I was out on the West Coast, to make a And things work out, I was down on my luck Got tired a-roamin' and around 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 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 caught a When the lights of a big 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 said a grin "Big Joe's the name", I told him And he said: "The of my rig is Phantom 309."
I him why he called his rig such a name He said: "Son, this old Mack can put 'em all to There a driver, or a rig, a-runnin' any line Ain't seen nothin' but from Phantom 309."
Well, we rode and talked the better part of the When the lights of a truck 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 tossed me a 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 nothin' flat, he was out of sight.
Well, I went inside and me a cup Told the waiter Big Joe was me up Aw!, you coulda heard a pin drop, it got deathly And the waiter's turned kinda white.
Well, did I say wrong? I said with a halfway grin He said: "Naw, this happens every now and Ever' driver in knows Big Joe But son, let me you what happened about ten years ago.
At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him There was a bus load of kids, comin' from And they right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill It could have been slaughter, but he his wheel.
Well, Joe control, went into a skid And gave his life to save that bunch-a 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 you, Big Joe'll give 'em a ride Here, have another cup and about the dime Keep it as a souvenir, Big Joe and Phantom 309!"