There have been many songs of cowboys, railroaders, and such,
of the lonely trucker, not so much.
But of one lonely trucker, this story I can tell,
of how he left home one night, and drove straight into hell.
He’d just got back from Chicago, just pulled into the yard,
The dispatcher said, I know you’re tired Joe, I know you’ve been running hard,
But we gotta load that’s gotta go to the great Salt Lake,
the boss would be so happy Joe, if just one more run you’d make.
Well Joe, he called his wife and kids, told him all goodbye,
said he’d be home tomorrow night, at least he would try.
His wife said, take it easy Joe, don’t you tempt fate,
we’ll still be here waiting Joe, even if you’re late.
Chorus
He’d run too many miles then down too many roads,
been there and back again, pulled too many loads.
But still, he keeps rolling, though it’s getting late.
Still, he keeps rolling, goin’ to meet his fate
Well he headed north out of Denver, cut across to Laramie,
cleared the port of entry there, then headed West down 80.
The snow it began to fall, the wind began to blow
Joe should have parked it there, but then he had no way to know.
Not far on down the road, he was to end his life,
a whiteout across the road, a tanker had jackknifed
No need for me to tell of the terror and the flames,
Of the truckers that died that night, to you, they’d just be names.
Chorus
He’d run too many miles been down too many roads,
Been there and back again, pulled too many loads.
But still, he keeps rolling, though it’s getting late.
Still, he keeps rolling, goin’ to meet his fate
I always think about that night, when I head West from Laramie,
when not far down the road, that fateful spot I see;
The place where those truckers died, especially the one;
You see, Joe was my dad, and I’m my father’s son.
Final Chorus
I’ve run too many miles then down too many roads,
been there and back again, pulled too many loads.
But still, I keep rolling, though it’s getting late.
Still, I keep rolling, goin’ to meet my fate