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".^[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

1928 – Henry Thomas, 10-inch 78 rpm single Vocalion 1249^[3]^[4]
1930s{?)^{[citation needed]} – Sam Chatmon,^[5] included on the 1979 album Sam Chatmon's Advice^[6]
1964 – Mike Seeger,^[7] on the album Mike Seeger^[8]
1965 – The Holy Modal Rounders,^[9]^[10]^[11] on the album The Holy Modal Rounders 2
1965 – The Lovin' Spoonful,^[12] on the album Do You Believe in Magic
1966 – Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band,^[13] on the album See Reverse Side for Title
1968 – John Martyn,^[14] on the album The Tumbler
1969 – Taj Mahal,^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18] on the album Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home
1975 – Lillebjørn Nilsen,^[19] on the album Byen med det store hjertet
1977 – Richard Bargel,^[20] on the album Blue Steel^[21]
1984 – John Sebastian,^[22] on the 2001 album One Guy, One Guitar ^[23]
1990 – Nappy Brown,^[24] on the album Apples and Lemons^[25]
2000 – Paramount Trio,^[26] on the album At the Crossroads of Collingwood and Fitzr^[27]
2001 – Felonius Blues Revue,^[28] on the album Sketches in Blue^[29]
2001 – David Thomas,^[30] on the album The Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited^[31]
2001 – Claire Tomlinson,^[32] on the album Black, White and Blues, Vol. 1^[33]
2002 – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,^[34] on the album Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III
2002 – Teja and Luke,^[35] on the album Better Day^[36]
2003 – Disney,^[37] on the soundtrack album Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites^[38]
2003 – Doofus,^[39] on the album Handful of Songs^[40]
2003 – Jean-Jacques Milteau,^[41] on the album Blue 3rd
2003 – Artie Traum, Chris Shaw and Tom Akstens,^[42] on the album Big Trout Radio: Songs About Fishing ^[43]
2003 – David Thompson and Ben Winship,^[44]^[45] on the album Fishing Music^[46]
2004 – The Juggernauts,^[47] on the album As We Like It ^[48]
2006 – Blues Etc.,^[49] on the album Blues Etc. ^[50]
2006 – Ben Bonham,^[51] on the album Kids Only ^[52]
2006 – The Gutbucket Jug Band,^[53] on the album Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue ^[54]
2006 – Gareth Hedges and Lance Bennett,^[55] on the album Candy Man ^[56]
2006 – Hell's Kitchen,^[57] on the album City Streets ^[58]
2006 – Peter "Madcat" Ruth,^[59] on the album Live in Rio ^[60]
2006 – Someday Baby,^[61] on the album Backbone Move ^[62]
2007 – Bill and Kristin Morris,^[63] on the album Not Your Regular Cup of Tea^[64]
2008 – Steve Baker and Dick Bird,^[65] on the album King Kazoo ^[66]
2008 – Electric Apricot,^[67] on the soundtrack album of the movie Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo ^[68]
2009 – Graham Hine,^[69] on the album You'll Be Hearing from Me Real Soon ^[70]
2015 – Spuyten Duyvil,^[71] on the album The Social Music Hour, Vol. 1 ^[72]

References

^ 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
^ "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.