Introduction
In the realm of country music, there are songs that tell stories of love and loss, of heartbreak and resilience, of life on the open road and the camaraderie of shared experiences. And then there are songs that capture a zeitgeist, that define a moment in time, that become anthems for a generation. C.W. McCall’s “Convoy” is one such song.
Released in 1975, “Convoy” was an instant sensation, topping the country and pop charts and capturing the imagination of the American public. The song tells the story of CB trucker Rubber Duck, who leads a convoy of truckers in a rebellion against the heavy-handed enforcement of speed limits by the Smokey Bear CB radio station. It’s a tale of defiance and camaraderie, of standing up for one’s rights and fighting for what one believes in.
“Convoy” was more than just a hit song; it was a cultural phenomenon. The song spawned a hit movie, a television series, and even a line of CB radios. It captured the public’s fascination with the trucking industry and the CB radio craze of the 1970s. But more than that, it spoke to a deep-seated American desire for freedom and independence.
Rubber Duck and his fellow truckers were heroes to many, rebels standing up against the man. They were the embodiment of the American spirit, fighting for their right to travel the open road without government interference. “Convoy” was a song for the underdog, for those who felt like they were being pushed around by the system. It was a message of hope and defiance that resonated with millions of Americans.
Of course, “Convoy” wasn’t without its critics. Some dismissed it as a novelty song, a fad that would soon fade away. Others took issue with the song’s portrayal of truckers as rebels, arguing that it glorified dangerous and irresponsible driving. But for all its critics, “Convoy” remains an enduring classic, a song that continues to be enjoyed by fans of country music, trucking culture, and Americana.
“Convoy” is a song about more than just truckers and CB radios. It’s a song about the American spirit, about the fight for freedom and independence, and about the power of music to unite people. It’s a song that has stood the test of time, and it’s sure to continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Key takeaways:
- “Convoy” is a country music song that tells the story of CB trucker Rubber Duck, who leads a convoy of truckers in a rebellion against the heavy-handed enforcement of speed limits by the Smokey Bear CB radio station.
- The song was an instant sensation, topping the country and pop charts and capturing the imagination of the American public.
- “Convoy” was more than just a hit song; it was a cultural phenomenon that spawned a hit movie, a television series, and even a line of CB radios.
- The song captured the public’s fascination with the trucking industry and the CB radio craze of the 1970s.
- “Convoy” was a message of hope and defiance that resonated with millions of Americans.
- The song is a classic that continues to be enjoyed by fans of country music, trucking culture, and Americana.
Video
Lyrics: Convoy
Ah, breaker one-nine, this here’s the Rubber Duck. You gotta copy on me, Pig Pen, c’mon? Ah, yeah, 10-4, Pig Pen, fer shure, fer shure. By golly, it’s clean clear to Flag Town, c’mon. Yeah, that’s a big 10-4 there, Pig Pen, yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy…
Was the dark of the moon on the sixth of June
In a Kenworth pullin’ logs
Cab-over Pete with a reefer on
And a Jimmy haulin’ hogs
We is headin’ for bear on I-10
‘Bout a mile outta Shaky Town
I says, “Pig Pen, this here’s the Rubber Duck”
“And I’m about to put the hammer down”
‘Cause we got a little convoy
Rockin’ through the night
Yeah, we got a little convoy
Ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy
‘Cross the USA, convoy
Ah, breaker, Pig Pen, this here’s the Duck. And, you wanna back off them hogs? Yeah, 10-4, ’bout five mile or so. Ten, roger. Them hogs is gettin’ in-tense up here
By the time we got into Tulsa Town
We had eighty-five trucks in all
But they’s a roadblock up on the cloverleaf
And them bears was wall-to-wall
Yeah, them smokies is thick as bugs on a bumper
They even had a bear in the air
I says, “Callin’ all trucks, this here’s the Duck
We about to go a-huntin’ bear”
‘Cause we got a great big convoy
Rockin’ through the night
Yeah, we got a great big convoy
Ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy
‘Cross the USA, convoy
Ah, you wanna give me a 10-9 on that, Pig Pen? Negatory, Pig Pen; you’re still too close. Yeah, them hogs is startin’ to close up my sinuses. Mercy sakes, you better back off another ten
Well, we rolled up Interstate 44
Like a rocket sled on rails
We tore up all of our swindle sheets
And left ’em settin’ on the scales
By the time we hit that Chi-town
Them bears was a-gettin’ smart
They’d brought up some reinforcements
From the Illinois National Guard
There’s armored cars and tanks and jeeps
And rigs of ev’ry size
Yeah, them chicken coops was full’a bears
And choppers filled the skies
Well, we shot the line and we went for broke
With a thousand screamin’ trucks
An’ eleven long-haired Friends a’ Jesus
In a chartreuse micra-bus
Ah, Rubber Duck to Sodbuster, come over. Yeah, 10-4, Sodbuster? Lissen, you wanna put that micra-bus right behind that suicide jockey? Yeah, he’s haulin’ dynamite, and he needs all the help he can get
Well, we laid a strip for the Jersey shore
And prepared to cross the line
I could see the bridge was lined with bears
But I didn’t have a dog-goned dime
I says, “Pig Pen, this here’s the Rubber Duck
We just ain’t a-gonna pay no toll”
So we crashed the gate doing ninety-eight
I says “Let them truckers roll, 10-4”
‘Cause we got a mighty convoy
Rockin’ through the night
Yeah, we got a mighty convoy
Ain’t she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get in our way
We gonna roll this truckin’ convoy
‘Cross the USA
Convoy! Ah, 10-4, Pig Pen, what’s your twenty?
Convoy! Omaha? Well, they oughta know what to do with them hogs out there fer shure. Well, mercy
Convoy! sakes, good buddy, we gonna back on outta here, so keep the bugs off your glass and the bears off your…
Convoy! tail. We’ll catch you on the flip-flop. This here’s the Rubber Duck on the side
Convoy! We gone. ‘Bye,’bye