RED SIMPSON
I'M A TRUCK
(Capitol ST-881)
January/1972
Produced by Gene Breeden and Ken Nelson
1.
I'M A TRUCK
(Bob Stanton)
« © '71 Central Songs, BMI »
Hello I'm a truck
You've heard songs about truck drivers many times their stories told
How they pulled out of Pittsburg for six days on the road
Bout the Feather River Canyon and climbin' the old grapevine
That old roadhouse down in Texas and the girls they've left behind
You've heard their tales of daring and I think that's just fine
But if you can spare a minute well I'd like to tell you mine
There'd be no truck drivers if it wasn't for us trucks
No double clutching gear jaming coffee drinking nuts
They'll drive their way to glory and they have all the luck
There'd be no truck drivers if it wasn't for us trucks
Well there he sits in that cafe drinking coffee and telling lies
Prob'ly telling 'em how to talk that hill ten miles back
How telling 'em how he missed a gear and that Volkswagen full of hippies
Passed us like I was sitting up on jacks or how we took that curve over on 66
Han't-a been for me hanging on the shoulder we'd both wound up in the ditch
If we're on time he takes the credit if we're late I get the blame
Up those hills with shutters open my stacks are running flame
My stack a running red light sucking diesel from the tanks
I take him south and bring him back without a word of thanks
So now you've heard my story and I guess it's my tough luck
There'd be no truck drivers if it wadn't for us trucks
There'd be no truck drivers...
Look at him sipping coffee and flirtin' with that waitress
And where do you think he left me that's right next to cattle truck (mooo)
Why couldn't we have put me next to that little pink mack sittin' over there
Gosh she's got pretty mud flaps and talk about stracked they're both chromed
Well he'll be coming out in a minute and he'll get that bar
And he'll go around and beat on my tires
You know for two pints of diesel I'd have a flat on the inside dual
Ha that fixed him I never did like the way he drives anyhow
Thainks he's God's gift to waitresses he never gives 'em a tip
Well I know what he's gonna do now he's gonna take out
The tape cartridge of Back Owens and play it again
I don't know why he don't get a Merle Haggard tape
**********
2.
NITRO EXPRESS
(Scott Turner - Jim Thornton - Chris Roberts)
« © '66 Central Songs, BMI »
**********
3.
OLD SAM
(Scott Turner - Jim Thornton)
« © '67 Central Songs, BMI »
Old Sam good old Sam his truck drivin' days are almost gone
You laughed at ole Sam who just walked out the door
He's been coffeeing up here for fifteen years or more
You won't want to listen well the coffee's on the house so you're stuck
Fifty mission caps and boots don't make a man safe in a truck
The same goes for fancy belt buckles and chain drive pocketbooks
The man ain't born that can tell another man's talent by his looks
Now I don't suppose those overalls did impress you a lot
Or that cold and useless arm the old man's got
That arm's gone because he jack-knified a rig in the fog
You see there was a child walkin' in the road searchin' for his lost dog
If someone needs help on the road well ole Sam's always ready
Oh they don't need to be female waiting all smiles young and pretty
He picks up every hitchhiker Sam says nobody's all bad
Well up to date seven of 'em's rolled him for every dime he had
You see there's more to drivin' a truck than gettin' from here to there
Ole Sam's a trucker's truck driver well they're mighty rare
Well my friend I hope you get the message that clothes don't make the man
Cause if every a man had the right to wear those clothes it's ole Sam
You may fill out ole Sam's shoes before your drivin' days are through
But you'll do a whole lot of livin' fore you do
To the folks who know him he's a lot more than just ole Sam
He's the blueprint the Lord used to make the truck drivin' man
Old Sam his truck driving days are almost gone
**********
4.
RUNAWAY TRUCK
(Buck Owens - Red Simpson)
« © '66 Central Songs, BMI »
Well I loaded my truck in old LA and everything was a goin' fine
I was on my way to Bakersfield a headin' down that old grey flyin'
I was drivin' along feelin' mighty good oh I didn't have to care
Till I reached for the breaks and I found out I didn't have anywhere
Runaway I'm a goin' down down down runaway dangerous curves all around
If I'll get out of this truck alive well there's one thing for sure
I ain't a gonna drive this big ole truck no more
Well I started pickin' up speed as each white line I passed by
And I knew if I did ride alive I'll bet I would have surely die
My head started pumpin' my heart started beatin' I didn't know what to do
And that's when I heard myself a sayin' a prayer or two
Well I finally reached the bottom boy was I shook up
I opened the door and I crawled out and walk away from that truck
I cought a ride to the nearest town where I called my boss on the phone
I said if you want that big iron mash she's just sittin' out there alone
**********
5.
