Men and Their Trucks

by

 

I don’t know why but lately I’ve been thinking about trucks. Maybe it’s because I’ve heard so many songs that contain references to them or the fact that I live in Texas. Who knows. Part of my ruminating included the revelation that a truck is the twenty-first century cowboy’s horse. Nowadays we only see folks who work ranches riding a horse to check the far pasture fence or find a stray cow in Hallmark movies. In real life while some ranchers ride horses to cut cattle, most drive their truck, ATV, or a four-wheeler around their place, . (Please correct me if I’m wrong those of you that have working ranches or farms.)

My oldest son on the day he got his Big Blue Truck.

My oldest son bought a truck when he was in college. A couple years ago he hydroplaned in the rain during his long work commute. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt, but his truck was totaled. As it seems is always the case, he couldn’t afford another truck with the insurance money. (His truck was paid for.) Instead, he bought a small sedan. It’s never sat right with him driving that car, despite having a truck again, he still misses that first one. His truck, merely having one, was tied to who he was—a born and bred Texan.

With that on my mind, I started looking at country songs with truck in the title. Here are some of my favorites.

  • Getting Married to My Pick Up Truck by Rodney Carrington—the comparison between his truck’s loyalty and a woman’s is hilarious. Click here to listen.
  • Truck Yeah by Time McGraw—is just plain fun. Click here to listen.
  • My Truck by Gretchen Wilson—is one of the few truck titled songs sung by a woman. Click here to listen.
  • My Ol’ Bronco by Luke Bryan—while while the word truck isn’t in the title, a Bronco is a specific truck so I’m counting it. The line “I ain’t never gonna let her go” sums it all up. Click here to listen.
  • Boy Gets a Truck by Keith Urban—these lyrics are a wonderful love story, “Boy gets a truck. Truck gets a girl. Girl gets a midnight feeling he’s the one, one night turns to love. Love turns into one knee down, down payment on a three-bedroom house filled with the sound of little feet. Then you blink and he’s asking for the keys to pick her up. Boy gets a truck.” Wow. I wish I’d written that. Click here to listen. 
  • That Ain’t My Truck by Rhett Akins—I feel the pain and anguish the singer feels from the moment he starts singing about driving past the house of the woman he loves and sees another man’s truck at her house. Click here to listen.
  • Look at My Truck by Chase Rice—Yup, a man’s truck says a lot about him. “If ya want to get to get to know me it ain’t that hard. It’s sitting on some Goodyears there in the yard. Got some dents, got some dings, been my best friend since I was 16, baptized in dirty water, handed down to me from my father. If ya wanna know, wanna know what I’m made of just look at my truck.” More words I wish I’d written. Click here to listen. 
  • Pick Up Man by Joe Diffie—I included this one, too because a pickup is a specific kind of truck. I love the lines about the singer getting his first pick up when he was three, driving 100,000 miles on his knees, and how he moved a Barbie doll bed for the girl next door. And the lines, “there’s something about a pick up man” and “if it weren’t for trucks, we wouldn’t have tailgates” are priceless. Click here to listen.
  • We Rode In Trucks by Luke Bryan—sums up how a man’s life and his truck are intertwined. Click here to listen.
  • Mud On the Tires by Brad Paisley—again, this one doesn’t have the word truck in the title, but the tires are ones on his new Chevrolet truck but adding that to the title isn’t as catchy. ? This is one of my favorites. Brad Paisley paints a picture of him and his girl spending time with each other and getting “a little mud on the tires.”
  • I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice written by Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander, and Jimmy Yeary—my other favorite song with truck in the title, but grab a handful of tissues before you listen to it. Here’s the poignant story behind the song. One Memorial Day weekend, songwriter Connie Harrington heard a father on radio show talking about his son, fallen soldier, Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti, who died in Afghanistan while trying to save a fellow soldier. When asked how he would commemorate his son, the father said, he’d drive his truck. “What can I tell you? It’s him. It’s got his DNA all over it. I love driving it because it reminds me of him, though I don’t need the truck to remind me of him. I think about him every hour of every day.”
  • Click here to hear the song. Then click here to listen to “Mud on the Tires” to make you smile.

I always knew trucks meant a lot to their owners,  but after listening to these songs, it will change my writing because they’re more.

