In addition to his own albums, Eaglesmith frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a past member of Eaglesmith's band, who had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007. Eaglesmith's fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads. He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars." His band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Fred does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Fred. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.
Current band members
* Fred J. Eaglesmith - Guitars, Vocals
* Matt Simpson - Acoustic guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
* Kori Heppner - Drums
* Luke Stackhouse - Bass, Vocals
Former members
* Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals
* David Essig - Mandolin, Guitar
* Kevin Komatsu - Drums
* Roger Marin Jr. - Pedal Steel, Guitar, Vocals
* Ralph Schipper - Bass
* Jude Waldman - Drums
* Dan Walsh - Dobro, Guitar, Vocals
* Skip Wamsteeker - Drums
* Washboard Hank - Washboard, Dobro
* Darcy Yates - Bass
Discography
* Fred Eaglesmith (1980)
* The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983)
* Indiana Road (1987)
* There Ain't No Easy Road (1991)
* Things Is Changin' (1993)
* Paradise Motel (1994)
* Drive-In Movie (1995)
* Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline (1997)
* 50 Odd Dollars (1999)
* Live: Ralph's Last Show (2001)
* Falling Stars and Broken Hearts (2002)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1' (2002)
* Balin (2003)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2' (2004)
* Dusty (2004)
* Milly's Cafe (2006)
* Tinderbox (2008)
www.fredeaglesmith.com
Trucker Speed
Fred Eaglesmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I forgot I had at a little truck stop
And I read it once and then I read it again
I could hardly keep from cryin'
I've been drivin' around the last week or so
With an empty truck, I don't have a load
And I don't care cause to tell you the truth
And it's trucker speed, Benzedrine
Percocets, amphetamines
Black beauties and west coast turnarounds
When the coast is clear I drive with my knees
I mix it all up like a recipe
Coca-Cola and coffee to wash it down
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
At the side of the road he said you're a mess
When I told him she didn't leave an address
Then he got another call said wait right here
I'll be back in a little while
I put my head across my arms
Slept on the wheel for an hour or more
And I started it up and took off into the night
And it's trucker speed, Benzedrine
Percocets, amphetamines
Black beauties and west coast turnarounds
When the coast is clear I drive with my knees
I mix it all up like a recipe
Coca-Cola and coffee to wash it down
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
I've been high-centered, low throttle
When I couldn't stop I peed in a bottle
I've been so lonesome I made Hank Williams
Look like a party of five
I've been beat up, broke down
Loaded on a truck and driven into town
I always thought she'd be there at the end of the line
I always thought she'd be there at the end of the line
And it's trucker speed, Benzedrine
Percocets, amphetamines
Black beauties and west coast turnarounds
When the coast is clear I drive with my knees
I mix it all up in a recipe
Coca-Cola and coffee to wash it down
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
The song "Trucker Speed" by Fred Eaglesmith is a melancholic ballad about a truck driver struggling with loneliness and isolation. The singer is on the road with an empty truck and has just received a letter from his estranged lover, which has left him distraught. He turns to drugs to cope with the pain, using a mixture of stimulants like Benzedrine, Percocets, amphetamines, and black beauties, to keep him awake for long hours of driving. He also drinks Coca-Cola and coffee to wash it all down, all while feeling like he's floating on the road.
The lyrics capture the kind of life that truck drivers lead, isolated from their families and loved ones, barely sleeping, and feeling like their wheels never touch the ground. The use of drugs as a coping mechanism highlights the loneliness and desperation of the singer, who is unable to find solace in anything else. The final verse, where he admits that he always thought his lover would be there at the end of the line, suggests that he is struggling with a sense of loss and abandonment.
Line by Line Meaning
I got her letter in an old mail box
I found a letter from my ex-girlfriend that I forgot was there
I forgot I had at a little truck stop
The letter was in a mailbox at a truck stop that I forgot about
And I read it once and then I read it again
I read the letter twice, trying to understand what went wrong
I could hardly keep from cryin'
The letter made me emotional and I struggled to hold back my tears
I've been drivin' around the last week or so
I've been aimlessly driving my empty truck for the past week
With an empty truck, I don't have a load
I haven't had any work lately and my truck is empty
And I don't care cause to tell you the truth
I don't care about having no load because the real issue is weighing on me
I think I might be dying
I feel like my heart is broken and it's taking a toll on my well-being
It's trucker speed, Benzedrine
To cope with my emotional pain, I've been abusing stimulant drugs like Benzedrine
Percocets, amphetamines
I'm taking other prescription amphetamines and painkillers to numb my feelings
Black beauties and west coast turnarounds
I'm using illegal narcotics like black beauties and west coast turnarounds to cope
When the coast is clear I drive with my knees
I'm so high that I can't drive properly and have to use my knees to steer
I mix it all up like a recipe
I'm combining different drugs together to get different effects
Coca-Cola and coffee to wash it down
I'm drinking coffee and soda to mix with my drugs and stay alert
Sometimes I feel like my wheels ain't touchin' the ground
My drug use is affecting me to a point where I feel like I'm floating, not grounded
At the side of the road he said you're a mess
A fellow driver saw me and my drug use and said I was a mess
When I told him she didn't leave an address
I confided in him that my ex-girlfriend left me without a forwarding address
Then he got another call said wait right here
The other driver got a call and left me on the side of the road
I'll be back in a little while
He promised he'd return soon
I put my head across my arms
I rested my head on my arms, feeling defeated
Slept on the wheel for an hour or more
I feel asleep on the steering wheel for at least an hour
And I started it up and took off into the night
I eventually woke up, got behind the wheel, and hit the road again
I've been high-centered, low throttle
I've been stuck in emotional limbo, unable to move forward
When I couldn't stop I peed in a bottle
My drug use has led to situations where I had to urinate in a bottle while driving
I've been so lonesome I made Hank Williams
I've been very lonely and even sadder than the great Hank Williams
Look like a party of five
I feel like I'm in agony even when surrounded by multiple people
I've been beat up, broke down
My emotions have taken a toll on me, leaving me feeling defeated and dejected
Loaded on a truck and driven into town
I've been filled with emotional baggage and have nowhere to go
I always thought she'd be there at the end of the line
I had faith that my ex-girlfriend and I would be reunited, but my hopes were dashed
Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: Fred Elgersma
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Duffin
on John Deere B
"The original B" s/b "The original paint"
"Then I saw I saw the mirror" s/b "Then I saw them narrow"