I would rather be a little catfish,
so I could swim way down in the sea
I would have somebody, somebody
Settin' out hooks for me
Settin' out hooks for me
You know, I went to my baby's house,
she told me to sit down on the step
"Son, you can come right on in
because my husband just now left,
just now left, just now left"
And I asked my baby to,
let me sit down 'side her bed
"Turn on your heater, till they turn cherry red1,
cherry red, cherry red"
That's the reason I'd rather be a little catfish,
so I could swim way down in the sea
I would have many-some of these women,
settin' out a line for me
Settin' out a line for me, a line for me
You know, I went to the church house,
and they called on me to pray
I got down on my knees but I didn't,
have no word to say
Not a word to say, word to say
That's the reason I'd rather be a little catfish
So I could swim way down in the sea
I would have somebody, somebody,
settin' out a line for me
Settin' out a line for me, a line for me
I don't wanna be no tadpole,
and I don't wanna be no bullfrog
And if I can't be a catfish,
I won't swim at all
I won't swim at all, swim at all
That's the reason I want to be a little catfish,
so I could swim way down in the sea
I would have these good-lookin' women,
settin' out a hook for me
Settin' out a hook for me, hook for me
__________
Note 1: here James chastises his original phrase, "till your nipples turn cherry red".
