They gave him his orders down at Monroe Virginia Sayin' Bill you're way behind time This is not 54 but it's old 97 You must put her in Atlanta on time
He looked round sayin' to his black greasy fireman You just keep on a little more coal And when we cross that great big mountain You just watch old 97 roll
[ guitar ] Twas a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville With a line on a three mile grade He lost twenty minutes so he had to lose the average You can see what a round he made
He was tearing down grade doin' ninety miles an hour When his whistle began to scream They found him in the wreck with his hand on the throttle He was scalded to death by the steam
Oh ladies you must take warning From this time on and learn Never speak cross words to your true loving husband He may leave you and never return