Biography:
Woodrow Wilson "Red" Sovine (July 17, 1918 — April 4, 1980) was a country music singer. He was associated with truck driving songs, particularly those recited as narratives, but set to music. The most famous example of this is his 1976 number one hit "Teddy Bear".
Born in 1918 in Charleston, West Virginia, he was taught how to play guitar by his mother. His first venture into music was with his childhood friend Johnnie Bailes, with whom he performed as "Smiley and Red
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Other songs:
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
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!"
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!"
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