Monteagle Mountain - Johnny Cash

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 headin' south

My eyes are on fire feels like cotton in my mouth

My whole body’s achin' 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 passed 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 standin' like a nightmare in my way

I got to top Monteagle Mountain a little bit later today

Goin' down Monteagle Mountain on I-24

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

Cause 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 bout to lose control

The runaway ramp was waitin' I saw the warnin' 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

Cause when there’s a runaway on Monteagle some truckers don’t survive

Goin' down Monteagle Mountain on I-24

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

Cause the mountain wants your rig and trucker I want your soul

Yeah many a good man had lost his life on Monteagle Mountain it’s a long steep

grade

Many a good hard workin' boy gone over the side watch out for Monteagle