BLACK SMOKE A BLOWIN' OVER 18 WHEELS
(Red Simpson)
« © '67 Central Songs, BMI »
Well woman don't you put no bets on me that I might settle down
Cause I'm just not the settlin' kind I gotta chase around
Well I'm a truck drivin' daddy and I keep on a goin'
And it's just about time that I'm gone
Cause black smoke blowin' over eighteen wheels well honey that's my home
Black smoke blowin' over eighteen wheels is the only home I've ever known
Black smoke a blowin' over eighteen wheels well honey that's my home
[ guitar - steel ]
Well I'd like to love you but I can't so I won't so what's the use to try
It wouldn't be long till my love was gone and I don't want to make you cry
So let's just kiss and say goodbye then I'll be gone
Cause black smoke blowin' over eighteen wheels well honey that's my home
Black smoke blowin' over...
Black smoke a blowin' over eighteen wheels well that's home sweet home
**********
6.
ROLL TRUCK ROLL
(Tommy Collins)
« © '66 Central Songs, BMI »
I'm going down to Feather River Canyon gotta go down Donner Summit is closed
Another eighty miles and I sure am lonesome cause I'll be late gettin' home
Roll truck roll take me to my baby I'm tired of bein' alone
Roll truck roll I wanna see my baby roll truck roll me on home
One of these days I'm gonna quit this old road when I've saved enough money
Gonna buy me a place back home and live a little just me and my kids and my honey
Mama said little Danny's not doing too good in school
Said he keeps talkin' about his daddy that he hardly knows
Teacher said that he just sits at his desk and draws the pictures of trucks
I guess I know what that means and what it shows
Why I'm not home three months out of the year
And here lately it's showing on me too
I saw a lot of country at first and I really like it then
But anymore there's just none of it new
Oh what a long old haul this has been
I've had rain most of the way and now it's beginning to pour
It sure looks cold that wind blowin' up through that canyon
But I gotta keep my spirits up so I guess I'll sing a little more
I'm going down to Feather River Canyon...
Roll truck roll me on home
**********
7.
BIG MACK
(June Davis)
« © '66 Central Songs, BMI »
Big Mack was a driver of a semi rig from Denver to the coast of Maine
And every truck driver and highway man well they all knew big Mack's name
He stepped into a diner by the scales where he stopped to weigh
Took one look at the waitress there and we all heard him say
Pour me a piece of coffee pass me a cup of bread
Why you're the sweetest things that I've ever seen and there's a ringing in my head
Make my eggs a medium rare over easy with my steak
I'm gonna buy you a farm in Texas gal if it takes every sin I make
[ piano ]
Well she stood there a starin' at Big Mack kind of in a state of shock
She told him when he set his orange juice down be careful now it's kinda hot
I've already buttered your coffee the toast is in your cup
Your french fried soup and scrambled prunes will soon be coming up
She took off her apron grabbed her coat down off the rack
Took Big Mack's arm and told the boss I'm a quittin' and I won't be back
She climbed up in that diesel cab both pipes were a spoutin' smoke
Someone said Big Mack just fell and this time it ain't no joke
Pour me a piece of coffee...
**********
8.
WHERE LOVE USED TO BE
(Buck Owens - Red Simpson)
« © '72 Central Songs, BMI »
I never knew this old house could hold such loneliness
Cause when you were here it was a life with happiness
But when you said goodbye this old house just seemed to die
Like the grass on the lawn when winter comes
Now there's wall to wall tears and stained floor
The shades're drawn cause no one lives here anymore
Just a shelf of a man in his misery in this lonely house where love used to be
Life means nothing now since you walked out the door
The birds that sang up in our trees don't sing here anymore
But my hurting soon will past cause I'll just turn on the glass
In this lonely house where love used to be in this lonely house where love used to be
**********
9.
MOTIVATIN' MAN
(Buck Owens - Red Simpson)
« © '66 Central Songs, BMI »
I drove a big old truck from Mississippi all the way cross country to Frisco
I got another load then I was on my way again back to where that Mississippi flows
I like to hear that rhythm as that motor purrs along
And them big wheels a keep rollin' clear and free
I'd rather drive a truck than to be a millionaire it's the only life for me
Cause my grandpa drove a mule train and my pa a riverboat
And I just a like a them I'm gonna see lots of land
My grandpa drove a mule train and my pa a riverboat
I'm just like them I'm a motivatin' man
[ guitar ]
I met a pretty girl while down in Dallas I thought that we would marry up
But I lost my nerve when we got to the church
And I climbed back aboard my old truck
For I got to thinkin' things over married life is not for me I'm sure
I don't want a woman to tell me that I can't drive my truck anymore
Cause my grandpa drove a mule train...
I'm just like them I'm a motivatin' man
**********
10.
TAKE ME HOME
(Red Simpson - Gene Moles)
« © '67 Central Songs, BMI »
Rollin' I go rollin' along I'm listenin' to that diesel hum a song
Well I'm just as happy as I can be cause my pretty baby she's a waitin' for me
So come on truck yeah take me on home
I'm longin' just to hold her again and I miss her and want to kiss her again
We've been on the road for a long long time
But we'll get some rest at the end of the line
So come on truck take me on home
[ guitar + steel ]
Stoppin' just stop outside of town at the truckstop where all the truckers hang around
Oh we got some cleanin' up to do I need the shavin' you need a washjob too
So come on truck yeah take me on home
(Come on truck let's go now gettin' close to home
There's the lights of the city and that's pretty)
**********