B-side "Like a Hurricane Genre Country Label Mercury | Released March 12, 1988 Length 3:23 | |
Writer(s) Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson | ||
"Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is a song written by Paul Nelson and Gene Nelson, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in March 1988 as the second single from her album Untasted Honey. The song hit number one on both the US and Canadian Country charts in 1988. The song is about a truck driver called Charlie who is retiring after 30 years to spend the rest of his time with his wife. The song mentions Charlie receiving a gold watch, a common retirement gift.
Music video
The video was directed by Jim May & Coke Sams. The first scene takes place at The Pie Wagon, a small diner off Music Row in Nashville. It features a truck driver, who asks for Kathy's autograph, as a present for his wife. Throughout the video, there are scenes of Kathy on her tour bus, performing, with her band, and scenes of the trucker. In the end, the driver makes it home, his wife greeting him, and he hands her the dozen roses mentioned in the song's lyric, as they walk arm in arm into their house; Kathy turns off the lights to the bus, and the last shot is one also seen in the beginning of the video; various trucks driving on the highway.