I WAS OUT ON THE WEST COAST
TRYIN' TO MAKE A BUCK
AND THINGS DI DN'T WORK OUT
I WAS DOWN ON MY LUCK
GOT TIRED OF ROA MIN'
AND BUM MIN' A ROUND
SO I STAR TED THUM BIN' BACK EAST
TO WARD MY HOME TOWN
MADE A LOT TA MILES
THE FIRST TWO DAYS
AND I FI GURED I'D BE HOME IN A
WEEK IF MY LUCK HELD OUT THIS WAY
BUT, THE THIRD NIGHT, I GOT
STRAN DED WAY OUT TA TOWN
AT A COLD, LONE LY CROSS ROADS
RAIN WAS POU RIN' DOWN
I WAS HUN GRY AND FREE ZIN'
AND DONE CAUGHT A CHILL
WHEN THE LIGHTS OF A BIG
SE MI 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 SAT A BIG MAN
HE WEIGHED A BOUT TWO- TEN
HE STUCK OUT HIS HAND
AND SAID WITH A GRIN
BIG JOE'S THE NAME
AND I TOLD HIM MINE
AND HE SAID THE NAME OF MY
RIG IS PHAN TOM THREE O NINE
AND I ASKED HIM WHY HE
CALLED HIS RIG SUCH A NAME
HE SAID SON, THIS OL' MACK
CAN PUT 'EM ALL TO SHAME
THERE AIN'T A DRI VER, OR A RIG
A- RUN NIN' A NY LINES
THAT'S SEEN NO THIN' BUT TAIL- LIGHTS
FROM PHAN TOM THREE O NINE
WELL, WE RODE AND TALKED THE
BET TER PART OF THE NIGHT
WHEN THE LIGHTS OF A
TRUCK STOP CAME IN SIGHT
HE SAID I'M SOR RY SON
THIS IS FAR AS YOU GO
'COS, I GOT TA MAKE A TURN
JUST ON UP THE ROAD
WELL, HE TOSSED ME A DIME
AS HE PULLED HER IN LOW
AND SAID HAVE YOUR SELF
A HOT CUP ON OLD BIG JOE
WHEN JOE AND HIS RIG
ROARED OUT IN TO THE NIGHT
IN NO THIN' FLAT, HE
WAS CLEAN OUT TA SIGHT
WELL, I WENT IN SIDE
AND OR DERED ME A CUP
TOLD THE WAI TER BIG JOE
WAS SET TIN' ME UP
OH, YOU COUL DA HEARD A PIN DROP
IT GOT DEATH LY QUIET
AND THE WAI TER'S FACE
TURNED KIN DA WHITE
WELL, DID I SAY SOME THING WRONG
I SAID WITH A HALF WAY GRIN
HE SAID NO, THIS HAP PENS
EVE RY NOW AND THEN
EVE RY DRI VER IN
HERE KNOWS BIG JOE
BUT SON, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT
HAP PENED A BOUT TEN YEARS A GO
AT THE CROSS ROADS TO NIGHT
WHERE YOU FLAGGED HIM DOWN
THERE WAS A BUS LOAD OF
KIDS CO MIN' FROM TOWN
AND THEY WERE RIGHT IN THE MID DLE
WHEN BIG JOE TOPPED THE HILL
IT COULD HAVE BEEN SLAUGH TER
BUT HE TURNED HIS WHEELS
WELL, JOE LOST CON TROL
WENT IN TO A SKID
AND GAVE HIS LIFE TO
SAVE THAT BUNCH OF KIDS
AND THERE AT THAT CROSS ROADS
WAS THE END OF THE LINE
FOR BIG JOE AND
PHAN TOM THREE O NINE
BUT, EVE RY NOW AND THEN
SOME HI KER'LL COME BY
AND LIKE YOU, BIG JOE'LL
GIVE 'EM A RIDE
KEEP IT AS A SOU VE NIR
FROM BIG JOE
