Amos Moses

"Amos Moses" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Jerry Reed. It was released in October 1970 as the fourth and final single from the album Georgia Sunshine and was his highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, bowing at #97 on October 31, 1970 and peaking at #8 on February 27 & March 6, 1971. It has been used ever since as a line dance taught at YMCAs. "Amos Moses" was certified gold for sales of 1 million units by the RIAA. It was #28 on Billboard's Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1971 and also appeared on several other countries' charts.

"Amos Moses"
Single by Jerry Reed
from the album Georgia Sunshine
B-side"The Preacher and the Bear"
ReleasedOctober 19, 1970
Genre
Length2:19
LabelRCA Records
Songwriter(s)Jerry Reed
Producer(s)Chet Atkins
Jerry Reed singles chronology
"The Preacher and the Bear"
(1970)		 "Amos Moses"
(1970)		 "When You're Hot, You're Hot"
(1971)
Alternative cover
German album artwork of the 7" release of Amos Moses

Content

The song tells the story of a one-armed Cajun alligator poacher named Amos Moses, son of "Doc Milsap" and his wife Hannah, who lived "about 45 minutes southeast of Thibodaux, Louisiana." The song tells the story of Amos's life, including his troubles with the law for illegally hunting alligators, including how a sheriff "snuck in the swamp [to] get the boy, but he never come out again."

It is not absolutely clear that Amos's father was named "Doc Milsap", as the lyric is difficult to interpret from the recording. Different incantations have been assumed over the years, such as "Doc Mills South" and most commonly "Duckbill Sam". The latter is given credence from existing video of Reed in comedy sketches involving the song, where it appears he may in fact say "Duck Bill Sam", and also the assumption that a "doctor" (Doc) wouldn't fit the bill as a father throwing his son in the swamp as "alligator bait". Lyric sheets from CMT and other reputable sources cannot be relied upon: some fail to even spell "Thibodaux" correctly, billing it as "Tibido" or even "Tippietoe". It might also be that Reed had two separate sets of lyrics, and, unable to complete either, decided to put the two together, with the funnier version first, as a hook. Whatever the case, it worked.

Appearances in other media

The song appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on country radio station K-Rose.[2]

The song was featured in an episode of the TV show My Name Is Earl.

It was covered by Les Claypool twice: on Primus's Rhinoplasty EP and on his 2014 Duo de Twang album. It's also been covered by Alabama 3 on their album M.O.R. and by the Pleasure Barons on their 1993 album Live in Las Vegas, with Mojo Nixon on lead vocals. Cross Canadian Ragweed covered the song on 1999's Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon.

A rock version of "Amos Moses" featured on The Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 1976 album SAHB Stories.

The character Amos Moses features as the trapper in Walter Hill's film Southern_Comfort_(1981_film), 1981, played by Brion James.

Chart performance

References
  1. Robert Fontenot (November 18, 2017). "What Is Swamp Rock? A look at this Southern mix of country, funk, and soul". ThoughtCo. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  2. "Soundtrack". GTA San Andreas. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 249. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  5. "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. 1971-03-06. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  6. "Jerry Reed | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  7. "Go-Set Australian charts - 19 June 1971". Poparchives.com.au. 1971-06-19. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  8. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
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