Well, they Ggave him his orders at CMonroe, Virginia
Sayin', G"Steve you're way behind Dtime
This is not GThirty-Eight it is Cold Ninety-Seven
you must Gput her into DSpencer 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