"Fishing Blues" (also "Fishin' Blues") is a

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

song written in 1911 by Chris Smith, who is best known for "

Ballin' the Jack "Ballin' the Jack" (or sometimes "Balling the Jack") is a popular song from 1913 written by Jim Burris with music by Chris Smith. It introduced a popular dance of the same name with "Folks in Georgia's 'bout to go insane." It became a ragtime, pop ...

". "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 A pan flute (also known as panpipes or syrinx) is a musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length (and occasionally girth). Multiple varieties of pan flutes have been ...

. It is

Roud Folk Song Index The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of around 250,000 references to nearly 25,000 songs collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world. It is compiled by Steve Roud (born 1949), a former librarian in the London ...

No. 17692. The song ostensibly describes the pleasures of catching, cooking, and eating your own fish, particularly

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...

. The

refrain A refrain (from Vulgar Latin ''refringere'', "to repeat", and later from Old French ''refraindre'') is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry — the "chorus" of a song. Poetic fixed forms that feature refrains include the vi ...

includes:

Recordings

* 1928Henry Thomas, 10-inch 78rpm single Vocalion 1249 * 1930s{?)

Sam Chatmon Sam Chatmon (born Vivian Chatmon; January 10, 1897 – February 2, 1983) was a Delta blues guitarist and singer. He was a member of the Mississippi Sheiks. He may have been Charley Patton's half-brother. Life and career Chatmon was born in B ...

, included on the 1979 album ''Sam Chatmon's Advice'' * 1964Mike Seeger, on the album ''Mike Seeger'' * 1965The Holy Modal Rounders, on the album ''

The Holy Modal Rounders 2 ''The Holy Modal Rounders 2'' is the second studio album by the folk duo The Holy Modal Rounders, released in 1965 through Prestige Records. For the 1965 release the duo's originally track sequencing was changed much to their disapproval. All tr ...

'' * 1965The Lovin' Spoonful, on the album ''

Do You Believe in Magic Do You Believe in Magic may refer to: *''Do You Believe in Magic'', a 1990 children's book by Saviour Pirotta * ''Do You Believe in Magic?'' (book), a 2013 book by Paul Offit about alternative medicine * ''Do You Believe in Magic'' (film), a 2008 ...

'' * 1966Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band, on the album ''See Reverse Side for Title'' * 1968John Martyn, on the album ''

The Tumbler ''The Tumbler'' was John Martyn's second album released on Island Records in 1968. The album shows a progression from his previous solo folk offering to a more expansive sound including significant contributions from jazz flautist Harold McNai ...

'' * 1969Taj Mahal, on the album '' Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home'' * 1975 Lillebjørn Nilsen, on the album ''Byen med det store hjertet'' * 1977Richard Bargel, on the album ''Blue Steel'' * 1984John Sebastian, on the 2001 album ''One Guy, One Guitar '' * 1990

Nappy Brown Napoleon Brown Goodson Culp (October 12, 1929 – September 20, 2008) better known by his stage name Nappy Brown, was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singing, singer. His hit record, hits include the 1955 ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard' ...

, on the album ''Apples and Lemons'' * 2000Paramount Trio, on the album ''At the Crossroads of Collingwood and Fitzr'' * 2001Felonius Blues Revue, on the album ''Sketches in Blue'' * 2001 David Thomas, on the album ''The Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited'' * 2001Claire Tomlinson, on the album ''Black, White and Blues, Vol. 1'' * 2002 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, on the album ''

Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III ''Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III'' is the 2002 album from The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. This album reached 18 on the US Country chart. Earlier albums in the series include ''Will the Circle Be Unbroken'' and '' Will the Circle Be Unbroken: ...

'' * 2002Teja and Luke, on the album ''Better Day'' * 2003 Disney, on the soundtrack album ''

Finding Nemo ''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton with co-direction by Lee Unkrich, the screenplay was writ ...

: Ocean Favorites'' * 2003Doofus, on the album ''Handful of Songs'' * 2003

Jean-Jacques Milteau Jean-Jacques Milteau (born 17 April 1950, Paris) is a French blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter, as well as radio presenter. Career Milteau became interested in the harmonica when he first heard folk and rock music (such as Bob D ...

, on the album ''Blue 3rd'' * 2003

Artie Traum Arthur Roy Traum (April 3, 1943 – July 20, 2008) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. Traum's work appeared on more than 35 albums. He produced and recorded with The Band, Arlen Roth, Warren Bernhardt, Pat Alger, Tony Levin, J ...

, Chris Shaw and Tom Akstens, on the album ''Big Trout Radio: Songs About Fishing'' * 2003David Thompson and Ben Winship, on the album ''Fishing Music'' * 2004The Juggernauts, on the album ''As We Like It'' * 2006Blues Etc., on the album ''Blues Etc.'' * 2006Ben Bonham, on the album ''Kids Only'' * 2006The Gutbucket Jug Band, on the album ''Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue'' * 2006Gareth Hedges and Lance Bennett, on the album ''Candy Man'' * 2006 Hell's Kitchen, on the album ''City Streets'' * 2006Peter "Madcat" Ruth, on the album ''Live in Rio'' * 2006Someday Baby, on the album ''Backbone Move'' * 2007Bill and Kristin Morris, on the album ''Not Your Regular Cup of Tea'' * 2008Steve Baker and Dick Bird, on the album ''King Kazoo'' * 2008Electric Apricot, on the soundtrack album of the movie '' Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo'' * 2009Graham Hine, on the album ''You'll Be Hearing from Me Real Soon'' * 2015Spuyten Duyvil, on the album ''The Social Music Hour, Vol. 1''

References

{{authority control Songs about fish Songs about fishers 1928 songs Blues songs Vocalion Records singles The Lovin' Spoonful songs Nitty Gritty Dirt Band songs Taj Mahal (musician) songs Okeh Records singles