I was out on the West Coast, to make a And didn't work out, I was down on my luck Got tired a-roamin' and around So I started back East, toward my home 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 I got stranded, way out of town At a cold, lonely crossroads, rain was down.
I was hungry and freezin', done a chill When the lights of a big semi topped the hill Lord, I sure was glad to hear them air come on And I in that cab, where I knew it'd be warm.
At the wheel sit a big man, he about two-ten He stuck out his hand and with a grin "Big Joe's the name", I 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 nothin' but taillights Phantom 309."
Well, we rode and talked the better of the night When the lights of a truck stop came in 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." When Joe and his rig roared out in the In flat, he was clean out of sight.
Well, I went inside and me a cup the waiter Big Joe was settin' me up Aw!, you heard a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the waiter's turned kinda white.
Well, did I say something I said with a halfway grin He said: "Naw, this every now and then Ever' driver in here Big Joe But son, let me tell you what about ten years ago.
At the tonight, where you flagged him down There was a bus load of kids, from town And they were in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill It have been slaughter, but he turned his wheel.
Well, Joe lost control, went a skid And gave his life to that bunch-a kids And there at crossroads, was the end of the line For Big Joe and 309
But, every now and then, hiker'll come by And like you, Big Joe'll give 'em a Here, have another cup and about the dime it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!"