Top 10 Trucker Songs and Why We Love Them
Truck driving is so iconic that not only have dozens of movies been made about the lifestyle, but hundreds of songs pay homage to life on the road. You may be surprised to know not all of the songs were made in the ’60s and ’70s. Here are the top 10 trucker songs and why we love them.
Trucker Man Gretchen Wilson (2010)
Ms. Wilson’s ode to life on the road checks all the boxes for a trucker tribute is from the album I Got Your Country Right Here. From left arm sunburns to putting the hammer down to mile markers and CB radios, Trucker Man delivers.
Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler) Alabama (1984)
Alabama is about as authentic U.S.A as any trucker. Roll On is a sweet and sad story of a young family with a truck-driving father who goes missing. Before the four-minute song is over, you’ll be in tears and singing along.
Driving My Life Away Eddie Rabbit (1980)
Eddie Rabbit hits were all over the radio in the early 1980s. Driving My Life Away is one of his biggest hits, and it hits the mark as a tribute to truckers. The uptempo pace feels like you are barreling down an interstate and seeing the country.
East Bound and Down Jerry Reed (1977)
By the time Smokey and the Bandit hit theaters in 1977, Jerry Reed was already an established Country and Western Star. The song is on the movie soundtrack and coming in at 2:51; it’s a fast and furious description of trucking in the 1970s.
Truckin’ Grateful Dead (1970)
Although the song is about a rock band on the road, it’s always been associate with trucks. At over five minutes, two times longer than most songs at the time, Truckin’ gives you the feeling of the long hours truckers spend on the road.
Convoy C.W. McCall
It’s safe to say Convoy is the most famous song using a CB sound effect. C.W. McCall seems to use every 1970 trucking slang term available to create a sing-a-long story about a trucker who pulls together other drivers for an epic convoy.
Asphalt Cowboy Jason Aldean (2005)
Just before Jason Aldean exploded into modern country super-stardom, he penned a song about a trucker married to the road and his wife. Aldean captures the loneliness of the road and the love of the woman who supports him.
Six Days On The Road Dave Dudley (1965)
Dave Dudley performed many songs about trucking, and none better than Six Days. With a deep baritone voice and deadpan comments about his weight and logbooks, Dudley nails the renegade attitude truckers were famous for in the 1960s.
Giddy-Up Go Red Sovine (1965)
Delivered almost in spoken word, Giddy-Up Go is a heartbreaking story of a trucker who loses his family while out on the road. You’ll have to listen to the song to find out how his truck got its name and how the story ends. We dare you not to cry.
Give Me 40 Acres The Willis Brothers (1964)
You’ll get a kick out of the tongue-in-cheek story of a trucker who ends up in the Northeast U.S. to declare, “Give me 40 acres to turn this rig around.” At 2:33, it’s over before you know it and leaves you wondering if the trucker ever learned to make tighter turns.
Final Thought on Trucker Songs
Truck driving is an iconic job in America for a good reason. Even before truck drivers became known as essential workers, they were always essential workers. The lasting legacies of truckers are captured in song for generations to appreciate.
Do you have a favorite trucker song or truck driving? Leave a comment and share?
You may also enjoy The Best Trucker Movies and Why We Love Them.
