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