Trucking isn’t for the faint of heart. With regular long hours spent driving and interacting with sometimes ungrateful customers, it’s no surprise that artists over the years have churned out songs dedicated to helping truck drivers gain recognition and tell their personal stories of time spent on the road. Some of the most popular tunes tell stories of longing and highlight the difficulties of being so far away from their families. Others bemoan the neverending stretch of highway before them or tell stories of tragic experiences.
Truck driving songs really entered the scene back in the 1950s, although it was in the 1960s when the sub-genre of trucking songs really started making a name for itself. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular trucking songs over the years.
“East Bound and Down” by Jerry Reed
Revered by many as the best song ever written about truck driving, This Jerry Reed song was originally recorded for the popular movie “Smokey and the Bandit.” Since then, the song has grown in popularity. In 1977, it was on the Billboard charts for 16 weeks, climbing as high as the number 2 spot. Over the years it’s been rerecorded many times and was featured on the TV show “Archer.”
“Phantom 309” by Red Sovine
This Red Sovine tune is haunting in that it tells the story of a hitchhiker being picked up by trucker Big Joe and his rig, the Phantom 309. Driving through the night, the trucker drops the hitchhiker off near a rest stop at dawn to buy coffee. While filling his coffee cup, the hitchhiker is informed that Big Joe passed away years before in an accident while trying to avoid crashing into a school bus.
“Truck Driving Man” by Terry Fell
Originally released in 1954, this fast-paced tune features heavy use of the harmonica, and was one of the very first trucking songs.
“White Line Fever” by Merle Haggard
Another tragic tune, this song tells the story of a trucker who sees his death drawing near but can’t quit because he’s never known any life other than one following the white lines of the highway.
“Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” by Alabama
Another popular song among truck drivers, this number 1 single by Alabama tells the story of a truck driver returning home to his family. However, on the journey home, a blizzard strikes, causing his truck to jackknife. Instead of taking a tragic turn, the song ends with the trucker calling his family to let them know he’ll be home soon.
What’s your favorite truck driving song?