They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia
Saying Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38 this is old 97
You must put her into Spencer on time

He turned around and said to his black greasy fireman
"Shovel on a little more coal
And when we cross that White Old Mountain
Watch old 97 roll"

And then a telegram came to Washington station
This is how it read:
It said, "That brave engineer that has run old 97
Is lying down in Danville, dead"

He was going down the grade making 90 miles an hour
His whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
Scalded to death by the steam

So now all you pretty ladies you better take a warning
From this time on and learn
Don't you speak hard words to your true lover husband
He may leave you and never return