Well they gave him his orders

In munroe virginia

Saying steve

You're a way behind time

This is not 38 but it's old 97

You must put her into spencer on time

Well he turned to the

Black greasy fireman and said

Just shovel on a little more coal

And when we cross that

Wide open mountain

You can watch old 97 roll

It's a long long way

From danville to lynchburg

Got a line near the three mile grade

It was on that grade that

He lost his air breaks

You could see what a jump that he made

He was going down the grade

Doing 90 miles an hour

When the whistle broke into a scream

He was found in the wreck

With his hand on the throttle

And scalded to death by the steam

Well a telegram came

To washington station

And this is what it read

Oh that brave engineer that runs old 97

Well hes lying in old danville dead

Now come on you ladies

And from me take warning

And from this day on you must learn

Never speak harsh words

To your kind hearted husband

He may leave you and never return