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  Remember those "Truck Driving " tunes of the 70's ? (Page 1)

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Author Topic:   Remember those "Truck Driving " tunes of the 70's ?
Skip T
Member

From: Lubbock , Tx. U S A

posted 26 September 2000 11:19 AM     profile     
Just heard an good "oldie" - - "Giddy-Up Go"
Sure had some pretty "steel" crying in the background. Who might that be ? Skip
Smiley Roberts
Member

From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

posted 26 September 2000 11:40 AM     profile     
If it was done by Red Sovine,it was on Starday Records &,most likely,Pete Drake.

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  ~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-

MALCOLM KIRBY
Member

From: Crofton, KY USA

posted 26 September 2000 12:41 PM     profile     
I always liked "Semi-Truck" by Commander Cody and The Lost Planet Airmen

[This message was edited by MALCOLM KIRBY on 26 September 2000 at 12:42 PM.]

Ray Jenkins
Member

From: Gold Canyon Az. Pinal U.S.A.

posted 26 September 2000 02:23 PM     profile     
Just heard "Hello I'm a Truck" yesterday on wsm. Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

David Pennybaker
Member

From: Conroe, TX USA

posted 26 September 2000 02:29 PM     profile     
quote:
"Hello I'm a Truck"

ROTFLMAO! Sorry, but that brings back memories. I had brought home a tape of "truck songs", and was playing it out in the shop with my dad. That song started up (it starts with the spoken line "Hello, I'm a Truck"), and my dad turned to me and said "That's HIS problem, not mine".

I can't believe nobody's mentioned the classic "Convoy": (. . . this here's the Rubber Duck, we just ain't a gonna pay no toll - so we crashed the gate through at 98 . . .)

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons


ebb
Member

From: nj

posted 26 September 2000 04:14 PM     profile     
my fav was the politically incorrect cb savage
erik
Member

From:

posted 26 September 2000 04:39 PM     profile     
Seeing how this is now the homogenous group i'll mention Breaker Breaker by the Outlaws (rock group).

This CB trucker thing also fostered the tv show BJ And The Bear. Then it became BJ And The Seven Lady Truckers.

David Pennybaker
Member

From: Conroe, TX USA

posted 26 September 2000 05:48 PM     profile     
quote:
the politically incorrect cb savage

I remember the title. But I can't remember the song.

Words?

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The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons


JB Arnold
Member

From: Longmont,Co,USA

posted 26 September 2000 05:54 PM     profile     
The whole album "Hot Licks, Cold Steel and Truckers Favorites" by the Commander. Great stuff!

John

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Better Late than Never!
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel


Peter Dollard
Member

From:

posted 26 September 2000 06:28 PM     profile     
Best trucking song I ever heard...Laurence Hammond and the Whiplash Band;"Truckers Nightmare". Available only on vinyl came out 77 or 78.
Don Olson
Member

From: Muscatine,Ia. USA

posted 26 September 2000 06:56 PM     profile     
What tune got the trucker thing going?I think either Six Days on the Road or Truck Drivin Man.Ray Jenkins, I will be in Apache Jct. for the winter, are you playing some where close?I always like to meet fellow steel guitar players.
Zum Steel Forever
Tim Rowley
Member

From: Pinconning, MI, USA

posted 26 September 2000 09:30 PM     profile     
Babs Mandrell had a great truckin' tune in "Tonight My Baby's Comin' Home". How about "Roll On Big Mama" by Joe Stampley? Merle Haggard of course had "Big Wheels Rollin' Movin On". "Roll Truck Roll" was another dandy of the 70's. As JB Arnold mentioned, who could forget the ever-popular Commander Cody cult favorite "Mama Hated Diesels" (as Bill Kirchen used to say, "Every single word of that song is true, friends!"). Yep.

