At birth mama papa called their little boy Ned
Raised him on the banks of a river bed
A houseboat tied to a big tall tree
A home for my papa and my mama and me

The clock strikes three, papa jumps to his feet
Already mama's cookin' papa somethin' to eat
At half past papa he's a-ready to go
He jumps in his pirogue and he's down the bayou

He's got fishin' lines strung up on the Louisiana rivers
Try to catch a big fish for us to eat
He set the traps in the swamp catchin' anything he can
Try to make a livin', he's a Louisiana man
Try to make a livin', he's a Louisiana man

Muskrat hides hangin' by the dozens
Even got a lady mink, a muskrat's cousin
Got 'em out dryin' in the hot, hot sun
Tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em into moon

Well they call mama Rita and my daddy Jack
Little baby brother on the floor that's Mack
Fred and Lynn are the family twins
Big brother Ed's on the bayou fishin'
On the river floats papa's great big boat
That's how my papa goes into town
Takes every bit of a night and a day
And even takes place where the people stay

I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
That's the day my papa takes the furs to town
Papa promised me that I could go
Even let me see a cowboy show

I seen the cowboys and Indians for the first time then
I told my papa gotta go again
Papa said, son we got lines to run
We'll come back again 'cause there's work to be done

He's got fishin' lines strung up on the Louisiana rivers
Try to catch a big fish for us to eat
He set the traps in the swamp catchin' anything he can
Try to make a livin', he's a Louisiana man
Try to make a livin', he's a Louisiana man