Giveaway:  To be entered in the random drawing for a signed copy of Aiming For His Heart, the Happy Clips, and the phone pocket, leave a comment about your favorite truck song or just a comment about trucks.

 

  • After a comment from MaryEllen Cox I have to add another song. Wait In the Truck by Hardy, featuring Lainey Wilson. Another wow that will hit you emotionally. Click here to listen.
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Julie Benson has written five novels for Harlequin American, and her Wishing, Texas series is available from Tule Publishing. Now that her three sons have left the nest in Dallas, when she isn't writing, Julie spends her time working on home improvement projects, rescuing dogs, and visiting Texas wineries with her husband. Visit her at www.juliebenson.net.

59 thoughts on “Men and Their Trucks”

  1. My favorite thing about trucks is how versatile they are! They can transport, haul, and get to places that a car can’t!

    • Ami, that’s. for sure! My son wasn’t the only one who missed his truck. We’re thankful he has another one now for that very reason. Thanks for stopping by this morning, Take care and stay safe.

  2. When I was a teen, I wrote a Country song about trucks. True story. Wish I knew where it was.

    My dad always had a truck. Dodge, now Ram, because he worked for Chrysler. My oldest was obsessed with my dad’s Dodge trucks. In first grade, he wrote that he was going to get a truck when he was 26. He did. A Ram. Just like PawPaw’s.

    • Denise, you HAVE to find that song! That is so cool that you wrote a song.

      Yup, moving to Texas taught me a whole different meaning of owning a truck. My oldest made me a plate one year in preschool. The teachers wrote a “title” on the front. (They said what it was.) Alex’s was titled,, “Alex and the Big Blue Truck.” Dang if the first truck he got wasn’t a deep blue.

      BTW, when’s the wedding?

      Good chatting with you. Keep me posted on the kids’ college and the wedding. Take care.

      • It’s in March–they moved it to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. So, I won’t be in Dallas. Bought a dress from Amazon and shoes on sale from DSW. I’m done.

        My oldest was so obsessed with trucks, he wrote about every day. The teacher asked me to have him write about different things. lol

        All I remember from the song was the chorus. I have a feeling it’s in the basement somewhere in a box with notebooks. I remember having hidden it between the mattress and box spring.

    • Kate, that is another truth about trucks! Luckily so many folks in Texas have trucks that it’s not as big a burden as it was when I was in college. But I have to admit…Now that my oldest has a truck again there have been a few times we’ve asked for his help. It’s repayment for all the times when he asks his dad to help fix things around his house.

      Good to chat with you, today. Take care and stay safe.

  6. Hey Julie! I know this will sound crazy, but when I was 40 I wanted a step side. I purchased a 2001 150 Ford pick up with step side. Had nerf bars and a toolbox put on it. I loved that truck, but my husband had a single cab too. He said we really needed a four door. I went along with him, but regretted it. And he ended up regretting it too! Let me tell you! LOL for many years I talked about that truck!

    I have always loved trucks! A female loving trucks? That’s me! And I still do. I learned to drive a stick shift 1969 Chevy step side. My brothers and I called it The Six Banger. My father’s truck.

    I enjoyed the post Julie! One of my favorite things! And the songs about trucks!

    • Tracy, as I’ve said many times, I live in Texas. Living here, it’s not uncommon for a woman to have a truck. I’d love to have one, but I want one with a super nice interior with all the bells and whistles. Those cost a huge chunk of money. As to you giving into your hubby saying you needed a four door…Really? You ought to know better than to let him change your mind. I hope you gave him grief about it the whole time you had it. LOL

      Thanks for being here and sharing that cute story. I hope you’re enjoying every minute driving your truck. Take care and stay safe.

  7. I don’t know that I have a favourite truck song, but I do love Keith and Luke, so any song that they sing about trucks is my fav.

    • Kathleen, you should listen to My Ol’ Bronco https://bit.ly/3QGnmLC (Highlight the link and left click on it to get the song.) It’s great. Here’s the link to Keith Urban’s Boy Gets a Truck. It’s a sweet story. https://bit.ly/3sfcRWa And you absolutely have to listen to I Drive Your Truck. It’s an amazing song about love, loss, and honoring someone.

      You’ve also helped me realize if I do another post about songs, I need to add a link so folks can listen to any of them. Maybe I’ll add those now…

      Thank you for being here today. I’m betting if you listen to a few of these songs, you’ll be able to say you have a favorite truck song. Take care and have a great week.

