• Trucker Stories

  Phantom 309 Lyrics (True Story)

  Posted by Mickie on May 13, 2023 at 5:07 am

  I was out on the West Coast, tryin’ to make a buck
  And things didn’t work out, I was down on my luck
  Got tired a-roamin’ and bummin’ around
  So I started thumbin’ back East, toward my home town.

  Made a lot of miles, the first two days
  And I figured I’d be home in week, if my luck held out this way
  But, the third night I got stranded, way out of town
  At a cold, lonely crossroads, rain was pourin’ down.

  I was hungry and freezin’, done caught a chill
  When the lights of a big semi topped the hill
  Lord, I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on
  And I climbed in that cab, where I knew it’d be warm.

  At the wheel sit a big man, he weighed about two-ten
  He stuck out his hand and said with a grin
  “Big Joe’s the name”, I told him mine
  And he said: “The name of my rig is Phantom 309.”

  I asked him why he called his rig such a name
  He said: “Son, this old Mack can put ’em all to shame
  There ain’t a driver, or a rig, a-runnin’ any line
  Ain’t seen nothin’ but taillights from Phantom 309. “

  Well, we rode and talked the better part of the night
  When the lights of a truck stop came in sight
  He said: “I’m sorry son, this is as far as you go
  ‘Cause, I gotta make a turn, just on up the road. “

  Well, he tossed me a dime as he pulled her in low
  And said: “Have yourself a cup on old Big Joe.”
  When Joe and his rig roared out in the night
  In nothin’ flat, he was clean out of sight.

  Well, I went inside and ordered me a cup
  Told the waiter Big Joe was settin’ me up
  Aw!, you coulda heard a pin drop, it got deathly quiet
  And the waiter’s face turned kinda white.

  Well, did I say something wrong? I said with a halfway grin
  He said: “Naw, this happens every now and then
  Ever’ driver in here knows Big Joe
  But son, let me tell you what happened about ten years ago.

  At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him down
  There was a bus load of kids, comin’ from town
  And they were right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill
  It could have been slaughter, but he turned his wheel.

  Well, Joe lost control, went into a skid
  And gave his life to save that bunch-a kids
  And there at that crossroads, was the end of the line
  For Big Joe and phantom 309

  But, every now and then, some hiker’ll come by
  And like you, Big Joe’ll give ’em a ride
  Here, have another cup and forget about the dime
  Keep it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309

  I know many has heard this but I wanted to share with others that had not heard it before. It can also remind you of the lyrics.

  

  Mickie replied 1 year, 7 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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