(Tom T. Hall)

I ain't had a bite cause the moon's too bright
I wish I had a big one or two
My crockline's set and my hooks're all wet
And mama's got the catfish blues.

Don't like to see her unhappy, she treats me like a water tree
I hate to see mama with the catfish blues
And the catfish're laying in the river asleep
There's a bottle of wine laying easy on my mind
I dug enough bait to catch a few
My reeling's wet but I cannot forget
Mama's got the catfish blues.

--- Instrumental ---

There's a turtle on the stump and the toadfrog jump
And I guess I copuld gig me a few
In settlin' fog I caught a big water dog
Mama's got the catfish blues.

Don't like to see her unhappy, she treats me like a water tree
I hate to see mama with the catfish blues
And the catfish're laying in the river asleep
There's a bottle of wine laying easy on my mind
I dug enough bait to catch a few
My reeling's wet but I cannot forget
Mama's got the catfish blues...