[ Don Rich ]
Well I'm fishin' in the middle of the Mississippi river
And the water's too muddy to drink
Big catfish bitin' on the little pole and my baby's waitin' on the bank

Well you tried to make a livin' on the Mississippi river it's a mighty hard life to live
But I'm gonna build a house for my pretty little baby
And I'm gonna build it on the hill
Well maybe if I'm lucky I'll catch a catfish and I'll sell 'em for a dollar bill
Then I'm gonna buy another board and a pocketful of nails
For my little house on the hill
Well I'm fishin' in the middle...
[ fiddle ]
My pappy told me there's sure gonna be a lotta hard times a comin' around
But I'd rather go a fishin' on the Mississippi river than livin' in a cold cold ground
Well I can't make whiskey like all the others oh my baby would set me free
I have to go runnin' down Mississippi river when the law come callin' on me
Well I'm fishin' in the middle...
Well I'm fishin' in the middle...