatmon's Advice^[5]
1964 – Mike Seeger,^[6] on the album Mike Seeger^[7]
1965 – The Holy Modal Rounders,^[8]^[9]^[10] on the album The Holy Modal Rounders 2
1965 – The Lovin' Spoonful,^[11] on the album Do You Believe in Magic
1966 – Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band,^[12] on the album See Reverse Side for Title
1968 – John Martyn,^[13] on the album The Tumbler
1969 – Taj Mahal,^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17] on the album Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home
1975 – Lillebjørn Nilsen,^[18] on the album Byen med det store hjertet
1977 – Richard Bargel,^[19] on the album Blue Steel^[20]
1984 – John Sebastian,^[21] on the 2001 album One Guy, One Guitar ^[22]
1990 – Nappy Brown,^[23] on the album Apples and Lemons^[24]
2000 – Paramount Trio,^[25] on the album At the Crossroads of Collingwood and Fitzr^[26]
2001 – Felonius Blues Revue,^[27] on the album Sketches in Blue^[28]
2001 – David Thomas,^[29] on the album The Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited^[30]
2001 – Claire Tomlinson,^[31] on the album Black, White and Blues, Vol. 1^[32]
2002 – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,^[33] on the album Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III
2002 – Teja and Luke,^[34] on the album Better Day^[35]
2003 – Disney,^[36] on the soundtrack album Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites^[37]
2003 – Doofus,^[38] on the album Handful of Songs^[39]
2003 – Jean-Jacques Milteau,^[40] on the album Blue 3rd
2003 – Artie Traum, Chris Shaw and Tom Akstens,^[41] on the album Big Trout Radio: Songs About Fishing ^[42]
2003 – David Thompson and Ben Winship,^[43]^[44] on the album Fishing Music^[45]
2004 – The Juggernauts,^[46] on the album As We Like It ^[47]
2006 – Blues Etc.,^[48] on the album Blues Etc. ^[49]
2006 – Ben Bonham,^[50] on the album Kids Only ^[51]
2006 – The Gutbucket Jug Band,^[52] on the album Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue ^[53]
2006 – Gareth Hedges and Lance Bennett,^[54] on the album Candy Man ^[55]
2006 – Hell's Kitchen,^[56] on the album City Streets ^[57]
2006 – Peter "Madcat" Ruth,^[58] on the album Live in Rio ^[59]
2006 – Someday Baby,^[60] on the album Backbone Move ^[61]
2007 – Bill and Kristin Morris,^[62] on the album Not Your Regular Cup of Tea^[63]
2008 – Steve Baker and Dick Bird,^[64] on the album King Kazoo ^[65]
2008 – Electric Apricot,^[66] on the soundtrack album of the movie Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo ^[67]
2009 – Graham Hine,^[68] on the album You'll Be Hearing from Me Real Soon ^[69]
2015 – Spuyten Duyvil,^[70] on the album The Social Music Hour, Vol. 1 ^[71]

References

^ "Fishing Blues". Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
^ Henry Thomas – Fishing Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas / Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Sam Chatmon – Fishing Blues, Composed by Sam Chatmon at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Owens, Thom. Sam Chatmon – Sam Chatmon's Advice at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Mike Seeger – Fishing Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Unterberger, Richie. Mike Seeger – Mike Seeger at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ The Holy Modal Rounders – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ The Holy Modal Rounders – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ The Holy Modal Rounders – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ The Lovin' Spoonful – at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Jim Kweskin – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ John Martyn – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
^ Taj Mahal – Fishing Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas / Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Fishin' Blues, Composed by Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Taj Mahal – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas / Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Taj Mahal / The Pointer Sisters – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Lillebjørn Nilsen – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Richard Bargel – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Richard Bargel – Blue Steel at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ John Sebastian – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Unterberger, Richie. John Sebastian – One Guy, One Guitar at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Nappy Brown – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Wynn, Ron. Nappy Brown – Apples & Lemons at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Paramount Trio–Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Various Artists – At the Crossroads of Collingwood & Fitzr at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Felonius Blues Revue – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Felonius Blues Revue – Sketches in Blue at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ David Thomas – Fishing Blues (Live), Composed by David Thomas at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Tamarkin, Jeff. Various Artists $\wedge$ The Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Claire Tomlinson – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Claire Tomlinson – Black, White & Blues, Vol. 1 at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Teja & Luke – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Teja & Luke – Better Day at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Disney – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Traditional at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Phares, Heather. Disney – Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites at AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
^ Doofus – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Doofus – Handful of Songs at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Howard Johnson / Jean-Jacques Milteau – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Big Trout Radio / Traum Shaw & Akstens – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Traditional at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Traum Shaw & Akstens – Big Trout Radio: Songs About Fishing at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ David Thompson / Ben Winship – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ David Thompson / Ben Winship – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
^ Ruhlmann, William. David Thompson / Ben Winship – Fishing Music at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ The Juggernauts – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ The Juggernauts – As We Like It at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Blues etc / Blues Etc – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Blues etc – Blues etc at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Ben Bonham – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Ben Bonham – Kids Only at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ The Gutbucket Jug Band – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ The Gutbucket Jug Band – Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Gareth Hedges – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Gareth Hedges – Candyman at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Hell's Kitchen – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Hell's Kitchen – City Streets at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Peter "Madcat" Ruth – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Peter "Madcat" Ruth – Live in Rio at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Someday Baby – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Someday Baby – Backbone Move at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Bill & Kristin Morris – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Bill & Kristin Morris – Not Your Regular Cup of Tea at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Steve Baker – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Steve Baker – King Kazoo at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Electric Apricot / Henry Thomas / Henry Thomas – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Ruhlmann, William. Original Soundtrack – Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Graham Hine – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Graham Hine – You'll Be Hearing from Me Real Soon at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
^ Spuyten Duyvil – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
^ Spuyten Duyvil The Social Music Hour, Vol. 1: Essential Traditional Music Arranged For Today's Listener By Spuyten Duyvil at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.