Johnny Cash - Monteagle Mountain lyrics

There's a stretch of Highway on Interstate
24 between Nashville and Chattanooga
That's claimed many trucker's life
And your life is in your hands when
You start down that long steep grade
On Monteagle Mountain
I just rolled out of Nashville in
My big rig heading south
My eyes are on fire feels
Like cotton in my mouth
My whole body's aching but I got
To make them big wheels roll
I got to be in Florida by tomorrow
Morning with a full heavy load
I got to get past Atlanta as
Soon as I can tonight
I got to try to dodge the scales
And stay out of Smoky's sight
But there's one big thing standing like
A nightmare in my way
I got to top Monteagle Mountain
A little bit later today

Going down Monteagle Mountain on I24
It's hell for a trucker when
The devil's at your door
He'll tempt you and tell you
Come on let her roll
Because the mountain wants your
Rig and trucker, i want your soul

When I started down Monteagle the
Brakes just wouldn't hold
I knew I was in trouble
And about to lose control
The runaway ramp was waiting I
Saw the warning sign
I said Lord help me make it
Have mercy on this soul of mine
Well I ploughed into that runaway ramp and
I could feel that big truck groan
My life flashed right before my eyes and for
A minute I thought I was gone
But when the smoke cleared I thanked
God that I was still alive
Because when there's a runaway on
Monteagle some truckers don't survive

Yeah many a good man had lost his life
On Monteagle Mountain it's a
Long steep grade
Many good hard working boys have
Gone over the side, watch out for Monteagle