I gave AIV the train song idea and ended up not being to get my shit together and my head above water at work to do the post and I was a little disappointed by that. So I decided that this week I’d drop another classic country and western song genre on you guys and write the post before I told AIV the idea so I would get to post this time. This week is Truckin’ Songs. My daddy was a trucker when I was born and somewhere there is a picture of me knee high to him standing beside his rig. I came up listening to Jerry Reed and watching Smokey and the Bandit so I guess I have a romanticized view of the OTR trucker. I know some of the truckin’ songs out there are a little bit cheesy but I love the genre so it’s this week’s Top 5. I hope some of you are also fans of truckin’ songs. Here’s my five, can’t wait to see yours…
Diana William’s – Teddy Bear’s Last Ride | Maybe the saddest truckin’ song in existence
C. W. McCall – Convoy | My first thought when it comes to truckin’ songs and what defined the genre for me
Jerry Reed – Caffeine, Nictotine, Benzedrine (and Wish Me Luck) | Jerry Reed did the Smokey and the Bandit soundtrack but this is so much better a song than Eastbound and Down
Dale Watson – Truckin’ Man | Much like Jerry Reed no truckin’ song list would be complete with Dale and this is a great track
Jason Boland and the Stragglers – Truckstop Diaries | While not technically a song about driving trucks I think this one counts
So there’s my list, let’s see yours. I do fully expect to see Alabama in someone’s list…
(Cover picture by SoulRider.222.)
AIV SAYS:
Jerry Reed – Eastbound and Down: RSV can go deep cuts…I’m playing the obvious. I also wanna take this opportunity to say, if you’re not watching Eastbound and Down on HBO then you’re seriously fucking up.
Drive-By Truckers – 18 Wheels Of Love (Live from Austin City Limits): One could argue that this is a love song and not a trucker song….and one could suck my fucking dick too.
Scott H. Biram: These really were the first 3 songs that popped into my vacant little head.
Scott H. Biram – 18 Wheeler Fever
Scott H. Biram – Reefer Load
Scott H. Biram – Truckdriver
Ive Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
White Line Fever – Merle Haggard
Truck Drivin’ Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
CB Song – The Legendary Shack Shakers
ooooh, good topic. here is my off the cuff 5
Little Feat – Willin’ really I think the quintessential truckin’ song
Truck Drivin’ Man not sure who sings it originally, I could look it up, but it’s the one that goes “Pour me another cup of coffee, for it is the best in the land, and I’ll put a nickel in the jukebox, and play the Truck Drivin’ Man”
Lookin’ At The World Through A Windshield again, not sure the original artist but Commander Cody and Son Volt both do good versions
Home To Houston – Steve Earle this is a more modern take on the trucker song with a song about drivin a contract rig in Iraq and getting hit with an IED
White Freightliner Blues – Townes Van Zandt and all it’s many cover versions
Truersound- I think Truck Driving Man was first done by Glenn Campbell but J.B. Beverley & Wayward Drifters do a cool version too.
And I’ll add.
Six Days on The Road- I like Steve Earles version
but tons of folks did it.
Roll on 18 wheeler- Alabama
Hello, I’m A Truck – Dave Dudley (OK so it’s about a truck and not the driver but it’s fun);
I Took 3 Bennies & My Semi Truck Won’t Start – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
Statesboro Blues – Taj Mahal (Definitely the best version)
Highway Junkie – Gary Allan (Randy Travis did a fine cover of this song)
Truck Stop At The End Of The World – Commander Cody
BUT – I agree that “Willin” is the best…
so okay … the first thing to come to mind was Willin’, followed closely by Convoy, white line fever and Roll On…
so I’ll go from there:
1)Drivin My Life Away — Eddie Rabbitt (I know I should be more embarrassed, but this was the next tune, and now i can’t get those damn wipers out of my head!)
2)30000 Pounds of Bananas – Harry Chapin (okay, now I’m starting to get a little embarrassed…)
3)Truckin’ – Grateful Dead (too obvious you say, I say you are wrong…)
4)Phantom 309 – Red Sovine
5)Gear Jammer – George Thorogood
and an honorable mention for Amphetamine – Truck Stop Love (only about truckers/trucking in spirit alone, but so appropriate at the same time…)
Willin’
Truck Stop Girl – Little Feat (Kelly Willis does a cool version with Jay Farrar)
Looking at the World Through a Windshield
Six Days on the Road
Truck Driving Man – I thought this was a Buck Owens tune.
My band actually does the first three on this list (well, we’re working on Truck Stop Girl) and I think Willin’ is one of the tunes we do best, originals or covers. Great tune.
I can’t argue with the listed picks– however, I gotta show some love for Deadbolt’s album Voodoo Trucker, with tracks like; truck Drivin SOB, The Mocker, and Roadside Cross it’s a classic.
C.B. Savage- Rod Hart
Phantom 309- Red Sovine
Convoy- Tommy Hill Music Festival
Guitar Town- Steve Earle
and gotta have East Bound and Down- Jerry Reed
My dads a trucker and I remember riding in his rig listening to all these trucker songs, good memories.
