Louisiana Man
Rusty Kershaw, Doug Kershaw
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Well, at birth mom and papa called their little boy Ned Raised him on the banks of a river bed On 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 mama's cooking papa something to eat At half past, papa he's ready to go He jumps in his pirogue headed down the bayou He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana Rivers Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat He's setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can He's gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man My Muskrat hides hanging by the dozens Even got a lady mink, a muskrat's cousin Got 'em out drying in the hot, hot sun Tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em into money Well, they call mama Rita and my daddy Jack Little baby brother on the floor that's Mack Bren and Lin are the family twins And big brother Ed's on the bayou fishing On the river floats papa's great big boat And that's how my papa goes into town Takes him every bit of a night and a day To even reach a place where the people stay And I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around That's the day my papa takes his furs to town Papa promised me that I could go He'd even let me see a cowboy show I saw the cowboys and Indians for the first time then I told my pop I've gotta go again Well, Papa said, "Son we've got lines to run We'll come back again but first there's work to be done" He's got fishing lines strung across the Louisiana Rivers Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat He's setting traps in the swamp catching anything he can Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man Gotta make a living, he's a Louisiana man ...
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
Written by: Doug Kershaw
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Louisiana Man" OriginThe song "Louisiana Man" was originally written and performed by Doug Kershaw in 1961. It is one of the top-selling songs in the history of the American Music Genre.
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Bobbie Gentry's VersionAmerican singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry covered "Louisiana Man" in her 1968 album "Louisiana Man", which was named after the famous song.
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Chart SuccessThe original version by Doug Kershaw went on to peak at number 10 on the Billboard hot country songs chart in 1961.
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Connie Smith's CoverAnother great country singer, Connie Smith, included her rendition of "Louisiana Man" on her 1968 album "I Love Charley Brown".
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International RecognitionNot only the United States, but the song "Louisiana Man" also gained international success. English rock band The Hollies covered this song in 1969 on their album "Hollies Sing Dylan", and Australian band The Seekers also covered it in 1968.
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Popularity Amongst ArtistsThe song has been covered by more than 800 artists, including famous names like Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, proving its popularity and influence in the music world.
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Nature of the SongThe lyrics of the song describe the lifestyle of a poor Louisiana man, preserving a cultural narrative that resonated with many listeners.
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First Song Broadcast from the MoonInterestingly, "Louisiana Man" was the first song ever to be broadcast back to earth from the moon. The Apollo 12 mission crew played a cassette tape containing the song in 1969.
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Doug KershawDoug Kershaw, the original singer and writer of the song, is a fiddle player and one of the most significant representatives of the Cajun music tradition.
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Part of a Double-sided hit"Louisiana Man" was originally released as part of a double A-side single, alongside "Diggy Liggy Lo", both of which became huge hits for Doug Kershaw.
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Citation
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"Louisiana Man Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 17 Feb. 2025. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2861690/Doug+Kershaw/Louisiana+Man>.
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