Fishing Blues

For the album by Atmosphere, see Fishing Blues (album).

"Fishing Blues"
Single by Henry Thomas
Released1928
RecordedChicago, June 13, 1928
GenreTexas blues
Length2:44
LabelVocalion
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".[1] "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.[2]

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

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

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Elijah Wald: Fishing (Blues) (Chris Smith/Sweetie May), June 10, 2017 Here Wald explains how Smith's original composition differed from the better known version that Thomas recorded
  2. ^ "Fishing Blues". Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Owens, Thom. Sam Chatmon – Sam Chatmon's Advice at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  5. ^ Unterberger, Richie. Mike Seeger – Mike Seeger at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  6. ^ The Holy Modal Rounders – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  7. ^ The Lovin' Spoonful – at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  8. ^ Jim Kweskin – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  9. ^ John Martyn – Fishin' Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  10. ^ Taj Mahal – Fishing Blues, Composed by Henry Thomas / Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  11. ^ Lillebjørn Nilsen – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  12. ^ Richard Bargel – Blue Steel at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  13. ^ Unterberger, Richie. John Sebastian – One Guy, One Guitar at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  14. ^ Wynn, Ron. Nappy Brown – Apples & Lemons at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  15. ^ Various Artists – At the Crossroads of Collingwood & Fitzr at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  16. ^ Felonius Blues Revue – Sketches in Blue at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  17. ^ Tamarkin, Jeff. Various ArtistsThe Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  18. ^ Claire Tomlinson – Black, White & Blues, Vol. 1 at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  19. ^ The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – Fishin' Blues, Composed by Taj Mahal at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  20. ^ Teja & Luke – Better Day at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  21. ^ Phares, Heather. Disney – Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites at AllMusic. Retrieved September 21, 2015.
  22. ^ Doofus – Handful of Songs at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  23. ^ Howard Johnson / Jean-Jacques Milteau – Fishing Blues at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  24. ^ Traum Shaw & Akstens – Big Trout Radio: Songs About Fishing at AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  25. ^ Ruhlmann, William. David Thompson / Ben Winship – Fishing Music at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  26. ^ The Juggernauts – As We Like It at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  27. ^ Blues etc – Blues etc at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  28. ^ Ben Bonham – Kids Only at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  29. ^ The Gutbucket Jug Band – Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  30. ^ Gareth Hedges – Candyman at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  31. ^ Hell's Kitchen – City Streets at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  32. ^ Peter "Madcat" Ruth – Live in Rio at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  33. ^ Someday Baby – Backbone Move at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  34. ^ Bill & Kristin Morris – Not Your Regular Cup of Tea at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  35. ^ Steve Baker – King Kazoo at AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  36. ^ Ruhlmann, William. Original Soundtrack – Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  37. ^ Graham Hine – You'll Be Hearing from Me Real Soon at AllMusic. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  38. ^ 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.
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