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
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