I was out on the West Coast, tryin' to a And didn't 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 luck out this way But, the night I got stranded, way out of town At a cold, lonely crossroads, was pourin' down.
I was and freezin', done caught a chill When the lights of a big semi topped the hill Lord, I was glad to hear them air brakes come on And I climbed in that cab, I knew it'd be warm.
At the wheel sit a big man, he weighed about He stuck out his hand and said with a "Big the name", I told him mine And he said: "The of my rig is Phantom 309."
I asked him why he his rig such a name He said: "Son, this old can put 'em all to shame There a driver, or a rig, a-runnin' any line Ain't nothin' but taillights from Phantom 309."
Well, we and talked the better part of the night When the lights of a truck came in sight He said: "I'm sorry son, is as far as you go 'Cause, I gotta make a turn, on up the road."
Well, he me a dime as he pulled her in low And said: "Have a cup on old Big Joe." Joe and his rig roared 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 a pin drop, it got deathly quiet And the face turned kinda white.
Well, did I say wrong? I said with a halfway grin He said: "Naw, this every now and then driver in here knows Big Joe But son, let me tell you what happened about ten ago.
At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him There was a bus of kids, comin' from town And they right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill It could have slaughter, but he turned his wheel.
Well, Joe control, went into a skid And gave his life to save bunch-a kids And at that crossroads, was the end of the line For Big Joe and 309
But, every now and then, some come by And you, Big Joe'll give 'em a ride Here, have cup and forget about the dime it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!"