As Amos proclaims at the beginning of the recording, his mother plays the piano and adds her consid- erable boogie- woogie playing talents to the rest of the band. This is the first song she has co-written for the band, as she's been concentrating on her solo career, Amos' instrument is indeed the double bass, or bass fiddle. He anchors the bass in most of the group's songs and is a formidable player. He usually doesn't spotlight his playing very often, but it can be heard throughout the song and he has two places where the spotlight is on him and his slap-bass technique. He's played countless hours over the years, and has the calluses on both hands to prove it. Double bass strings are thick and under heavy tension, so the left hand develops calluses to protect the finger from blistering. The right hand also develops blisters, in Amos' case even thicker ones from playing slap bass so often. The instrument requires arm and finger strength to play, and it is for good reason that many double bass players are large, strong people. But there are exceptions. Symphony orchestras can have rather physically unimposing people in the double bass section, but for sure, all have strong hands and fingers that are callused.
Amos has mentioned when he was in High School and learning to play. He said the hardest part was restricting the time he practiced so his fingers would slowly develop calluses instead of blisters. He said it was a lesson learned the hard way. As it goes in youth, he thought he was immune to injury, and practiced way longer than he should have. When the inevitable blisters formed, along with very sore hands that cramped painfully, he had to quit practicing until everything healed. He was so intent on learning the instrument that his mother told us that one night after Amos was in bed she took the instrument next door to a neighbor to keep it out of his sight!
Picking out an instrument to play.
The girls took flutes, the boys took brass,
Amos Carter gave them both a pass.
Looked in the corner at the big wood,
Said, "I’ll take the big one, if I could!"
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
Bus driver started to frown and cuss,
Said, “You hog up my whole dang bus!"
Bought two tickets, got red in the face,
One seat for him, one for the bass!
Big bass fiddle stood in the aisle,
The boys and girls would always smile.
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
Friday night at the halftime show,
Wind came up and began to blow.
Brass section stepped so clean and fine,
Amos dragged his bass on the line!
Carrying twenty-five pounds of wood,
Keeping that beat like a big man should.
Marched in the mud with his big frame,
Star attraction at the football game!
He grew up big, he grew up tall,
He’s the king of the rhythm hall.
Playing tunes on Big and Tall tracks,
With driving piano, jumping sax!
No more marching the football floor,
Just Amos knocking down the door!
He plays that boogie all night long!
A thumping rhythm big and strong!
Slapping strings till the floorboards shake,
A monster racket Amos makes!
Yeah, two seats on the bus!
Big Amos and his bass fiddle!