  8. I’m a country music fan. I know every some you mentioned!
    I Drive Your Truck is a favorite. I love the video also, starring the younger brother of the singer.

    There’s a more recent one out, “Wait in the Truck.” It’s just… wow

    I don’t know if he’s an angel
    ‘Cause angels don’t do what he did
    He was hellbent to find the man behind
    All the whiskey scars I hid
    I never thought my day of justice
    Would come from a judge under a seat
    But I knew right then I’d never get hit again
    When he said to me
    “Wait in the truck
    Just wait in the truck”

    • MaryEllen, wow is right. Those lyrics rate right up there with “I Drive Your Truck” for emotional impact. Thanks for being here, telling me about the video, and for sharing the “Wait In the Truck” lyrics. I’m off to listen to it right now and then add it to my playlist!

  9. welcome. so glad to hear your son is safe and can continue life. I grew up on a farm many years ago. We had a pickup that had two seats. we kinda needed it, with seven of us as a family. It was great for hauling hay etc. mom and dad wore that truck out. its last excursion was: dad put a camper on the back. and we moved from CA to IL. us five kids would take turns being in the back or in the second seat while dad/mom drove. after we got to our new home it died. almost like it knew it had to get the family to its new home first. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

  10. Trucks rule where I live. They outnumber all the cars and are big and bad. I don’t drive one but everyone else more than makes up for that.

  11. I LOVE trucks!! I’ve always wanted one, but haven’t bought one. Toby Keith’s Big Ol’ Truck song is great!!! One of my favorites, along with quite a few that you mentioned.

    • Trudy, I missed Toby Keith’s song. I’ll have to check that one out! Thank you for being here and for sharing your favorite truck song. Have a terrific rest of the week.

  12. Hi Julie – I have a new favorite truck song that hits a bit different. It’s by Shy Carter called “Jesus at the Taco Truck” the meaning is double just like the pronunciation of the name.

    I sure miss you from up here in nearlyCanada (the Pacific Northwest). Every time I see a Texas plate (and yeah it is usually on a big ok’ pick up) I think of you.

    Peace be, Jenn

    • Miss you, too girlfriend. I missed your song. I’ll have to listen to it. I’m hoping to get to see you soon. I’ll update you on the details of what’s going on(good stuff) soon!

  13. It’s not just Texas, but here as well( Michigan), the boys all want a truck. My grandson-in law has to have a truck (he thinks) to get to work. One of my daughters thought she needed a truck as a teenager as well.

    • I’m amazed how popular they are across the US. Guess there’s something about a good pickup. Now there’s a possible start to a song. Thanks for stopping by today. Take care and stay safe.

    • They are way more versatile than a car. I discover that every time I try to haul something somewhere and swear it’ll fit. Thanks for being here today. Have a super rest of the week!

  15. Trucks are extremely practical. Whenever we need to transport something large and oversized, helped people out with a move we are available.

    • Ellie, you’re so right, and it’s nice of you to be so willing to help everyone. Thank you for stopping by the corral. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week.

  16. I grew up on a ranch in Colorado and every car was a truck. Some were the beat up kind that did the heavy lifting and some were the go to town in kind. Every year it was either a new tractor or a new truck. Only the bank manager had a new sedan.

  17. Good morning, grown up my dad always had a Ford Truck, when my brothers grew up they had cars and as they matured they all now have trucks. Trucks are very useful, you can carry alot more things in them then in just a small car. Lots of good songs about trucks, I like this one We Rode In Trucks.

    • Alicia, I guess your brothers finally realized how smart your dad was and went back to driving trucks! Lol. I like We ride I. trucks, too. For anyone who doesn’t “get it” that song explains why guys like trucks. Take care and stay safe.

  19. the 2 new ones – Wait in the Truck, Hardy and Heart Like a Truck, Laney Wilson – I have driven nothing but trucks since 1990!! Out in the boonies they are a must – only this last one is 4 wheel drive as cannot find 2 wheel drive anymore!!

    • Teresa, you were absolutely right about Wait in the Truck so I’ll listen to Heart Like a Truck by Lainey Wilson. She was fabulous singing on Wait in the Truck. Thanks for sharing your favorite truck songs with me. Have a great rest of the week.

