[Verse 1]
At birth, Mom and Papa called their little boy Ned
Raised him on the banks of the riverbed
Houseboat tied to a big tall tree
Home for my papa and my mama and me
The clock strikes three, Papa jumps to his feet
Already, Mama's cooking Papa something to eat
At half past, Papa, he's ready to go
He jumps in a pirogue, headed down the bayou

[Chorus]
He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana River
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
Setting traps in the swamps, catching anything he can
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man

[Verse 2]
Muskrat hides, hanging by the dozen
Even got a lady mink, a muskrat cousin
Got 'em out drying in the hot, hot sun
Tomorrow, Papa's gonna turn 'em into mon'

[Verse 3]
They call Mama Rita and my daddy Jack
My little baby brother on the floor, that's Mack
Bryn and Lynn are the family twins
Big brother Ed's on the bayou, fishing
On the river floats Papa's great big boat
And that's how my papa goes into town
Takes every bit of a night and a day
To even reach a place where the people stay
[Chorus]
But I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
That's the day my papa takes the furs to town
Papa promised me and Ed and I could go
He'd even let me see a big cowboy show

[Verse 4]
Cowboys and Indians for the first time then
I told my pop I've gotta go again
Papa said, "Son, we've got lines to run
We'll come back, but now there's work to be done"

[Chorus]
He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana River
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
Setting traps in the swamps, catching anything he can
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man