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What are the top ten trucking songs of all-time?
June 20, 2011
| by: Todd Dills
Planning for Overdrive‘s 50th anniversary this year, we want to hear from you with recommendations for a top-ten list of the best trucking songs of all time. Lest I unduly influence the process, I will refrain here from mentioning my own top-ten, but let’s say potential contenders could range from classics by Red Sovine to “Eastbound and Down” to the more recent, such as Pure Grain’s “Trucking Song” or many a tune penned by owner-operator-crooners running the highways today.
Post your top ten (or two, or five, or seven) in the comments here to get us started. From your recommendations, we’ll cobble together a final list for publication with our special anniversary coverage this fall.
Chicken Lights and Chrome by Jesse Watson
6 days on the road
MUST include “Six Days on the Road, written by Montgomery & Green
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Days_on_the_Road
Convoy – W.C. McCall
6 Days on the Road – Red Sovine
Freightliner Fever – Dave Dudley
Snowin on Raton by Townes Van Zandt
Backin to Birmingham Lester Flatt
Prisoner Of The Highway – Ronnie Milsap
Red Simpson – Roll, Truck, Roll
Roll On Big Mama Joe Stampley
I’m Drivin My Life Away – Eddie Rabbitt
How Fast Them Trucks Go – Claude Grey
Commander Cody – Mama Hated Diesels
White Freightliner Blues_Jimmie Dale Gilmore
White Line Fever – Merle Haggard
Stone Cold Fingers_Leland Martin
But Please don’t forget
I’ve Been Everywhere – Hank Snow and
Truck Driver’s Blues – Merle Haggard
Pinball Machine_Lonnie Irving
If you don’t have these and others in your collection let me know. There are others more obscure, and some that are very well known, how about 50 top trucking songs for your 50th anniversary.
Chicken Truck – John Anderson
I Wish I Could Have Been There – John Anderson
CONVOY!
#1 Has to East Bound and Down, 2 18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses, 3 Big Wheels in the Moonlight, 4 Six Days on the Road, 5 Little Sister ( Bonnie jean ), 6 Convoy, 7 I’ve Been Everywhere, 8 Freightliner Fever, 9 Teddy bear, 10 Giddy up Go ( and the answer)
Rolaids, Doans Pills, and
Preparation H. (Dave Dudley)
California Turnarounds.
Some already mentioned above.
(Never heard these two-check Youtube.)
any songs by smokin joe lee smith red sovine dave dudley those are the songs that make trucking
Tim, Give me a few examples to constitute a top five or ten or so. I’ll be able then to compare with what I’ve already gotten specifically. I dig that Smokin’ Joe record; wrote about it’s reappearance last year: http://www.overdriveonline.com/put-your-cd-player-in-overdrive-hauler-joe-lee-smith-reissues-record/
“Prisoner of the Highway” by Ronnie Milsap.
I haven’t heard it in 30+ years, but I remember the song. I think the name of the song is “Teddy Bear” (don’t know the artist). I remember hearing the song in the late 70′s (played over the CB). It’s about a kid who’s handicapped and talks to the truckers on the CB. He talks about his love of trucks and this trucker (who is the person singing) goes to give him a ride. When he gets there, there is a long line of trucks already. The song has a sad end. But it’s stuck in my head all these years.
never ever forget:
toby keith – die with your boots on
and
michael dinner – texas rose express
Convoy
California turnarounds
6 days on the road
Phantom 309
Truck driving man
Six days on the road
Willin’ (Little Feat), though it didn’t get country play to my knowledge.
[...] you’re eastbound and down and spend another six days on the road, be sure to take a moment and let us know your favorites so they’re included in our final [...]
Looking at the world through a windshield – Del Reeves “Hello – I’m a Truck” – Red Simpson Roll On -! Alabama
Movin on-Merle Haggard
Widow Maker By Jimmy Martin
Little Sister By David Lynn Jones
Radar Blues PT 1 By Swanee Caldwell
Passin Zone Blues By Coleman Wilson
Gear Jammer By Jimmy Logsdon
1. HELLO , I’M A TRUCK
2. ROLL ON BIG MAMA
3. EAST BOUND AND DOWN
4. MOVIN ON
5. GUITAR TOWN
6. CONVOY
7. TEDDY BEAR
8. PHANTOM 309
9. WHITE LINE FEVER
10.SMOKEY MTN RAIN
my partial list
Teddy Bear
Convoy
Wolf creek pass
6 days on the road
White line fever
Not sure of the name but
“Give me 40 acres and I’ll turn this truck around” is the theme.
18 wheels and a dozen roses.
[...] you’re eastbound and down and spend another six days on the road, be sure to take a moment and let us know your favorites so they’re included in our final [...]
Giddy-up Go (plus answer),Tombstone every mile,Long Haul weekend,Phantom309,How fast them trucks can go,Radar Blues,Truck Driving Buddy,Truck Drivers Queen,Akiss and the keys,Johnny overload
Here’s my top 10 Todd, in no particular order.
Phantom 309 (I like Tom Waits’ version best)
Convoy (CW McCall)
Drivin’ My Life Away (Eddie Rabbitt). I was in a little truckstop in North Dakota having breakfast when a busload of kids about 10 invaded the restaurant. When “Drivin’” played on the jukebox they all sang along. We all applauded when the song finished.
Semi-Crazy (Junior Brown)
Six Days on the Road (Dave Dudley)
Diesel on My Tail (Jim & Jesse)
Gear Bustin’ Sort of a Feller (Bobby Braddock)
Girl on the Billboard (Del Reeves)
Nitro Express (Red Simpson)
Will The Be Big Rigs In Heaven? (Buck Owens)
Weed Whites & Wine
My goodness…what has happened to ALLL you old skool CHICKEN HAULERS?? Have you forgotten our dearly beloved, world famous Rooster Cruiser from Ok Cityto LA (that ain’t Lower Alabama either)…..RAY CARLISLE!!! “101 Reasons YOU MIGHT BE a Chicken Hauler”, “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. Haven’t heard him check him out! Ok Todd that’s my votes….ole skool and road tested!!;)
Oh n … 18 Wheels Dozen Roses to opps
Gimme 40 acres and I will turn this rig around was done by the Wills Brothers, I remember listening to it in my Dad’s ’63 Crackerbox…
[...] by: Todd Dills You will recall I asked for top trucking song nominations oh a couple-few weeks back. Well, from said nominations, I took the top ten contenders, those with [...]
[...] will recall I asked for top trucking song nominations oh a couple-few weeks back. Well, from said nominations, I took the top ten contenders, those with [...]
Tampa Road and Killzone, by Vic Ruggiero, about convoy drivers at the height of the Iraq War.
[...] We asked, you told, then voted. Here are the results (click song titles to download an mp3 via Amazon, where available): [...]
[...] We asked, you told, then voted. Here are the results (click song titles to download an mp3 via Amazon, where available): [...]
1. 18 wheels and a dozen roses
2 Song of Wyoming
3 East bound and down