I was out on the West Coast, tryin' to a And things didn't work out, I was down on my Got tired a-roamin' and bummin' So I started thumbin' back East, toward my town.
a lot of miles, the first two days And I figured I'd be in week, if my luck held 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', done caught a When the lights of a big semi topped the hill Lord, I sure was glad to them air brakes come on And I climbed in that cab, where I it'd be warm.
At the wheel sit a big man, he about two-ten He stuck out his hand and said with a "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, this old can put 'em all to shame There ain't a driver, or a rig, any line Ain't seen nothin' but from Phantom 309."
Well, we rode and talked the better of the night When the of a truck stop came in sight He said: "I'm sorry son, is as far as you go 'Cause, I make a turn, just on up the road."
Well, he tossed me a dime as he her in low And "Have yourself a cup on old Big Joe." Joe and his rig roared 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 coulda a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the waiter's face kinda white.
Well, did I say something wrong? I with a halfway grin He "Naw, this happens every now and then driver in here knows Big Joe But son, let me tell you what happened about ten ago.
At the tonight, where you flagged him down There was a bus load of kids, comin' from And they were right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the It could have been slaughter, but he his wheel.
Well, Joe lost control, went a skid And gave his life to that bunch-a kids And there at that crossroads, was the end of the For Big Joe and 309
But, now and then, some hiker'll come by And like you, Big Joe'll 'em a ride Here, have cup and forget about the dime Keep it as a souvenir, Big Joe and Phantom 309!"