18 Wheels of Love is awesome! particularly the Austin City Limits version. the story behind the song is ridiculous, seen Patterson do it a couple of times (the early version, and the new version)…..killer
Ahh can’t forget Rolaids, Doan’s pills, and Preperation H- Davey Dudly
So many great tracks listed already….Sovine, Haggard, Feat…
OK, here’s 2 that I don’t think yous guys mentioned:
“Thunderstorms and Neon Signs” by Wayne Hancock.
I think that’s the song that put him on the map.
“Little Pink Mack” by Kay Adams
the chick truck driver song!
Truckin’ – Grateful Dead
Lookin’ At The World Through A Windshield – Son Volt
White Line – Neil Young
Willin’ – Little Feat
Tonight, I’ll Be Staying Here With You – Bob Dylan
1. “Truckstop in La Grange” ~ Dale Watson
2. “Convoy” ~ C.W. McCall
3. “Eastbound & Down” ~ Jerry Reed …. (Really? Nobody picked this?)
4. “Drugstore Truck Drivin’ Man” ~ The Byrds / Gram Parsons
5. “Used Log Truck” ~ Buzz Martin (The Singing Logger from the Pacific NW, if you can find this album you are in for a treat)
6. “Son Volt Songs” ~ Son Volt (How many songs related to the American highway can you find on their albums?)
Great ones already mentioned….I dug in my mp3 player for these:
Speedball Trucker- Jim Croce
Truckin’ Song – Split Lip Rayfield
40 Miles of Mountain Road – Kevn Kinney
18 Wheeler Fever – Scott H. Biram
PB24SS – Split Lip Rayfield
lots of classics, and lots of my favorites, already mentioned. just to prove the country boys don’t have a monopoly on truckin songs, Kool Keith and Kut Masta Kurt put out some good ones – Diesel Trucker’s Theme, Diesel Truckin’, and Kenworth’s With Wings are all solid and focus on the 18 wheel life (as much as Keith manages to focus on anything).
“Roll On Eighteen Wheeler” and “Phantom 309” would definitely be on my list. Maybe “Papa Loved Mama,” too.
Being a former trucker,and a former trucking guest poster I figured I’ll toss in my two-cents.
http://ninebullets.net/?s=paul+knowles
1/. Eighteen Wheeler Fever-There isn’t a closer truth to what trucking is about then this song. Start to finish I can relate.
2/. Reefer Load-More outlaw(ish) trucking than the above, but still very close to the real deal.
3/. Truckerdriver-I don’t know shot about Scott’s past, but he manages to capture the soul of trucking better than anyone else.
4/. When the wheels don’t roll-son volt-Not so much about trucking as about the people, in general, who make this country work, but it represents truckers better than most people would give us credit for.
5/. Convoy-Pure camp fun that you can’t escape while out on the road.
Good Morning Mr. Trucker – The World Famous Blue Jays
I bought a set of 7″ records from a label called Disel Only and this was the standout track. So killer. I’ll email AIV a mp3 of it if you want to put it up. Or check it here…
Jon Byrd’s take on “Freightliner Fever” is a great trucking song! Unfortunately few people ever heard of his latest album “Byrd’s Auto Parts” or Jon Byrd for that matter. Oh well….
Considering the songs listed by the participants here, I can highly recommend the CD “Rig Rock Deluxe” to all of you! Don’t let the title fool you as “Rig Rock” is the name of the label. The album is chock full of classic country music trucking songs by top artists including many listed above. Dan Walser’s yodeling on “Truck Driving Man” has to be heard to be believed and “Highway Junkie” gets a great cover by The Yahoos. Shaver’s “Mother Trucker” is another highlight. Used copies are cheap online, so check it out!
Red Simpson is the definitive truck-drivin’ singer songwriter. We have the LP of “I’m A Truck” back home and it is seriously, every song, all about trucks and truck-driving and the ilk.
My favourite of his is Truckers’ Christmas, a really beautiful Christmas album. Besides the awesome truck-drivin’ Christmas songs, it has spoken-word introductions to nearly every track. Super good.
My #1 is definitely “Long White Line” by Charlie Moore & Bill Napier. Groovy bluegrassy truck driving tune.
I’m a Roadhammer – by The Road Hammers
Steady at the Wheel – by Shooter Jennings
Ramblin Man – By The Allman Brothers Band
Travelin Man – by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Hammer Down – by Cross Canadian Ragweed
Six Days on the Road – Mudcrutch
Southbound – The Allman Brothers Band
Caffeine & Gasoline – Elliot Randall and the Deadmen
The album’s not out yet, but “Be Back Home Tonight” by the Sweetback Sisters is a definite winner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxrbBSuer-I
Years ago I wrote a song dedicated to the ones returning home to their loved ones. It has been on the shelf until recently when I put it on the music download sites. I would love for you critics to listen to it and all of you to tell me what you think about it. The song is titled “MY WHEELS ARE ROLLING HOME”
You can google it by name to find it. Will you do that for me?
— William Singleton
I would like for you to listen to
the obvious songs will always be classics but here are my top 5
Take It Easy – The Eagles
Running On Empty – Jackson Browne
Movin’ On – Merle Haggard
Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses – Kathy Mattea
Back Home Again – John Denver
have a safe ride drivers, keep on truckin’ and keep it between the lines…