Old & in the Way was a one-shot bluegrass band whose legacy lasted far long… Read Full Bio ↴Old & in the Way was a one-shot bluegrass band whose legacy lasted far longer than the band. Led by Grateful Dead member Jerry Garcia (banjo, vocals), the band also featured David Nelson (guitar, vocals), David Grisman (mandolin, vocals), Vassar Clements (fiddle), Peter Rowan (guitar, vocals), and John Kahn (bass). Garcia formed the band in 1973 as a way to revisit his bluegrass roots and demonstrate his affection for the music. To round out the lineup, he recruited Clements and Kahn as well as Grisman and Rowan, who were both West Coast session musicians who had previously played together in the band Muleskinner. Taking their name from a Grisman composition, Old & in the Way played a handful of gigs, most of them at the Boarding House in San Francisco in October. An album, also called Old & in the Way, was culled from these shows but not released until 1975 on the Grateful Dead's own record label, Round. The record combined standards and Rowan originals, which later became standards. Although the album was the only one the lineup released during the 1970s, the members continued to play together in various permutations over the next two decades, and the record continued to sell steadily. The group reunited after Garcia's death in 1995, releasing a second album (actually composed of 1973 recordings), That High Lonesome Sound, in early 1996. A third album of 1973 vintage appeared at the end of 1997.

Catfish John
Old & In the Way Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mama said, "Don't go near that river"
"Don't be hanging round old Catfish John"
Come the morning I'd always be there
Walking in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn

Take me back to another morning (note 1)
To a time so long ago
When the sweet magnolia blossomed (note 2)

Cotton fields were white as snow

Catfish John was a river hobo
Lived and died by the river's bend
Looking back I still remember
I was proud to be his friend

[chorus]

Born a slave in the town of Richmond (note 3)
Traded for a chestnut mare
Lord, he never spoke in anger
Though his load was hard to bear

[chorus]

[chorus]
Walking in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Old & In the Way's song Catfish John tell the story of a young boy who was forbidden by his mother to hang around Catfish John, a river hobo. However, the boy is drawn to Catfish John and follows in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn. The lyrics then take us back to a different time long ago when the cotton fields were white as snow and the magnolia blossomed. The listener gets a glimpse into Catfish John's life as a river hobo who lived and died by the river's bend. The singer reflects on his friendship with Catfish John and how proud he was to be his friend.

The second verse of the song tells the interesting story of Catfish John's life as a slave. He was born a slave in the town of Richmond and was later traded for a chestnut mare. Despite the hardships he faced, Catfish John never spoke in anger. The chorus repeats the line "Walking in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn," emphasizing the singer's admiration for Catfish John and the impact he had on his life.

Overall, the lyrics to Catfish John are about the power of friendship and the importance of following your heart. The singer is drawn to Catfish John despite his mother's warnings and is proud to have been his friend. The song also sheds light on the struggles of those who have been enslaved and the resilience and strength they possess.

Line by Line Meaning

Mama said, "Don't go near that river"
My mother warned me not to go near the river for fear of danger.

"Don't be hanging round old Catfish John"
My mother warned me against being near Catfish John due to his reputation.

Come the morning I'd always be there
Despite my mother's warnings, I would always end up at the river in the morning.

Walking in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn
I would follow Catfish John's footsteps in the early morning light by the river.

Take me back to another morning
I yearn to return to a past moment in time.

To a time so long ago
This past moment that I long to return to occurred many years ago.

When the sweet magnolia blossomed
This past moment was during the time when magnolia trees were in full bloom.

Cotton fields were white as snow
The cotton fields were freshly harvested and the white fibers were present in the air.

Catfish John was a river hobo
Catfish John was a person who lived by and traveled along the river as a homeless individual.

Lived and died by the river's bend
Catfish John spent his entire life, including his death, living by the bend in the river.

Looking back I still remember
Reflecting on the past, I still recall my fondness for Catfish John.

I was proud to be his friend
I held a sense of pride for having the opportunity to call Catfish John my friend.

Born a slave in the town of Richmond
Catfish John was born into slavery in the city of Richmond.

Traded for a chestnut mare
At some point, Catfish John was traded for a horse, specifically a chestnut mare.

Lord, he never spoke in anger
Despite experiencing hardships, Catfish John never expressed his emotions through anger.

Though his load was hard to bear
Despite the difficulties that he faced, Catfish John continued to move forward and never complained about his struggles.

[chorus]
Repeating the chorus lyrics over again.

Walking in his footsteps in the sweet Delta dawn
Repeating the previous line, which describes the desire to follow Catfish John's footsteps by the river in the morning light.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALLEN REYNOLDS, BOB MCDILL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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