About The Song
In life, we have to let things that kept us company for a long time to give way to the ones who have already been there since the beginning.
From her 1988 album, Untasted Honey, Kathy Mattea released “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” which immediately became a chart-topper.
The piece, written by Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson, topped the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts.
The songwriters’ inspiration for this was their aunt and uncle. The latter was a trucker, and his wife waited until retirement to spend more time with him and travel in a Winnebago.
“Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses” is among Kathy Mattea’s sentimental songs because it talks and celebrates the stories about truckers while on the road.
In “Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” Kathy Mattea sings about a truck driver, Charlie, who finally retires from the road to spend more quality time with his wife. The catchy part of the song is where the chorus counts down from 18 until it eventually reaches Charlie’s love of his life.
What we have, sometimes, is already there, yet we feel like it’s still too far. Maybe because we are into another thing that almost takes our attention, time, and commitment, we forget to spend more time with the people who truly treasure and love us.
Retirement is treasured by most of us, as it signals the time to focus more on the self and love from family and friends. After all, it’s our loved ones and families that we always run to in the end.
Video
Lyrics
Charlie’s got a gold watch
Don’t seem like a whole lot
After thirty years of drivin’
Up and down the interstate
But Charlie’s had a good life
And Charlie’s got a good wife
And after tonight she’ll no longer
Be countin’ the days
Eighteen wheels and a dozen roses
Ten more miles on his four day run
A few more songs from the all night radio
And he’ll spend the rest of his life
With the one that he loves
They’ll buy a Winnebago
Set out to find America
They’ll do a lotta catchin’ up
A little at a time
With pieces of the old dream
They’re gonna light the old flame
Doin’ what they please
Leavin’ every other reason behind
Eighteen wheels and a dozen roses
Ten more miles on his four day run
A few more songs from the all night radio
And he’ll spend the rest of his life
With the one that he loves
Eighteen wheels and a dozen roses
Ten more miles on his four day run
A few more songs from the all night radio
And he’ll spend the rest of his life
With the one that he loves