They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I can catch a catfish anytime I want to   Even when the moon man tells me they won’t bite   They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I know where that big ole flathead’s a hiddin’.   I’m a gonna take him home with me tonight      I am the king of Looseyhatchie   My home is on the river   And them catfish they all know me by my sigh   I keep my nose on the westwind   My eye on the water   And my mind on my business all the time      Well I get me a plug a days worth of tobacco   And a can a big ole redworms   I go down to where the rivers runnin’ strong   I throw my hook out on the water   I let it float on down the channel   And I’ll have me a big ole flathead ‘for too long      They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I can catch a catfish anytime I want to   Even when the moon man tells me they won’t bite   They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I know where that big ole flathead’s a hiddin’.   I’m a gonna take him home with me tonight      Oh when they bury me I want to be somewhere on the river   With a big ole flathead layin’ on my stone   And them catfish will all be prayin   They’ll be flatheads up in heaven   So my ghost will leave them Hatchie cats alone      They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I can catch a catfish anytime I want to   Even when the moon man tells me they won’t bite   They call me Catfish Bates    'Cause I know where that big ole flathead’s a hiddin’.   And I’m a gonna take him home with me   I’m a gonna take him home with me   I’m a gonna take him home with me tonight...