Wreck of the Old 97

Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia Said, "Steve, you're way behind time This is not 38, this is Old 97 Put her into Spencer on time" Then 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 from Washington station This is how it read "Oh that brave engineer that run Old 97 Is lyin' in old Danville dead" 'Cause he was going down a grade making 90 miles an hour The whistle broke into a scream He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle Scalded to death by the steam One more time Oh, now all you ladies you'd better take a warning From this time on and learn Never speak hard words to your true-lovin' husband He may leave you and never return, poor boy