Grand Theft Country Music

"I don't like country music."

I used to say this and I hear people say it once in a while. I now recognize the stupidity of dismissing an entire genre of music, and the only music that is truly American. People who say they don't like country music probably mean that they don't like the crap that they hear on country music stations. Most of it is, to me, crap. But I also don't look at it as being real country music. Lately, the soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas reminded me why I like country music.

Jerry Reed's Amos Moses

Now Amos Moses was a Cajun
He lived by hisself in the swamp
And hunted alligator for a living
He'd just knock 'em in the head with a stump
The Louisiana law is gonna getcha you, Amos
It ain't legal hunting alligator down in the swamp, boy

Now everyone blamed his old man
For makin' him mean as a snake
When Amos Moses was a boy
His daddy would use him for alligator bait
Tie a rope around his waist and throw him in the swamp

Ha ha ha

Alligator bait in the Louisiana bayou
About forty-five minutes southeast of Thibodeaux, Louisiana
Lived a man called Doc Milsap and his pretty wife Hannah
Well they raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groceries
Named him after a man of the cloth
Called him Amos Moses

Yeah
Ha ha

Now the folks around south Louisiana
Said Amos was a hell of a man
He could trap the biggest, the meanest alligator
And just use one hand
That's all he got left cause an alligator bit it
Ha ha ha
Left arm gone clean up to the elbow

Well the sheriff got wind that Amos
Was in the swamp trappin' alligator skin
So he snuck in the swamp gonna get the boy
But he never came out again
Well, I wonder where the Louisiana sheriff went to

Heh heh

Well you can sure get lost in the Louisiana bayou
About forty-five minutes southeast of Thibodeaux, Louisiana
Lived a cat called Doc Milsap and his pretty wife Hannah
Well they raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groceries
Named him after a man of the cloth
Called him Amos Moses

Sit down on 'em Amos
Make it count son
About forty-five minutes southeast of Thibodeaux, Louisiana
Lived a man called Doc Milsap and his pretty wife Hannah...

Truly classic. This song reminded me of a song I heard on NPR, "Polk Salad Annie" by Tony Joe White. It has also been sung by Elvis. Song about alligators and swamps just make me happy I guess.