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