They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia   Sayin' Steve you're way behind time   It's 838 and it's the Old '97   Gotta put her into Danville on time   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   Steve Brady he said to his black greasy fireman   Shovel on a little more coal   I'm waitin' to pass them wide-open mountains   Gonna see the Old '97 roll   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   He's comin' down that line makin' ninety miles an hour   The whistle broke into a scream   They found him in the wreck with his hand upon the throttle   He'd been scalded to death by steam   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   Well come on now all you ladies   From this time on now learn   Don't you ever say harsh words to your true-lovin' husband   He'll leave you and never return   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   Instrumental bridge   Well he's comin' down that line makin' ninety miles an hour   And the whistle broke into a scream   They found him in the wreck with his hand upon the throttle   He'd been scalded to death by steam   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made   Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville   On a line with a three-mile grade   It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes   You can see what a jump he made