Well they gave him his orders in Munroe, Virginia   Saying, "Steve, you?re a way behind time   This is not 38 but it?s old 97   You must put her into Spencer on time"      Well, he turned to the black greasy fireman and said   "Just shovel on a little more coal   And when we cross that wide open mountain   You can watch old 97 roll"      It?s a long, long way from Danville to Lynchburg   Got a line near the three mile grade   It was on that grade that he lost his air breaks   You could see what a jump that he made      He was going down the grade doing 90 miles an hour   When the whistle broke into a scream   He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle   And scalded to death by the steam      Well, a telegram came to Washington station   And this is what it read   "Oh that brave engineer that runs old 97   Well, he?s lying in old Danville dead"      Now come on you ladies and from me take warning   And from this day on, you must learn   Never speak harsh words to your kind hearted husband   He may leave you and never return