But way before these you had "Gimme Forty Acres (And I'll Turn This Rig Around)" and "Diesel On My Tail" which were at the start of the truck driving songs in the 60's. Both of these were Willis Bros. tunes weren't they? "Truck Drivin' Man" definitely came out in the 60's, a good many of Red Sovine's and Dick Curless's truck driving songs came out in the 60's, Del Reeves had "Girl On The Billboard" and "Lookin' At The World Thru A Windshield" both in the 60's and there were a bunch more. To my thinking, most of the best truck driving songs actually came out in the 60's, definitely pre-CB-craze, back in the days when most trucks were still hot in the summer, cold in the winter, dusty, drafty, slow, hard to shift, hard to steer, dog-gone hard to stop, and so noisy in the cab that you really had to have a good LOUD roof-mount AM radio (generally a Motorola) to pull in those clear channels like WWL and WBAP late at night! Listen, when I was much younger I put in some long hours in a 1965 Diamond T, 5 and 2, 6-71 Detroit a-hammerin', no sleeper of course...well you get the picture I'm sure.

I still enjoy a good truck driving song!

Tim R.

Richard Bass
Member

From: Hendersonville, Tn

posted 26 September 2000 10:46 PM     profile     
Back in 67-70 I played lead for Dave Dudley( Six Days On The Road). We worked our tails off. Truck driving music was good for us. Last I heard Dave was semi retired and living in Arizona. In 1970 or 1971 I worked about 6 Months with Red Sovine, a perfect gentleman, probably the nicest artist I ever worked with.Richard

[This message was edited by Richard Bass on 26 September 2000 at 10:51 PM.]

Jude James Shiels
Member

From: near Dublin, Ireland

posted 27 September 2000 02:39 AM     profile     
Didn't Merle Haggard also have White Line Fever? I loved the trucker road movies from the 70's too, you had Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit, Kris Kristofferson in Convoy, I bet there were lots of others, anyone remember?
CHIP FOSSA
Member

From: Monson, MA 01057 U.S.A.

posted 27 September 2000 04:59 AM     profile     
"Willin'".....by Little Feet. Not an uptempo or actually trucker-style song, but it WAS about pickin' up your bootstraps and movin' on, when things got askew.
Robert Williams
Member

From: Carmichael Ca. 95608

posted 27 September 2000 05:43 AM     profile     
Here's a few more you may remember:
White line fever
Diesel smoke
The only shoulder a trucker can cry on
Alcohol and #2 diesel
Ode to big Joe
Big wheels turnin
White lines and roadside signs
Soft shoulders and dangerous curves
Truck drivers blues
Highway Patrol
Blazing smokestack
Big Daddy [Alabamy bound]
Neil Hilton
Member

From: Lexington, Kentucky

posted 27 September 2000 08:17 AM     profile     
A great collection of truck-drivin songs written and recorded as a focused album on the topic - Dale Watson's "The Truckin' Sessions" from just a couple of years ago. Great songwriting and bare-bones drivin honky-tonk with great steel work from Ricky Davis!!!

from DW -
"my eyes are burning from the sweat of my brow from the last hundred miles I've made,
I just got to stop off at the next T/A to grab a quick shower-and-shave,
and my head is aching from squintin my eyes a-looking West into the sun -
I got to get home to my baby, just got to get home"

RickRichtmyer
Member

From: Beautiful Adamstown, MD

posted 27 September 2000 08:36 AM     profile     
I once heard Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller say in an interview that he was also C. W. McCall of Convoy fame.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News


Pat Burns
Member

From: Branchville, N.J. USA

posted 27 September 2000 02:44 PM     profile     
My favorite truck driving song...Harry Chapin's "30,000 Pounds of Bananas"...It was just after dark when the truck started down, the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania...carrying 30,000 pounds...of bananas"..and "it was then he lost his head, not to mention an arm or two before he stopped"..

The truck driving song that makes me want to heave every time I hear it...the one with the crippled kid on the CB radio, I think his handle is Teddy Bear, whose Dad died and his mom works 24 hours a day cleaning up after waitresses so every trucker west of the Potomac lines up to give him a ride around the block...Raaaaalllph.

