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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'

'Cause 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

©Shapiro Bernstien and Co