A career spent on the road can get lonely, long, and monotonous. Without a passenger, the next best shotgun-rider to turn to is music. There are hundreds of songs dedicated to life on the road. Music can be relaxing, empowering, and can even help get your blood pumping. Below are a handful of songs that are perfect for your long haul. Check out our compilation of the best trucking songs. Not all of them are about trucking, but they’re all great for listening as you put the pedal to the metal.
Best Trucking Songs
AC/DC – “Highway to Hell”
These Australian rockers have become one of the most popular rock n’ roll outfits to ever grace the stage. Brothers Angus and Malcolm Young create a foot-stomping rhythm for this tune. This is a great song for that last push during your late-night journey. From the opening riff to a solo and fast and as heavy and the reight you’re hauling, this is easily one of the best trucking songs.
Dave Dudley – “Six Days on the Road”
This classic country ballad has the twang and old-school swagger to appeal to truckers of all ages. Never as big as his peers like Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams Jr. Dave, Dudley would sell over a million records and this hit would lead the way to a successful music career. Country music and trucking go hand in hand. It’s no wonder why this has quickly become one of the best trucking songs out there.
Red Sovine – “Phantom 309”
A haunting track, the singer-songwriter from West Virginia tells the tale of a singer who is picked up by Big Joe and his rig the Phantom 309. Big Joe drives the hitchhiker through the night and then drops him off at a rest stop in the morning with change to buy coffee. As he’s getting his coffee, the singer is told that Big Joe died years before; he crashed while trying to avoid a school bus full of children. I’m always a fan of songs that tell a story, and this does just that!
Roger Miller – “Me and Bobby McGee”
Most famously covered by Hall of Famer Janis Joplin, the great Bob Dylan, and original songwriter Kris Kristofferson, Miller’s original recounts the tale of picking up the hitchhiker named Bobby McGee. Together they embark on a journey to California, sharing stories to pass the time. Unfortunately, the song ends when Bobby leaves our singer in search of a more stable life.
Alabama – “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)”
Rounding out a dozen number-one hits for the quartet from their namesake, “Roll On” was a huge hit for truckers in the seventies. In the song, a trucker is coming home to his wife and kids when his rig jackknifes in a blizzard. However, at the end of the song, the family receives a call from the trucker, saying he’ll be home, and tells them to keep rolling on. The southern rockers continue to keep on trucking, touring most of 2016. Who doesn’t like a good trucking story? This trucking tale with a happy ending makes it one of the best trucking songs.
Zac Brown Band – “Highway 20 Ride”
Inspired by the trip between Georgia and South Carolina to drop off his son at his mother’s house, Brown laments about life on the road and the many pitfalls. The Georgia-born musician reflects on how his son will perceive him as he grows older. I’m sure plenty truckers can relate when it comes to that home and life balance.
Grateful Dead – Truckin’
This track from the psychedelic-rock Hall of Famers eventually became a heavy favorite at their shows. It’s not explicitly about being a trucker. However, musicians and truckers bare a variety of similarities that truckers and Dead Heads can bond over.
Jerry Reed – “East Bound and Down”
Arguably the most popular trucking song of all-time, Jerry Reed wrote this tune for the movie Smokey and the Bandit. It spent 16 weeks on the Billboard charts back in 1977 peaking at number two and has since been re-recorded several times, most recently featured in the hit TV show Archer. This trucker anthem will keep you rollin’
These are just a handful of trucking tracks to accompany you on your travels, what are some of your favorite songs to travel to? Let us know in the comments below!
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