I now have a favorite "trucker" song.

[denbot]

My uncle Lenny turned me on to this one.

&feature=youtu.be

Tom Waits - Semi Suite

Well you hate those diesels rollin'
And those Friday nights out bowlin'
When he's off for a twelve hour lay over night
You wish you had a dollar
For every time he hollered
That he's leavin'
And he's never comin' back

But the curtain-laced billow
And his hands on your pillow
And his trousers are hangin' on the chair

You're lyin' through your pain, babe
But you're gonna tell him he's your man
And you ain't got the courage to leave

He tells you that you're on his mind
You're the only one he's ever gonna find
It's kind-a special, understands his complicated soul...

But the only place a man can breathe
And collect his thoughts is
Midnight and flyin' away on the road.

But you've packed and unpacked
So many times you've lost track
And the steam heat is drippin' off the walls

But when you hear his engines
You're lookin' through the window in the kitchen and you know
You're always gonna be there when he calls

'Cause he's a truck drivin' man
Stoppin' when he can
He's a truck drivin' man
Stoppin' when he can

From 'The Heart Of Saturday Night'

I don't think I'd ever heard this one before today.

[Archae]

1. Best trucker song, ever.

IMO, of course.

[denbot]

3. Truly a runner-up.

Would have placed higher if the driver lived..

[Archae]

4. Other trucker songs have dead drivers.

Wasn't there one called "Phantom 309?"

(Looks it up)

Sure was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_309_(Red_Sovine_song)

[denbot]

6. Nice link.

I had heard of this one.. I can't remember from where, or how long ago, but it does sound familiar.

[SkatmanRoth]

35. How about the Nitro Express

[Tobin S.]

2. Mine is "1000 Miles from Nowhere" by Dwight Yoakam, one of the few country songs I like

Well, I guess I should say pop country. When I was out on the road I loved this song- lyrics and music. It went so well with my state of mind and the road.

edit for correct link

[denbot]

5. Nice one Tobin S. Wow, I might have a playlist going.

Thanks!

[Tobin S.]

7. Where are you tonight, driver?

[denbot]

10. Home. Wife, kids, cats, bees, and home cooking..

Life is good. I report to Mira Loma Monday at 6am to start my phase 2 training (10k more miles and I get my own truck).

[pinboy3niner]

23. I was going to post that I'd defer to your judgment...

...but I see you've already nailed it.

[HarveyDarkey]

8. Uncle Lenny is a Tom Waits fan?

I like him already.

[denbot]

15. He's actually an amazing dude..

Marine at Khe Sanh during Tet, became convinced that Altantis would arise after coming back to the world (duuuude.. ), decided swords would replace guns.. and ended up teaching fencing to lovely co-eds at Santa Cruz for a number of years...

On edit, I don't edit..

[MrScorpio]

9. Here you go!

[denbot]

11. Great song, but is it a trucker song.

I always imagined this song from the viewpoint of tooling down the road in a 67' GTO (400 cubic inches under the hood of course).

[panader0]

12. What about "Six Days on the Road"

An older song, like me.
"Well I just Pulled out of Philly and I'm winding up that eastern seaboard
I got my diesel wound up and she's running like she never did before.
I just passed a Jimmy and White, I been passing everything in sight.
Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight."
I force this song on my bandmates......it rocks.

[hay rick]

16. Great minds.

Went to youtube, posted 6 Days, and find your post right above mine. Originally heard the Flying Burrito Brothers version on an album, but the youtube version wasn't so hot, so posted a Boxcar Willie cut instead.

[denbot]

17. Cool song..

The youtube link was posted just below. Thank you.

[hay rick]

13. Six Days on the Road.

&feature=related

[denbot]

18. I'm a little overweight, and my logbooks are a little behind..

This is definitely on the play-list!!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. Oh, that's really nice, my dear denbot...

I like the easy bluesy sound to it...

You take care out there, you hear me?

[denbot]

19. The easy bluesy sound is exactly what I also like.

Being safe out there for those around me, as well as my own loved ones at home is at the top of my priorities Miss CP.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. Oh, I know it is...

I just couldn't resist!

[Archae]

21. Another good song about driving a truck...

[denbot]

22. Sitting at home after my wife's wonderful dinner, this almost brought a tear to my eye..

Nicely done..

[petronius]

24. An Australian entrant:

"...
And as we rolled down off the range, dawn was close at hand.
The old man had been resting, and I could understand.
For some of us the road is long, the corners are too tight;
We hope to get around them and greet the morning light.

He said that promises will come and go just like the winter rains,
that build you up to heaven, and let you down again.
And as we pulled into the town, he thanked me for the ride;
before I could return it, he closed his eyes and died.

And I remember, there is such little pity,
for a man and his dreams as they wander through the night.
In our winter cities, there's such little pity,
for a man and his dreams - think I'll keep on driving through the night..."

[denbot]

26. Nice one.. Where did you first hear this song?

I guess lond distance trucking is an internation thing..

[petronius]

32. It's just a YouTube link-following find; I've never heard it live or anything

There are a lot of related songs though - I remember a foolish sense of surprise that Australia has a country and trucking and western musical tradition a lot like ours...

[Enrique]

25. Willin

[denbot]

27. Oh hell yeah..

I can't believe that this was not one of the first songs posted in this thread..

[pinboy3niner]

28. Nice one!

Always love some Little Feat.

[liberaltrucker]

30. "Smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico"

Where do I sign up?

[Tom Ripley]

29. Here's a GREAT little-known one by Lonnie Irving...

[denbot]

31. Now that was a bona fide trucking song..

Ah.. pathos..

[HopeHoops]

33. Convoy

[SkatmanRoth]

34. Womb to the Tomb

[denbot]

39. .."frm the sperm to the worm".. LOL

Thanks.

[argyl]

36. Here's "Truck Stop Girl" by The Byrds,with Clarence White on lead vocals.

Lowell George wrote the song and it appeared on Little Feat's first LP along with "Willing." But the Byrds recorded it first and it appeared on their excellent LP "Untitled."

[denbot]

40. Wow, thanks for diving in to the archives for this one..

I'll have to search around for a copy.

[Ikonoklast]

37. If you need to get down the road, George Thorogood can help get your ass moving.

"Gearjammer".

Running my rig around ninety-five,
Rockin' and rollin' in overdrive
My heart's beating like a jackhammer,
It's the midnight ride for the gear jammer

Nine long days through twenty-three states,
I gotta see my baby soon you know I just can't wait
The police catch me I'll end up in the slammer,
'Cause the law don't want no gear jammer

Running my rig in a mighty high gear,
I don't care where I go just long as it ain't here
Something gets in my way you know I'm gonna ram it,
Nobody fools around with this gear jammer

Running my rig about ninety-five,
I'm a-rockin' and a-rollin' in overdrive
My heart's beating like a jackhammer,
Don't you get in the way of this gear jammer

[denbot]

41. Bit'chen, this will make my playlist.

Thanks.

[Mr Rogers]

38. Tom Waits

Tom Waits is great. Been one of favorites.