I was out on the West Coast, to make a And things didn't out, I was down on my luck Got tired a-roamin' and bummin' So I thumbin' back East, toward my home town.
Made a lot of miles, the first two And I figured I'd be home in week, if my luck held out way But, the night I got stranded, way out of town At a cold, crossroads, rain was pourin' down.
I was hungry and freezin', done a chill When the lights of a big semi the hill Lord, I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on And I climbed in that cab, where I knew be warm.
At the sit a big man, he weighed about two-ten He stuck out his hand and said with a "Big the name", I told him mine And he said: "The name of my rig is 309."
I asked him why he called his rig such a He said: "Son, this old can put 'em all to shame There ain't a driver, or a rig, a-runnin' any Ain't seen 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 make a turn, on up the road."
Well, he tossed me a dime as he her in low And said: "Have 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 went inside and me a cup Told the waiter Big Joe was me up Aw!, you coulda a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the face turned kinda white.
Well, did I say something I said with a halfway grin He said: "Naw, this happens every now and Ever' in here knows Big Joe But son, let me tell you happened about ten years ago.
At the tonight, where you flagged him down was a bus load of kids, comin' from town And they were right in the middle, Big Joe topped the hill It could have been slaughter, but he his wheel.
Well, Joe lost control, went into a And gave his life to save bunch-a kids And there at that crossroads, was the end of the For Big Joe and 309
But, every now and then, some come by And you, Big Joe'll give 'em a ride Here, have another cup and forget about the it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!"