Rough cut first draft of a new song, my Week 4 song submission to the local Half Brothers 2018 songwriter challenge
Into The Belly Of The Catfish
When the sun is high, and the river flows
Gonna let that Muddy Waters run down deep between my toes
Gonna let that tall grass cut me
Let that sparrow sing
Gonna drink that Poison Ivy
‘Cause to me that ain’t no thing
Mmm, gonna let that dirt and violence wash down with the detritis
I’m goin’ deep down into the belly of the catfish
Ain’t no first rose of summer gonna prick my finger
Ain’t no cold sunrise gonna warm my bones
Don’t need no satisfaction like The Rolling Stones
There’s ain’t nothin’ goin’ on around here, is there, Mr. Jones?
I don’t need no pretty lady to dance with
I’m going deep down into the belly of the catfish
Ain’t no hangman jury, no gallows tree
No judge’s gavel put no shackles around me
No convict ship, no iron gang
No crows to wait to pick my bones while I hang
No day and night the irons gonna clang
But into the bush I’ll go when I slip my chains
Mmm, they ain’t seen the likes of me yet
I’m going deep down into the belly of the catfish
Don’t need no angels of mercy, need no wings of wax
I don’t need no freight train blues on no sleepy railroad tracks
I don’t need no hobo moonshine to spark no boxcar fire
I got no use for the numbers that go down on the wire
I don’t need no twilight to cast my fortunes, no
I’m going deep down into the belly of the catfish
No big dark cavern, no crashing rocks
No big black mountain gonna make me stop
No green sea serpent, no white wing dove
Ain’t no red storm arisin’ gonna keep me from my love
Uh, no, you don’t know who you mess with
I’m going deep down into the belly of the catfish
Lord said unto Jonah, “Go to Nineveh and tell,
If you don’t, Jonah, I’ll send you to the belly of a whale.”
Jonah said he’d do it, but he went fishin’ instead
For three nights Jonah had whale’s belly for a bed
Mmmhmm, and he begged the Lord for forgiveness
Now I’m going deep down into the belly of a catfish
Now gather ’round close so when I talk you’ll understand
My name is Captain Joe Eddie, the rudest S.O.B. to walk on land
You can ask your Mama, I’m the worst she’s seen
I’m a First Class Discharge from the Merchant Marine
I’m trouble, and I’m always cryin’
I’m going deep down into the belly of the catfish