Pete Seeger - The Wreck of the Old ’97 lyrics

Well they gave him his orders at Monroe
Virginia
Said: "Steve, you're way behind time
"This is not 38, this is Ol' 97
"Put her into Spencer on time"

Then he turned around and said to his black
Greasy fireman
"Shovel on a little more coal
"And when we cross that White Oak mountain
"Watch Ol' '97 roll"

And then a telegram come
From Washington station this is how it read:
"Oh that brave engineer that run ol 97
"Is lyin in old Danville dead"
'Cos he was going down a grade
Making 90 miles an hour
The whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with
His hand on the throttle
Scalded to death by the steam

One more time!

Oh, now all you ladies you'd
Better take a warning
From this time on and learn
Never speak hard words to
Your true-lovin' husband
He may leave you and never return poor boy