Johnny cash wreck of the old 97 lyrics

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