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Old 01-22-2019, 11:30 AM
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arktrav arktrav is offline
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Default Help with lyrics on a Tom T Hall song

Tom T Hall is a favorite of mine. He wrote a song called "Mama's Got The Catfish Blues". There is a line that sounds, "..Don't like to see her unhappy she treats me like . . . . . . ?????????

Can you decipher what he is saying. I really don't believe it is "water tree", like some lyric programs say.

Thanks
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Old 01-22-2019, 12:41 PM
otto otto is offline
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she treats me like I wanna treat (want to treat)
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Old 01-22-2019, 12:46 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
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My Dad played music and was a huge Tom T Hall fan when I was a kid...

I'm pretty certain he sang it "She treats me like a water tree..."
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Old 01-22-2019, 03:15 PM
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Maybe you are right. If so, then what in the world is a "water tree"?
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Old 01-22-2019, 05:13 PM
macmanmatty macmanmatty is offline
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No help with the lyrics. I Love me some good ol' Tom T. Hall , but my copy of that song came from an album that was not the best of shape and I can't make out what he's saying either. . But a water tree is a plant that has fluids that may be used as an emergency source of drinking water such as a large pitcher plant or a cactus.
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Old 01-22-2019, 05:20 PM
Budman1 Budman1 is offline
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How’s this......

I ain't had a bite 'cause the moon's too bright
I wish I had a big one or two
My crock line's set and my hooks are all wet
And mama's got the catfish blues
Don't like to see her unhappy
She treats me like a water tree
I hate to see mama with the catfish blues
And the catfish are layin' in the river asleep
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Old 01-22-2019, 06:41 PM
GCWaters GCWaters is offline
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water tree: noun

Definition of water tree: any of several chiefly tropical plants with fluids that may be used as an emergency source of drinking water: such as
a : a large Ceylonese pitcher plant (Nepenthes distillatoria)
b : an African woody vein (Tetracera potatoria) that yields abundant watery sap when a large stem is cut
c : any of several chiefly arborescent Australian plants (as of the family Proteaceae) that yield a watery sap when the bark or roots are cut
especially : a needle wood (Hakea leucoptera) that stores water in its thickened roots
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Old 01-23-2019, 01:59 AM
Mandobart Mandobart is offline
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From Google, must be right:

"I ain't had a bite 'cause the moon's too bright
I wish I had a big one or two
My crock line's set and my hooks are all wet
And mama's got the catfish blues
Don't like to see her unhappy
She treats me like a water tree
I hate to see mama with the catfish blues
And the catfish are layin' in the river asleep
There's a bottle of wine layin' easy on my mind
I dug enough bait to catch a few
My reeling's wet but I cannot forget
Mama's got the catfish blues
There's a turtle on the stump and the toadfrog jump
And I guess, I could gig me a few
In settlin' fog I caught a big water dog
Mama's got the catfish blues
I don't like to see her unhappy
She treats me like a water tree
I hate to see mama with the catfish blues
And the catfish are layin' in the river asleep
There's a bottle of wine layin' easy on my mind
I dug enough bait to catch a few
My reeling's wet but I cannot forget
Mama's got the catfish blues, yeah"

Just listened through it again. Definitely water tree.
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Old 01-23-2019, 04:25 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post
From Google, must be right:
Yeah, right.

Just because it sounds like "a water tree", and it's commonly shown that way in online lyrics, doesn't mean that's what he sang - online sources often copy each other with no checking or quality control. (The fact there is such a thing as "a water tree" doesn't help, because - according to GCWaters reference - they don't grow in the US of A.)

"I wanna treat" - or "I want a treat" - makes a lot more sense in context.

Of course, you can sing "water tree" if you like, but you'd have to be prepared for someone coming up afterwards and asking you what it means. Have a convincing answer ready... ("To treat someone like a water tree is to love them deeply, because a water tree is sturdy and reliable, having grown and survived in a difficult environment..." Some kind of BS like that - which I just made up - might convince the more fake-news-susceptible folk... )
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Old 01-23-2019, 09:15 AM
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I appreciate the definitions, and even ran across them myself. However, what could it mean to be treated like a "water tree"?

I have actually come to think that the line is "she treats me like I ought to be".

Or maybe, "she won't treat me like I ought to be" ("won't" doesn't really sound like the song though; but it fits the song and the intention, to me, of the song)

What do you think?
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Old 01-23-2019, 05:18 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arktrav View Post
I appreciate the definitions, and even ran across them myself. However, what could it mean to be treated like a "water tree"?

I have actually come to think that the line is "she treats me like I ought to be".
Makes good sense - or maybe "treats me like I want to be"?

Not sure it sounds close enough (the last word still sounds "tree(t)"), but if it makes sense, who cares ?
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Old 01-24-2019, 11:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
Makes good sense - or maybe "treats me like I want to be"?

Not sure it sounds close enough (the last word still sounds "tree(t)"), but if it makes sense, who cares ?
I think you have it. At least, as far as I am concerned. Sounds good and that is what I'm going with. Thanks. J.C. Bryant
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Old 01-26-2019, 12:07 AM
FwL FwL is offline
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For what it's worth I think it's "She treats me like I wanna be treated" They just don't enunciate the end of the word like you'd expect.

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Old 01-26-2019, 10:21 AM
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Put your Headphones or earbuds on ......Sure sounds like "water tree"

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