Well, they give him his orders at Monroe, Virginia

Sayin', "Steve you're way behind time

This is not Thirty-Eight, this is old Ninety-Seven

You must put her into Spencer on time"



Then he turned and said to his black greasy fireman

"Shovel in a little more coal

And when we cross that white oak mountain

Watch old Ninety-Seven roll"



But it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville

In 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

His whistle broke into a scream

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

A-scalded to death by the steam



Then a telegram come to Washington station

And this is how it read

"Oh that brave engineer that run old Ninety-Seven

He's a-lyin' in old Danville dead



So now all you ladies you better take a-warnin'

From this time on and learn

Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband

He may leave you and never return