I was out on the west coast trying to make a buck
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And things didn’t work out I was down on my luck
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Got tired of roaming and bumming around
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So I start thumbing back east toward my hometown
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Made a lot of miles the first two days
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Figured I’d be home in a week if my luck held out this way
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But the third night I got stranded way out town
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And then a cold lonely crossroads the rain was pouring down
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I was hungry and freezing then caught a chill
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When the lights of a big semi topped the hill
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Lord I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on
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Then I climbed up in that cab where I knew it would be warm
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At the wheel sat a big man he weighed about 210
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He stuck out his hand and said with a grin Big Joe’s the name
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I told him mine and he said the name of my rig is Phantom 309
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Well I ask him why you call a rig such a name
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And he said son this old mac can put them all to shame
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There ain’t a driver or a rig running any line that haven’t seen nothing but taillights from Phantom 309
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Well we rode and talked the better part of the night
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When the lights of a truckstop came in sight
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He said I’m sorry son this is far as you go
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Cause I got to make a turn just on up the road
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Well he tossed me a dime as he pulled it into low
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And he said have a hot cup on old Big Joe
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When Joe and his rig roared out into the night
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In nothing flat he was clean out of sight
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Well I went inside and ordered me a cup
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Told the waiter Big Joe was setting me up
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Oh, you could of heard a pin drop
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And the place got deathly quiet
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And the waiters face turned kind a white
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Well did say something wrong I said with a half way grin
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He said no this happens every now and then
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Every driver in here knows Big Joe
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But son let me tell what happened about 10 years ago
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At the crossroads tonight were you flagged him down
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There was a bus load of kids a coming from town
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And they were right in the middle when Big Joe topped the hill
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They could have been slatered but he turned his wheels
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Well Joe lost control and went into a skid and gave his life to save that bunch of kids
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There at that crossroads was the end of the line for Big Joe and Phantom 309
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But every now and again some hiker will come by
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And like you Big Joe will give them a ride
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Here have another cup and forget about the dime
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Keep a suvouneir from Big Joe and Phantom 309
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Phantom 309
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| Red Sovine |
