Below (two blogs below) are some links to Tom Waits. I was thinking why I am so blown away by his performance on Big Joe and the Phantom 309 - it was an old Red Sovine song, a country western songwriter who specialized in writing "stories" songs. He wrote Teddy Bear, a song about a diabled child's relationship with a trucker over the CB (citizens band radio - you used to need a license to operate one) radio, Little Joe a song about a blind truckdriver and his dog, and If Jesus Came to Your House a song about what you would do if Jesus came to live with you (hide magazines, say grace at every meal...), and the famous Bringing Mary Home So his songs are really hokey, appealing to the classic country western crowd (he even recorded a record of him reciting the Pledge of Allegiance). Anyway, I think its Tom Waits interpretation that makes Big Joe and the Phantom 309 so good - his scratchy voice makes you believe he is down on his luck, hitching a ride home. The song establishes at the beginning that the narrator is down on his luck, trying to make a buck, he failed, and now he is returning home, a failure, hitching rides. But Big Joe doesn't judge the hitch hiker - shakes his hand, throws him a dime for some coffee, "I have to make a turn up ahead..." Big Joe is a decent guy, who would sacrifice his life for you if he had to. No matter how down on your luck you may be, there is always a Big Joe to give you a hand, throw you a dime. And Big Joe isn't rich or famous, he is a truck driver, driving a 10 speed Mack truck (not the cadillac of trucks - the Peterbilts) known for their slow speed (only 10 gears, the Peterbilts and Kenworths have 18 speeds). But I guess its Tom Waits that makes the song come alive.
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