When was the first time you heard the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's hit song "Fishin' In The Dark?" Not long after its release on the 1987 album "Hold On," the song peaked at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In some ways, it has never looked back. Just because outdoorspeople hunt, fish, love the outdoors, and raise their families to do the same, doesn't mean they automatically like country music. Some songs transcend that line between Rock & Roll, Honkey Tonk, and the Blues to increase overall popularity. "Fishin' In the Dark" does that with change to spare.
You rarely find yourself listening to a song with a group of lyrics that sets it apart from the others in a way that might be a little bawdy in its form. At the same time, you'll be hard-pressed to find even the staunchest conservative folk who don't get a wry smile from a song we've been singing since before some of you were born.
You probably hope a fellow fisherman made this catchy melody. But the truth is that singer/songwriter Jim Photoglo knew he was onto something good when he played this bouncy tune for fellow songwriter Wendy Waldman. And you may be surprised to learn from The Tennessean that "he really, really didn't want to turn it into a song about fishing." Just so Mr. Photoglo knows, we don't always see it that way.
Listen to "Fishin' in the Dark"
An official music video may not exist (or at least be easily found) for "Fishin' In the Dark." Still, many versions are available on YouTube, including this "Official Vinyl Video" from RHINO's YouTube channel. Since you don't need to watch the video, click play, turn it up, and keep scrolling for the lyrics.
The Rest of the Story
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Country acts like Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney has either recorded this song or played it live for many years, to name a few. In 2015, Photoglo spoke with The Tennessean to address the song's origin and how it eventually became such a hit. The planets had aligned for Photoglo since the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band had already recorded one of his songs. Since friend and producer Josh Leo had taken the reigns of the NGDB, he said, "Man, the Dirt Band, this is perfect for them."
It's almost impossible to list the number of other songs that also reference "Fishin' in the Dark" in their lyrics, so it's been enormously far-reaching. The beloved outdoorswoman in my life and I have loved this song for so long that we even refer to it as 'Our Song' and can only smile when it comes on the radio.
"Fishin' In the Dark" Lyrics
Verse 1:
Lazy yellow moon comin' up tonight
Shinin' through the trees
Crickets are singin' and lightnin' bugs
Are floatin' on the breeze
Baby get ready
Verse 2:
Across the field where the crick turns back
By the old stone road
I'm gonna take you to a special place
That nobody knows
Baby get ready
Ooh, ooh
Chorus:
You and me goin' fishin' in the dark
Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars
Where the cool grass grows
Down by the river in the full moonlight
We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night
Just movin' slow
Stayin' the whole night through
Feels so good to be with you
Verse 3:
Spring is almost over and the summer's comin'
The days are gettin' long
Waited all winter for the time to be right
Just to take you along
Baby get ready
Verse 4:
And it don't matter if we sit forever
And the fish don't bite
Jump in the river and cool ourselves
From the heat of the night
Baby get ready
Ooh, ooh
Chorus (X3):
You and me goin' fishin' in the dark
Lyin' on our backs and countin' the stars
Where the cool grass grows
Down by the river in the full moonlight
We'll be fallin' in love in the middle of the night
Just movin' slow
Stayin' the whole night through
It feels so good to be with
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This article was originally published on March 16, 2021.
