[Intro]
(Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen
I would like to introduce you to my special guest
She's from Mississippi
Her name is Bobbie Gentry)

[Verse 1]
At first Mom an' Poppa called their little girl, Lady
They raised her on the banks of a riverbed
A houseboat tied to a big, tall tree
A home for my Poppa an' my Momma and me

[Verse 2]
The clock strikes three, Poppa jumps to his feet
Already Momma's cookin' Poppa somethin' to eat
At half-past, Poppa, he's ready to go
He jumps in his pirogue headed down the bayou

[Chorus]
He's got fishin' line strung across the Louisiana River
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
He's settin' his traps, catchin' anythin' he can
Gotta make a livin', he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a livin', he's a Louisiana man

[Verse 3]
Muskrat hides hangin' by the dozen
Even got a little bitty muskrat cousin
Got 'em out dryin' in the hot, hot sun
Tomorrow, Poppa's gonna turn 'em into mon'
[Verse 4]
Well, they call my Momma Rita and my Daddy Jack
My little baby brother on the floor that's Mac
Rhett and Lynn are the family twins
Big brother Eddie's on the bayou fishin'

[Verse 5]
On the river floats Poppa's great big boat
That's how me and Poppa get in to town
It takes every bit of a night and day
To even reach a place where the people will stay

[Verse 6]
I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
That's the day my Poppa takes the furs to town
Poppa done promised me that I could go
He'd even let me see a cowboy show

[Verse 7]
I saw the cowboys and injuns for the first time then
I told my Poppa "Gotta go again"
Poppa says "Hon', we got lines to run
We'll have to come again 'cause there's work to be done"

[Chorus]
Fishin' line strung across the Louisiana River
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
He's settin' his traps, catchin' anythin' he can
Gotta make a livin', he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a livin', he's a Louisiana man
[Outro]
Thank you
Thank you