v.1
Well they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Sayin' "Steve, you're way behind time
This is not 38 this is Ol' 97
You must put her into Spencer on time
Well he turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman
"Just shovel on a little more coal"
"And when we cross that wide open mountain
You can watch Ol' 97 roll"
Instr. Brk.
v.2
It's a long, long way from Danville to Lynchburg
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was on that grade that he lost his air brakes
You could see what a jump he made
He was goin' down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour
When his whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
Scalded to death by the steam
Instr. Brk.
v.3
Then a telegram came from Washington Station
And this is what it read
That brave engineer that run Ol' 97
Is lyin' in ol' Danville dead
Now all you ladies, please take a warning
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true-lovin' husband
He may leave you and never return