Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Said, "Steve, you're way behind time
This is not 38, this is Old 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 Old 97 roll"

And then a telegram come from Washington station
This is how it read
"Oh that brave engineer that run Old 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