Amos Garrett (born November 26, 1941, Detroit, Michigan[1]) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Amos Garrett (born November 26, 1941, Detroit, Michigan[1]) is an American guitarist and performer. He is best known for his guitar solo on Maria Muldaur's hit record, "Midnight at the Oasis".

Career
One of his earliest gigs was in Toronto playing with a band called The Dirty Shames. He took part in recording sessions for Anne Murray on "Snowbird" in 1970. Garrett also recorded and toured with Ian and Sylvia's group, Great Speckled Bird. Over the course of his career, he has recorded with more than 150 artists, ranging from Stevie Wonder, Pearls Before Swine to Bonnie Raitt and Martin Mull.

Garrett is signed to Stony Plain Records, a label based in Edmonton, Alberta. Garrett has maintained a steady relationship with this label over the years, resulting in nine albums. His first record on Stony Plain was a series of duets with singer Geoff Muldaur (Maria Muldaur's former husband). The next two were studio albums (Go Cat Go, (1980) and 1981's Amosbehavin' ). Stony Plain then released a follow-up, Live In Japan, that was cut in 1990 as Garrett and his band played in clubs and concert halls in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Like most of the other records, it was released in Europe, the U.S., and Japan.

Home In My Shoes paid tribute to Garrett's boyhood days, especially on "Stanley Street", a tune fashioned in the memory of the old Esquire Club in Montreal, where the teenage Garrett learned by watching the likes of B. B. King, Fats Domino, T-Bone Walker, and Ben E. King. Third Man In was a collection of covers and originals. Garrett's covers songs were penned by some of his favorite songwriters such as Bobby Charles and Percy Mayfield.

The Cold Club was a collaboration with Oscar Lopez, David Wilkie, Karl Roth and Ron Casat, whereas Off The Floor Live, the next release, was recorded live at Edmonton's 'Sidetrack' club. After that, in 1989 on his next recorded appearance, Garrett shared performing and recording duties on The Return of the Formerly Brothers with the late Doug Sahm and pianist Gene Taylor. The album garnered a Juno Award.

In 2004, Garrett released Amos Garrett's Acoustic Album, featuring tracks written by Leadbelly and Hoagy Carmichael, among others.

Smack Dab in the Middle
Amos Garrett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pick me a town in any clime
Where people like a rockin time
And stay awake both day and night
Till everybody's feelin good an' right

Then throw me (smack dab in the middle)
I wanna be (smack dab in the middle)
Ahhhhh, smack dab in the middle, boys now

So I can rock and roll to satisfy my soul

Ten Cadillacs, a diamond mill
Ten suits of clothes to dress to kill
A ten room house, some Bar B Q
And fifty chicks not over twenty-two

Then throw me (smack dab in the middle)
Oh, I wanna be (smack dab in the middle)
Ahhhhh, now boys you can see why
I wanna be smack dab in the middle now
So I can rock and roll to satisfy my soul

One hundred beds with chorus girls
A street that's paved with natural pearls
A wagon load of bonds and stocks
Then open up the door at Fort Knox

Then throw me (smack dab in the middle)
I wanna be (smack dab in the middle)
Ahhhhh, now listen boys throw me
Smack dab in the middle right now
So Ray can rock and roll to satisfy his soul

That's all right!

A lot of bread and gangs of meat
Oodles of butter and somethin sweet
Gallons of coffee to wash it down
Bicarbonated soda by the pound

Then throw me (smack dab in the middle)
I picture it (smack dab in the middle)
Ah, throw me now, smack dab in the middle right now
So I can rock and roll to satisfy my soul

Alright!

Overall Meaning

In Amos Garrett's song "Smack Dab In The Middle," the lyrics speak of a desire for a life of luxury, excitement, and pleasure. The singer asks to be placed in a town where people are always ready to have a good time and rock and roll. The singer then goes on to list their extravagant material desires, from ten Cadillacs and diamonds to ten-room houses and a multitude of women. They also express a desire for financial success, with bonds and stocks and a door to Fort Knox.

However, despite the superficiality of these desires, the emphasis is ultimately placed on the desire for inner satisfaction and fulfillment. The singer wants to rock and roll not just for entertainment, but to satisfy their soul. This reflects a deeper human longing that transcends material wealth and pleasures; a search for meaning and purpose that can only be found from within.

Overall, the song is a reflection of the desires and dreams that we all have in life, but ultimately serves as a reminder that true happiness comes from within, and not from external possessions.

Line by Line Meaning

Pick me a town in any clime
Choose any town from anywhere

Where people like a rockin time
Where people enjoy having fun and partying

And stay awake both day and night
Where people don't sleep and party 24/7

Till everybody's feelin good an' right
Until everyone is happy and satisfied

Then throw me (smack dab in the middle)
Put me in the middle of it all

I wanna be (smack dab in the middle)
I want to be in the center of the action

Ahhhhh, smack dab in the middle, boys now
I really want to be in the middle of it all

So I can rock and roll to satisfy my soul
So I can have fun and enjoy myself

Ten Cadillacs, a diamond mill
A lot of expensive things

Ten suits of clothes to dress to kill
A lot of fancy clothes

A ten room house, some Bar B Q
A big house and some barbecue