Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia,
saying, "Stevie, you're way behind time.
Because this ain't 38, it's Old 97,
you've got put her into Danville on time."
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville,
on a line on a three-mile grade.
It was down that line he lost his air brakes,
you can see what a jump he made.
Well, Steve Gready said to his black greasy fireman,
"Just shovel in a little more coal !
And when I cross that old White Oak Mountain.
just watch Old 97 roll !"
He was coming down the line making 90 miles an hour
when the whistle broke into scream,
and they found him in that wreck with his hand upon the throttle,
he'd been scalded to death by the steam.
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville,
on a line on a three-mile grade.
It was down that line he lost his air brakes,
you can see what a jump he made.
Hey, come on now, all you ladies,
from this time on now learn,
no, never speak harsh words to your true loving husband,
he may leave you and never return.
saying, "Stevie, you're way behind time.
Because this ain't 38, it's Old 97,
you've got put her into Danville on time."
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville,
on a line on a three-mile grade.
It was down that line he lost his air brakes,
you can see what a jump he made.
Well, Steve Gready said to his black greasy fireman,
"Just shovel in a little more coal !
And when I cross that old White Oak Mountain.
just watch Old 97 roll !"
He was coming down the line making 90 miles an hour
when the whistle broke into scream,
and they found him in that wreck with his hand upon the throttle,
he'd been scalded to death by the steam.
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville,
on a line on a three-mile grade.
It was down that line he lost his air brakes,
you can see what a jump he made.
Hey, come on now, all you ladies,
from this time on now learn,
no, never speak harsh words to your true loving husband,
he may leave you and never return.