Remembered by many these days as a founding member of the groundbreaking Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Elvin Bishop has also tasted pop success with his 1976 smash hit “Fooled Around and Fell In Love.” Bishop’s long and varied career has included other musical stops along the way as well, from deep down gutbucket blues played in smoky South Side Chicago taverns, to raucous roadhouse R&B, to rollicking good time rock & roll. And at every stage along the way, he’s imbued all of his music with deep passion, a uniquely creative spirit, and more than a little bit of sly humor.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Elvin Bishop didn’t have much exposure to live music as a youngster. But his family had a radio, and in between the pop schmaltz and the C&W that ruled the airwaves in the 1950s, that radio could sometimes catch the legendary R&B programming beamed throughout the southern part of the U.S. at night by Nashville radio station WLAC. That station introduced Bishop to the classic records of Jimmy Reed, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, and once his ears had been hooked, there was no turning back for young Elvin. He soon got his first guitar and on his own began scratching out the basic outlines of the blues, R&B and rock & roll that had captured his imagination.
By the time he was preparing to go to college in the late 1950s, Bishop had earned a National Merit Scholarship, allowing him to go to almost any school he chose – and there was only one choice on Elvin’s mind, the prestigious University of Chicago, which just happened to be located on Chicago’s South side, ground zero for much of the urban blues Elvin had been studying only from a distance. He arrived in Chicago in 1959, and before long crossed paths with a kindred spirit in Paul Butterfield. Together, they explored the ghetto blues clubs in the black neighborhoods surrounding the university campus at a time when blues giants like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Magic Sam and Howlin’ Wolf could be found playing in neighborhood joints on a weeknight. Elvin soaked it all up, gaining impromptu lessons and invaluable stage time in front of discerning audiences, and forging a fluid yet powerful guitar style of his own.
By 1963, Bishop and Butterfield were ready to graduate – not necessarily from the university, but certainly from their apprenticeship under Chicago’s blues elders. Recruiting Howlin’ Wolf’s former rhythm section of Sam Lay on drums and Jerome Arnold on bass, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band was born. In 1965, after adding Mike Bloomfield and Mark Naftalin to the lineup, their revolutionary debut LP was released, kicking open the door for virtually all the young white blues bands that followed.
Bishop remained in the fold for three albums with the Butterfield band, including their innovative “East-West” release (on which Bishop and Bloomfield’s intertwining guitars helped set the stage for the Allman Brothers Band among many others who followed), before venturing out on his own. Elvin released four well-received albums on Epic Records in the early ‘70s, before joining Capricorn Records for a couple of LPs and experiencing his biggest pop success, the national hit “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” from his 1976 LP “Struttin’ My Stuff”.
As popular musical trends evolved, the recording projects tapered off, but road work kept Elvin busy through the ‘80s, and by the time he hooked up with Alligator in 1988, he was returning to his bluesy roots. And that fertile territory has been his focus ever since.
Delta Groove Productions president Randy Chortkoff has been a fan and follower of Elvin’s music through all the many phases of his career, beginning with Butterfield Blues Band in the mid 1960s, so when the opportunity arose to bring Elvin into the Delta Groove fold, Chortkoff jumped at the opportunity. The result was Elvin’s Grammy nominated 2008 CD “The Blues Rolls On”, a project supported by an all-star cast of blues royalty featuring B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, George Thorogood , James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Tommy Castro, John Németh, Angela Strehli, plus many more.
Elvin’s brand new release “Red Dog Speaks”, his second on Delta Groove Music, is the exciting next step in his blues journey. Right out of the gate, Bishop leaves no doubt where his heart is, cleverly introducing his long-time cohort - a 1959 Gibson ES-345 that lovingly answers to the name of “Red Dog”, with a gritty slow blues calculated to set the pace for what’s to come. Along the way he smoothly steers the way from strutting blues and R&B, to a good dose of good-time rock & roll, and even an occasional detour through doo-wop, zydeco and gospel. Elvin has made plenty of talented friends over the years, and many of them jumped at the chance to help out including John Nemeth, Buckwheat Zydeco, Roy Gaines, Tommy Castro, Ronnie Baker Brooks, and Kid Andersen who all make guest appearances. And all of it adds up to an amalgam that can only be called “Elvin Bishop music.”