Ric Epperle
Member

From: Sheridan, Wyoming USA . Like no other place on Earth...

posted 27 September 2000 02:56 PM     profile     
Oh Pat oh Pat oh Pat oh Pat...
George Rozak
Member

From: Braidwood, Illinois USA

posted 27 September 2000 10:32 PM     profile     
My favorite was Red Sovine's "Hitch Hikin' Girl" about a truck driver who picks up a female hitch hiker.

To quote a line:

quote:
When I woke up at dawn, my wallet was gone... And so was my hitch hikin' girl...

Doug Beaumier
Member

From: Northampton, MA

posted 27 September 2000 11:21 PM     profile     
Ya gotta love TEDDY BEAR by Red Sovine:

I was on the outskirts of a little southern town
Tryin' to reach my destination before the sun went down
The old CB was blarin' away on channel 1-9!
When there came a little boy's voice on the radio line

And he said: "Breaker 1-9! Is anyone there?
Come on back, truckers and talk to Teddy Bear!"
Well, I keyed the mike and said: "You got it, Teddy Bear!"
And a little boy's voice came back on the air

"'Preciate the break, Who we got on that end?"
I told him my handle, and, then he began:
"Now, I'm not supposed to bother you fellows out there
Mom says you're busy and for me to stay off the air

But you see, I get lonely and it helps to talk
'Cause that's about all I can do, I'm crippled, and, I can't walk!"
I came back and told him to fire up that mike
And I'd talk to 'im, as long as he liked

"This was my dad's radio", the little boy said
"But I guess it's mine and mom's now, 'cause my daddy's dead!"
"Dad had a wreck about a month ago
He was trying to get home in a blindin' snow

Mom has to work now, to make ends meet
And I'm not much help, with my two crippled feet!"
"She says not to worry that we'll make it alright
But, I hear her crying, sometimes late at night

You know there's just one thing I want more than anything else to see
Aw, I know you guys are too busy to bother with me!"
"But, you see, my dad used to take me for rides when he was home
But, I guess that's all over now, since my daddy's gone

Not one breaker came on the old CB
As that little crippled boy talked with me
I tried hard to swallow a lump that just wouldn't stay down
As I thought about my boy back in Greenville Town

"Dad was going to take mom and me with him later on this year, Why,
l remember 'im saying: 'Someday this old truck will be yours, Teddy Bear!'
But, I know I'll never get to ride an 18-wheeler again
But, this old base will keep me in touch with all my trucker friends!"

"Teddy Bear's gonna back on out now and leave you alone
'Cause it's about time for mom to come home
But, you give me a shout when you're passin' through
And I'll sure be happy to come back to you!"

Well, I came back and I said: uh! "Before you go 10-10
What's your home 20, little CB friend?"
Well, he gave me his address and I didn't once hesitate
'Cause this hot load of freight was just gonna have to wait

I turned that truck around on a dime
And headed straight for Jackson Street, 229
And as I rounded the corner, oh, I got one heck of a shock
l8 wheelers were lined up for three city blocks!

Why, I guess every driver for miles around had caught Teddy Bear's call
And that little crippled boy was having a ball
For as fast as one driver would carry him in
Another would carry him to his truck and take off again

Well, you better believe I took my turn at riding Teddy Bear
And then I carried him back in and put him down in his chair
And buddy if I never live to see happiness again
I want you to know I saw it that day, in the face of that little man

We took up a collection for him before his mama got home
And each driver said goodbye and then they all were gone
He shook my hand with a mile-long grin
And said: "So long, trucker I'll catch ya again!"

Well, I hit the Interstate with tears in my eyes
I turned on the radio and I got another surprise
"Breaker 1-9!" Came a voice on the air
"Just one word of thanks from Mama Teddy Bear!"

"We wish each and every one, a special prayer for you
'Cause, You just made my little boy's dream come true
I'll sign off now, before, I start to cry
May God ride with you, 10-4, and goodbye."

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www.dougbsteel.com

Pat Burns
Member

From: Branchville, N.J. USA

posted 28 September 2000 02:22 AM     profile     
..RRRRAAAAAAAAAALLPHHH!
Ron Castle
Member

From: West Hurley,NY

posted 28 September 2000 04:56 AM     profile     
My favorites : Fanthom 309, White line fever
and Six Days on the road (bit older than the 70's)
RickRichtmyer
Member

From: Beautiful Adamstown, MD

posted 28 September 2000 05:58 AM     profile     
I always liked John Anderson's Chicken Truck.

