The Phantom of Rt. 40

by Jim Colegrove
©2002, Gold Tooth Music, BMI

Late one night in ’52 on a dark Ohio night
As he traveled down Route 40 a trucker saw a light
There a car was glowing in a ghostly gray-lit dream
It headed straight toward him with its headlights on high beam

At the last minute then the driver doused the light
Veering off, a narrow miss, he sped into the night
As he passed him by, the trucker saw behind the wheel
A grinning mask, a skeleton that made his blood congeal

He’s somewhere on the highway
Waiting there tonight
He may be here, he may be there
But never in daylight
From the darkness you may see
Him pass you with a grin
The Phantom of Route 40
Tonight may strike again

Sheriff Shuman got a letter daring him to come
Challenge in the full of moon the death-defying Phantom
You can try to catch me, soon you’ll cry surrender
The Super-Phantom of the road you’ll see is no pretender

The Phantom drives a souped-up job that travels mighty quick
One hundred-thirty miles an hour leaves you feelin’ sick
Equipped with radar, sonar and some gadgets no one knows
That hot-rod fool turns on the jet and down the road he goes

Chorus

There at the bottom of the note the sheriff saw a face
Great big eyes and seven horns were drawn across the space
But the sheriff never caught him, the story has no end
Without a trace he vanished and was never seen again

Chorus

From the CD titled Down On The Borderliine on Cool Groove Records CD 102