Wreck of the Old ’97 - Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group

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