They Wreck of the Old '97 (Original Mix)

They give him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Sayin', Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38, this is Ol' 97
Put her into Spencer on time

Hey, shovel on a little more coal
And when we cross that white oak mountain
Watch Ol' '97 roll

It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
You see what a jump he made

He was going down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour
His whistle broke into a scream
Scalded to death by the steam