{{Infobox song | name = Amos Moses | cover = Jerry Reed - Amos Moses single.png | alt = | type = single | artist = Jerry Reed | album = Georgia Sunshine | B-side = The Preacher and the Bear | released = October 19, 1970 | format = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = * Swamp rock<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-swamp-rock-2522008|title=What Is Swamp Rock? A look at this Southern mix of country, funk, and soul|author=Robert Fontenot|publisher=ThoughtCo.|date=November 18, 2017|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> * country<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wideopencountry.com/jerry-reed-songs-ranked/|title=The 10 Best Jerry Reed Songs, Ranked|author=Moore, Addie|publisher=Wide Open Country|date=February 10, 2021|accessdate=March 26, 2024}}</ref> | length = 2:19 | label = RCA Victor | writer = Jerry Reed | producer = Chet Atkins | prev_title = The Preacher and the Bear | prev_year = 1970 | next_title = When You're Hot, You're Hot | next_year = 1971 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative cover | type = single | cover = Amos Moses (German Cover().jpg | border = yes | alt = | caption = German album artwork of the 7" release of ''Amos Moses'' }}}} "'''Amos Moses'''" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer 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 in at No. 97 on October 31, 1970, and peaking at No. 8 on February 27 and 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 No.28 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1971 and also appeared on several other countries' charts.
==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, his upbringing, and 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." suggesting the sheriff got lost in the bayou but the song leaves the actual fate of the sheriff ambiguous.
==Appearances in other media== The song appears in the action-adventure game ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' (2004) on country radio station K-Rose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtasanandreas.net/soundtrack/ |title=Soundtrack |publisher=GTA San Andreas |date= |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref>
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 sixth studio album ''M.O.R.'' (2007) 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 version of "Amos Moses" featured on the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's sixth studio album ''SAHB Stories'' (1976).
The character Amos Moses features as the trapper in Walter Hill's film ''Southern Comfort'' (1981) played by Brion James.
==Chart performance== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !align="left"|Chart (1970–1971) ! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position |- |Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=249}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|34 |- |align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.5217&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=9oort0bg2il62dn0ns93bs89l7 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date= |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|2 |- |align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1971-03-06/hot-100 |title=Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart |website=Billboard.com |date=1971-03-06 |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|8 |- |align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-reed-p1783/charts-awards/billboard-singles |title=Jerry Reed | Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|16 |- |align="left"|Australia (''Go-Set'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19710619.html |title=Go-Set Australian charts - 19 June 1971 |website=Poparchives.com.au |date=1971-06-19 |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|38 |} {{col-2}}
=== Year-end charts === {|class="wikitable sortable" |- !Chart (1971) !Rank |- |Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.7590&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |date= |accessdate=2016-10-02}}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"|35 |- |U.S. ''Cashbox'' Top 100 | style="text-align:center;"|64 |- |U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 | style="text-align:center;"|28 |} {{col-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{discogs master|type=single|348956}}
{{Jerry Reed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amos Moses}} Category:1970 songs Category:1970 singles Category:Jerry Reed songs Category:Fictional Cajuns Category:Song recordings produced by Chet Atkins Category:Songs written by Jerry Reed Category:RCA Records singles Category:American novelty songs Category:Swamp rock songs Category:Primus (band) songs Category:Songs about fictional male characters