They handed him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Saying, "Son, you're way behind time
This is not thirty-eight
But it's old ninety-seven
You must get her into Danville on time"
The engineer turned
To his big old greasy fireman
Said, "Shovel in a little more coal
And when we reach that White Oak Mountain
You can watch old ninety-seven roll"
It's a mighty long road
From Lynchburg to Danville
It's on a five mile grade
It was on this grade
That he lost his airbrakes
Now you see just what a jump he made
He was coming down that mountain
Making ninety miles an hour
The whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck
With his hand on the throttle
And was scalded to death by the steam
Now, listen, all you ladies
You'd better take this warning
From this time now and learn
To never speak harsh words
To your true loving husband
He may leave you and never return
He was coming round that mountain
Making ninety miles an hour
The whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck
With his hand on the throttle
And was scalded to death by the steam
It was the wreck
Of the old ninety-seven