E                                  A
Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
E                                  B7
Sayin', "Steve you're way behind time
E                               A
This is not Thirty-Eight it is old Ninety-Seven
E               B7            E
So put her into Spencer on time."

A                                                        E
Then he turned around and said to his black greasy fireman
A                          B7
"Shovel on a little more coal
E                      A                E
And when we cross that White Oak Mountain
E         B7              E N.C.
Watch old Ninety-Seven roll."

E                              A                 B7                    E
And then a telegram came from Washington station and this is how it read
E                              A                 B7                    E
well that brave engineer that ran old 97 is lying in old daneville dead
A                                                    E
cause he was going down the grid makeing 90 miles an hour
A                              B7
And his whistle broke into a scream
E                                  A                  E
He was found in the wreck, with his hand on the throttle,
E           B7           E
scalded to death by the steam

E                   A
now all you ladies you better take warnin'
B7                   E
From this time on and learn
E                            A
Never speak harsh words to atrue lovin' husband
  B7                         E     B7   E
he may leave you and never return, poor boy