Bishop's official website is at http://www.elvinbishopmusic.com/
Fishin'
Elvin Bishop Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I believe I’ll go back out in the garden
and dig me up some worms…
and go fishin’!
Alright, I got me a nice little spot picked out down there on the crick.
Boy, them perch is bitin' like crazy. Yessir. Powerful.
I'm goin' fishin', hook, sinker, an' line.
I said, fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'....
Boy, I’m a-goin’ fishin’ just to ease my mind.
Ya know, some folks say that fishin' on a Sunday's a sin.
I don’t believe in that though…
If a fish bite my line on a Sunday, I'm gonna reel 'im on in. (haha)
I Believe I'll take 'em on home, fry 'em up good an' have a ball....
‘Cause I don't see nothin wrong with fishin’ on Sunday at all. (haha)
I'm goin' fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'.
Boy, I'm goin' fishin', hook, sinker, an' line.
I said, fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'. (hahaha)
Yes, I’m a-goin’ fishin’ just to ease my mind.
Alright!
I’ll take my pole and my jug, down to the river,
Gonna sit up on the bank,
Every time the fish starts to nibble,
I’m gonna take me another drink.
I'm goin' fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'.
Yes, I'm goin' fishin', hook, sinker, an' line. Woo!
I said, fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'. (hahaha)
Yes Lord, I’m goin’ fishin’ just to ease my mind.
Now see there, look at this big ol’ string of fish.
Ol’ Charlie ‘n them tried to tell me I wouldn’t catch nothin’
Look at the catfish on the end. Woo! He’s a big one.
I’m gonna get the whole neighborhood over here
And fry these up, sit ‘n have a good ol’ fish fry, yessir.
Ooh, it’s startin’ to smell good already. Yessir.
Hey, bust out a couple bottles a ketchup, salt’n’pepper,
A couple a loaves of bread, an’
We’ll just have a time here tonight. Yessir.
Get that old boy next door
To come play his fiddle for us…
Send ol Charlie Daniels out for a
Couple bottles of Corn Liquor, will ya
Aww, here he comes back with it…
Eh, hand me a tall glass, darlin’,
And about two more a’ those fish sandwiches…
Woo, this sure is good…
I aint had this much fun,
in about a hundred years…
The song "Fishin'" by Elvin Bishop is a cheerful and playful tune about the joy of fishing. The song has a simple yet catchy melody that fits the laid-back vibe of the lyrics perfectly. The first stanza sets the scene, as Bishop contemplates going fishing after finding a nice spot down by the creek. He sings about digging up worms and grabbing his gear, getting ready for a day of relaxation and fun. The chorus is a repetition of "fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'", which adds to the playful nature of the song.
Bishop goes on to mention how some people believe that fishing on a Sunday is a sin, but he doesn't see anything wrong with it. He jokes about reeling in a fish on a Sunday, taking it home, and frying it up for dinner. The second verse of the song is similar to the first, with more details about his fishing adventure. He mentions sitting down by the river and taking a swig from his jug of alcohol whenever a fish bites. The chorus repeats again, and Bishop talks about catching a big ol' string of fish, much to the surprise of his doubting neighbors.
The last part of the song becomes a bit of a party, as Bishop invites everyone over for a fish fry. He talks about busting out bottles of ketchup, salt, and pepper, and having a great time with friends and neighbors. He even suggests getting the boy next door to play his fiddle and sending Charlie Daniels out for a couple of bottles of corn liquor. The song ends on a high note, with Bishop reveling in the good times and the joy of fishing.
Overall, "Fishin'" is a feel-good song that embodies the laid-back attitude of being out on the water, enjoying the simple pleasures of life. The lyrics emphasize the fun and relaxation that come with fishing, and the melody is upbeat and carefree.
Line by Line Meaning
Boy, it sure is a nice day today.
The day is great and perfect for getting outdoors.
I believe I’ll go back out in the garden and dig me up some worms… and go fishin’!
Going to the garden to collect worms to use as bait.
