At birth mom and 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 and papa jumps to his feet
Already mamas cooking papa something to eat
At half past papa hes ready to go
He jumps in his pirogue headed down the bayou
Hes got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana rivers
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
Hes setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can
Hes gotta make a living, hes a Louisiana Man
Hes gotta make a living, hes a Louisiana Man
Hes got Muskrat hides hanging by the dozens
Even got a lady Mink, a Muskrats cousin
Got em out drying in the hot, hot sun
Tomorrow papas gonna turn em into mon
They call mama Rita and my daddy Jack
Little baby brother on the floor thats Mack
Bren and Lin are the family twins
And big brother Eds on the bayou fishing
On the river floats papas great big boat
Thats how my papa goes into town
It takes every bit of a night and a day
To even reach a place where people stay
I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
Thats the day my papa takes his furs to town
Papa promised me that I could go
Hed even let me see a cowboy show
I saw the cowboys and Indians for the first time then
I told my pop Ive gotta go again
Papa said son weve got lines to run
Well come back again but first theres work to be done
Hes got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana rivers
Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat
Hes setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can
Hes gotta make a living, hes a Louisiana Man
Hes gotta make a living, hes a Louisiana Man