Wreck of the Old 97 lyrics

They gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia

Said, "Steve, you're way behind time

This is not 38, this is Old 97

You must put her into Spencer on time"

He turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman

"Shovel on a little more coal

And when we cross that White Oak Mountain,

Watch Old 97 roll"

And then a telegram come to Washington Station

This is how it read:

It said: "That brave engineer that has run Old 97

Is lyin' down in Danville, dead"

He was going down a grade making 90 miles an hour

When a whistle broke into a scream

He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle

Scalded to death by the steam

So now, all you pretty ladies, you'd better take a warning

From this time on and learn

Don't you speak hard words to your true-lovin' husband

He may leave you and never return