Alright, I got me a nice little spot picked out down there on the crick. Boy, them perch is bitin' like crazy. Yessir.
Fishing at the creek and catching plenty of perch.
I'm goin' fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'. I'm goin' fishin', hook, sinker, an' line. I said, fish-fish, fish-fish, fish-fish, fishin'.... Boy, I’m a-goin’ fishin’ just to ease my mind.
Fishing repeatedly while explaining the reasons for fishing.
Ya know, some folks say that fishin' on a Sunday's a sin. I don’t believe in that though… If a fish bite my line on a Sunday, I'm gonna reel 'im on in. (haha) I Believe I'll take 'em on home, fry 'em up good an' have a ball.... ‘Cause I don't see nothin wrong with fishin’ on Sunday at all. (haha)
Discussing fishing on Sunday and plans for fishing.
Alright!
Expressing excitement and readiness to fish.
I’ll take my pole and my jug, down to the river, Gonna sit up on the bank, Every time the fish starts to nibble, I’m gonna take me another drink.
Describing the act of fishing with additional details such as bringing a jug to drink from.
Now see there, look at this big ol’ string of fish. Ol’ Charlie ‘n them tried to tell me I wouldn’t catch nothin’ Look at the catfish on the end. Woo! He’s a big one.
Celebrating the success of the fishing trip and catching a large fish.
I’m gonna get the whole neighborhood over here And fry these up, sit ‘n have a good ol’ fish fry, yessir. Ooh, it’s startin’ to smell good already. Yessir.
Planning a fish fry with the fish caught from the trip.
Hey, bust out a couple bottles a ketchup, salt’n’pepper, A couple a loaves of bread, an’ We’ll just have a time here tonight. Yessir.
Getting condiments and bread to prepare for the fish fry.
Get that old boy next door To come play his fiddle for us… Send ol Charlie Daniels out for a Couple bottles of Corn Liquor, will ya Aww, here he comes back with it… Eh, hand me a tall glass, darlin’, And about two more a’ those fish sandwiches… Woo, this sure is good… I aint had this much fun, in about a hundred years…
Inviting neighbors over to have fun and adding details to the scene of the fish fry.
Contributed by Keira C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bill Slais
on Give It Up
I wrote "Give It Up" with Mickey Thomas and no site has the lyrics, apparently...so...here are the lyrics Mick and I wrote..
...I wanna lay out....I wanna stay out....Don't wanna change my ways...
...I do some drinkin' .....I do some thinkin' .....of what's goin' thru my head these days......
...So if you try to find...some kind of peace of mind...you've got to give as well as take...(oh yeh)
...If you can help it....don't be so selfish (double oh yeh)....
...There's a price you gotta pay (mid-terms??..lol)...YEH (his vocal)
CHORUS
...Everybody's gotta give it up.....repeat....Everybody's go to give it up....
..Everybody's got to give it up sometimes...
BRIDGE
Everybody.....Everybody.....in the world... If you find that...special girl (Kari Lake??..lol)
Don't be blinded....Have a good time...You might find out you could learn a lot.....(hmmm)
GUITAR SOLO
You wanna hold on.....to your freedom....you know you can't keep it all your life...(hmm)
So hears my lesson....forget your PRIDE, son..
...You got to make a sacrifice ....(oh yeh)
Everybody's got to give it up....everybody's got to give it up...
Everybody's got to give it up sometimes (even when Red Tsumani's are predicted...lol)
2nd Bridge (words repeated)
RIDE OUT....Everybody's got to give it up....Everybody's got to give it up sometimes....(even in mid-terms..lol)
Bill Slais
on Give It Up
First off.....Elvin did NOT write "Give It Up" ....Mickey (Thomas) and I wrote the song and the lyrics and I own 100 per cent of publishing and have never been paid a dime for writing it with Mick or a nickel for the publishing... and, even worse, it was re-published on the live album ....and then bought and re-re-published on CD...
Just wanted you to know... at 75 and with Vietnam bladder cancer... I gave up on ever getting paid .....it happened a again on another CD release of a Bay Area guitarist on which I wrote 3 songs and give him half writer's though he didn't write a not... I just love the music business....don't you?