  20. I remember wanting a little yellow pickup truck for my first vehicle but when I found out the cost was $15,000, not including the bumper, I changed my mind. Thanks for the chance to win a nice prize.

    • Vickie, years ago my kid’s senior high band had a fund raiser. For everyone who test drive a car or truck from this dealer they got money. I test drove an amazing truck that had leather seats and all the bells and whistles anyone could want. I can’t remember how much it cost but it hacked me. If I remember, it was getting close price wise to how much I paid for my first house in 1988! Yikes. Thanks for stopping by to chat today. Take care and stay safe. Oh, and sis you ever get a truck?

  21. My daughter was in high school working and taking classes to be a CNA she told me Mom I am buying my own pickup truck and of course she did ! I Love all the songs about trucks There is just something about a pickup truck! Have A Blessed Week!

    • Sarah, good for her for being able to buy her own pickup! Those vehicles are expensive. I was shocked when I drove one once. I hope the rest of your week is blessed as well. Thanks for being here today.

  22. You are right about most farmers and ranchers using a pickup instead of a horse for most things. It’s sure a lot warmer when you are checking cows in 20* weather or drier on a rainy day. Of course there are some places you just can’t get to with a pickup. Our grandson overhauled the seventy plus year old International pickup my husband bought from his great-uncle in the 1960’s. His goal was to drive it in his 2020 graduation parade. He did! One of the fun things about this pickup is it is red and looks like the old red pickups in so many calendars and decorative items today.

    • Alice, you said exactly what Jessie Gussman said when I checked to make sure what I was saying was right. The only time someone rides a horse for work is because the truck or ATV can’t go there! I hadn’t even thought about a pickup being warmer or drier. ‘Course I live in Texas. We’ve had a cold spell here. It’s been I. The 30s to 40s in the morning but not too bad in the afternoon. Next week we’re supposed to be back in the 80s! Please no!

      What I wonder is how come American cars don’t last as well or hold up as long as American trucks! How cool that your grandson overhauled your hobby’s truck. I bet they were both busting their buttons that first day he climbed behind the wheel.

      Thanks for sharing that sweet story. Take care and have a wonderful rest of the week.

  23. My grandpa had one with an enclosed back… when we went out with them, I remember riding back there… was not a fan of it, LOL.

    • Colleen, I remember riding in one of my uncle’s trucks that didn’t have seat belts! My grandparents had a farm in Decorah, Iowa and I rode around the farm in the bed of my grandfather’s beat up old pickup. Once when I visited my cousin and her husband in San Antonio, some of us rose in the back of the truck to go tubing in the Guadeloupe River. On the INTERSTATE! It’s a wonder I survived to adulthood. Thank you for stopping by today. Take care, stay safe, and no more riding in the back of a pickup.

  24. My dad has kept a truck for the last twenty years or so and its amazing how much it can come in handy, not just for hauling things but for other things as well. I really like quite a few of the songs you listed, I can’t think of any others I like more, at least not right now.

    • Megan, thanks for stopping by today. I missed my son’s truck almost as much as he did, especially when I needed to transport something that I swore would fit in my car. It’s sure helped a time or two him having one again. Take care and stay safe.

  25. While it does not have the word truck in it, whenever I think of trucking I always automatically think of East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed thanks to having watched Smoky and the Bandit.

  26. I don’t have a favorite truck song. I don’t know much about trucks since no one in my family has one.

  28. It is hard to pick which one. I would have to pick Convoy and Roll On. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.

  29. You are right about trucks. The love affair is nation-wide. My husband got one When we got our first house and he needed to transport building materials. That was over 40 years ago and he has had one ever since. It is a work vehicle used for materials to work on the house and things for the garden. Our son has had nothing but a truck since he first started driving. He works construction, so it really is a work vehicle.
    I had no idea there were so many songs about trucks. There are some good ones there. Thank you for sharing.

  30. I grew up in the country, with a cowboy dad, so we always had trucks. I learned to drive in a 1974 Chevy Silverado truck, and drove a 1981 Chevy Silverado until I got my first job. Then I promptly bought a 2000 GMC Sierra truck, which unfortunately my ex-husband got in our divorce (because I got our newer minivan). I sure miss that truck! My favorite truck song is “I Love My Truck” by Glen Campbell. I used to sing it when I was little and my family said it was so cute! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsHEfTOZW58

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