For more truckin' songs than you could ever want, honk here.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News


[This message was edited by RickRichtmyer on 28 September 2000 at 05:59 AM.]

John Steele
Member

From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

posted 28 September 2000 11:22 AM     profile     
Does anyone else remember "Backin' to Birmingham" ?
"It wasn't easy backin' through the traffic,
And I'll bet I'm the first truck drivin' man
That ever left Chicago in a semi,
and backed it all the way to Birmingham "

-John
Al Udeen
Member

From: maple grove mn usa

posted 28 September 2000 11:45 AM     profile     
The guy that started this thread gets his poor little Teddy Bear Barfed on!
B Cole
unregistered
posted 28 September 2000 04:43 PM           
And put beside a tome stone every mile and he will need 40 acers to turn this rig around
Skip T
Member

From: Lubbock , Tx. U S A

posted 28 September 2000 07:54 PM     profile     
OKAY !! OKAY !! enough guys - - - I'm gona have ta git me sum wipers fur my glasses - - they'z al fogged up frum the boo-hoo's . I hear ya Pat . . . where'z my "Teddy Bear" ???
BJ Bailey
Member

From: Jackson Ms,Hinds

posted 28 September 2000 09:34 PM     profile     
Roll on Daddy roll on crew roll on mamma like I ask you to .Roll on 18 teen wheeler roll on .Roll on. ALABAMA

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BJ Bailey


Tim Rowley
Member

From: Pinconning, MI, USA

posted 28 September 2000 09:47 PM     profile     
Here's another one: Anybody out there remember Tom T. Hall's song "Ravishin' Ruby"? Great tune. Tim R.
Garryharris
Member

From: Hendersonville, TN USA

posted 02 October 2000 08:53 AM     profile     
Love trucking songs. "Coming out of Detroit" or was it Pitsburgh. Loved Dave Dudley singing about "soot as black as coal"
No steel guitars but wonderful guitar work.
RickRichtmyer
Member

From: Beautiful Adamstown, MD

posted 02 October 2000 10:25 AM     profile     
It was Six Days on the Road that you're thinking of, Garry.

A very different, but very good cover of that tune was done by The Flying Burrito Bros. with Al Perkins on some excellent rockin' steel.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News


KENNY FORBESS
Member

From: peckerwood point, w. tn.

posted 02 October 2000 11:35 AM     profile     
I remember'em,
#Ell i'm still playin'em,
our rythym guitar player IS a trucker,
"come on"
Chris Schlotzhauer
Member

From: Colleyville, Tx. USA

posted 02 October 2000 12:39 PM     profile     
Mama Hated Diesels
Kenny Yates
Member

From: Hattiesburg Mississippi

posted 02 October 2000 06:33 PM     profile     
Some around the San Francisco Bay area might remember Truitt Cunninham's (sp) The Truck That Peter Built...I believe it was written by Liz Anderson (Lynn's mom) Don Sherwood used to play it on his show.
Geff King
Member

From: Greenbelt, MD USA

posted 04 October 2000 10:31 AM     profile     
Not once on this thread has anyone yet mentioned the mighty Red Simpson. Hope this rectifies the problem. :-)

(My favorite of his = "I'm a Truck")

CrowBear Schmitt
Member

From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

posted 05 October 2000 03:44 PM     profile     
Brother Trucker by James Taylor
(No Steel though...)
Steel Truckin'
Dan Tyack
Member

From: Seattle, WA USA

posted 05 October 2000 08:28 PM     profile     
My friend Jack Daniels (of highway 101 fame) had a song called 'I've got to dump this load somewhere'.

He seemed to think it was a comedy number.....

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www.tyacktunes.com

Jackie Toney
Member

From: Johnson City, Tn USA

posted 05 October 2000 09:24 PM     profile     
How about Smoky Mountain Rain.

Jackie

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www.steelinusa.com


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