Dead Shrimp Blues
Robert A Johnson Lyrics

The lyrics to Robert A Johnson's song "Dead Shrimp Blues" depict a man waking up to find all his shrimps dead and gone. He is left wondering why he is left to weep and moan, and suspects someone is fishing in his pond since he has dead shrimps all around. The man laments his situation, serving his best bait, but this yields no result as he sees his catch dwindling down. In the second verse, the man is frustrated with his lover, who seems to have her mouth hanging out every time he tries to do something. He feels posted out of the hole where he used to fish and attributes this to his lover.
In the third verse, the man watches as his goggle-eye perches are being caught, and barbequed to the bone. He realizes that his lover has taken his shrimps and left him unwound. He has to find a way to unwind before he can do anything about his situation.

Overall, the song is about a man who has lost everything that he had, and is left to wonder why things have gone so wrong for him. He looks towards his lover and the people around him, searching for a reason why he is left in his predicament. It's a passionate song that speaks to the heart of anyone who has lost something they loved or worked hard for.