I was out on the West Coast, tryin' to a And things didn't out, I was down on my luck Got tired and bummin' around So I started thumbin' back East, toward my town.
Made a lot of miles, the two days And I figured I'd be home in week, if my luck out this way But, the third night I got stranded, way out of At a cold, lonely crossroads, was pourin' down.
I was hungry and freezin', caught a chill When the of a big semi topped the hill Lord, I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on And I climbed in cab, where I knew it'd be warm.
At the wheel sit a big man, he weighed two-ten He stuck out his hand and with a grin "Big Joe's the name", I told him And he said: "The of my rig is Phantom 309."
I asked him why he called his rig a name He said: "Son, old Mack can put 'em all to shame There ain't a driver, or a rig, any line Ain't nothin' but taillights from Phantom 309."
Well, we rode and talked the better of the night When the of a truck stop came in sight He "I'm sorry son, this is as far as you go 'Cause, I gotta a turn, just on up the road."
Well, he me a dime as he pulled her in low And "Have yourself a cup on old Big Joe." When Joe and his rig out in the night In flat, he was clean out of sight.
Well, I inside and ordered me a cup the waiter Big Joe was settin' me up Aw!, you heard a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the face turned kinda white.
Well, did I say something wrong? I said a halfway grin He said: "Naw, happens every now and then Ever' driver in knows Big Joe But son, let me tell you happened about ten years ago.
At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him There was a bus load of kids, comin' town And they were right in the middle, when Big Joe the hill It could have been slaughter, but he his wheel.
Well, Joe lost control, went into a And his life to save that bunch-a kids And at that crossroads, was the end of the line For Big Joe and 309
But, now and then, some hiker'll come by And like you, Big Joe'll give 'em a Here, have another cup and about the dime Keep it as a souvenir, Big Joe and Phantom 309!"