Dempster Highway

Words & Music by Tim Hus
Copyright Tim Hus Music 2008

Sittin’ in a café along about halfway on the all weather route
Drinkin’ coffee black in a Lode King hat and a Marlboro hangin from his mouth
He said “I’m done this is my last run I’m cashin’ in my snow chains
I’ve done ten and eight on the road of slate and I ain’t gonna do it again”

I’ve seen ‘em come and I’ve seen ‘em go two time and double back
All the way to Ft. Macpherson, blowin’ smoke from both of my stacks
I’ve done my time on the DEW line as a lonesome highway wrangler
And I’m tired of growin’ my mutton chops like a Yukon Riverboat gambler

Chorus:
Through the ice and the snow at fourty below I barrel right through the storm
Across the arctic circle white knuckle ‘till my gears are worn
And the damned old Dempster Highway couldn’t get the best of me
Way up on top of the world truckin’ on the Kamakaze

Skagway Sue with the wolf tatoo she put a little chew in her lip
She tucked away the can of Copenhagen Brand and said “Ive been tryin’ to quit”
But the nicotine like the eagle plains gets right into your blood
And I’m hooked on the tone of the big Mac’s groan growlin’ down in the mud

She’d be the first to tell of the curse of the diesel and the alloy steel
On the right-of-way to Mackenzie Bay there’s a magnetic pull on the wheel
There’s strange things done in the midnight sun by those who plow the roads
So say a prayer on a jacknife rig and keep the treads underneath your loads

Chorus

Instrumental


The coffee now was down to the grounds and the talk was a-getting’ low
There’s a blown valve on the number 12 came the crackle on the radio
If you’re goin’ South you better go now before the North takes a hold
You better think quick ‘cause up in Inuvik they’re waitin’ for the big wheels to roll

Chorus

Tag:

Way up on top of the world truckin’ on the Kamakaze