Repeat: C/Em/F/G/ - C/Em/F/G/C C Em F G I was out on the West Coast, tryin' to make a buck C Em F G And things didn't work out, I was down on my luck C Em F G Got tired a-roamin' and bummin' around C Em F G So I started thumbin' back East, toward my home town. C Em F G Made a lot of miles, the first two days C Em F G And I figured I'd be home in week, if my luck held out this way C Em F G But, the third night I got stranded, way out of town C Em F G At a cold, lonely crossroads, rain was pourin' down. C Em F G I was hungry and freezin', done caught a chill C Em F G When the lights of a big semi topped the hill C Em F G Lord, I sure was glad to hear them air brakes come on C Em F G And I climbed in that cab, where I knew it'd be warm. C Em F G At the wheel sit a big man, he weighed about two-ten C Em F G He stuck out his hand and said with a grin C Em F G "Big Joe's the name", I told him mine C Em F G And he said: "The name of my rig is Phantom 309." C Em F G I asked him why he called his rig such a name C Em F G He said: "Son, this old Mack can put 'em all to shame C Em F G There ain't a driver, or a rig, a-runnin' any line C Em F G Ain't seen nothin' but taillights from Phantom 309." C Em F G Well, we rode and talked the better part of the night C Em F G When the lights of a truck stop came in sight C Em F G He said: "I'm sorry son, this is as far as you go C Em F G 'Cause, I gotta make a turn, just on up the road." C Em F G Well, he tossed me a dime as he pulled her in low C Em F G And said: "Have yourself a cup on old Big Joe." C Em F G When Joe and his rig roared out in the night C Em F G In nothin' flat, he was clean out of sight. C Em F G Well, I went inside and ordered me a cup C Em F G Told the waiter Big Joe was settin' me up C Em F G Aw!, you coulda heard a pin drop, it got deathly quiet C Em F G And the waiter's face turned kinda white. C Em F G Well, did I say something wrong? I said with a halfway grin C Em F G He said: "Naw, this happens every now and then C Em F G Ever' driver in here knows Big Joe C Em F G But son, let me tell you what happened about ten years ago. C Em F G At the crossroads tonight, where you flagged him down C Em F G There was a bus load of kids, comin' from town C Em F G And they were right in the middle, when Big Joe topped the hill C Em F G It could have been slaughter, but he turned his wheel. C Em F G Well, Joe lost control, went into a skid C Em F G And gave his life to save that bunch-a kids C Em F G And there at that crossroads, was the end of the line C Em F G For Big Joe and phantom 309 C Em F G But, every now and then, some hiker'll come by C Em F G And like you, Big Joe'll give 'em a ride C Em F G Here, have another cup and forget about the dime C Em F G Keep it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!"
