G                      C 
Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia 
        G                        D 
Sayin', "Steve you're way behind time 
            G                  C 
This is not Thirty-Eight it is old Ninety-Seven 
         G            D 
you must put her into Spencer on time." 
 
Then he turned and said to his black greasy fireman 
"Hey, shovel in a little more coal 
For when we cross that White Oak Mountain 
Watch old Ninety-Seven roll." 
 
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville 
with a line on a three mile grade 
it was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes 
see what a jump he made 
 
He was going 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 
                       
The telegram came from the Washington station 
this is how it read 
"Oh that brave engineer that run old Ninety-Seven  
is lying in old Danville dead" 
 
So now all you ladies you better take fair warnin' 
>From this time on and learn 
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband 
he may leave you and never return