The Wreck of the Old 97 Lyrics & Tabs by Johnny Cash
The Wreck of the Old 97
guitar chords lyrics
Well, they give him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Sayin', "Steve you're way behind time
This is not Thirty-Eight, this is old Ninety-Seven
You must put her into Spencer on time"
Then he turned and said to his black greasy fireman
"Shovel in a little more coal
And when we cross that white oak mountain
Watch old Ninety-Seven roll"
But it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
In a line on a three mile grade
It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
See what a jump he made
It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
See what a jump he made
He was going down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour
His whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck, with his hand on the throttle
A-scalded to death by the steam
Then a telegram come to Washington station
And this is how it read
"Oh that brave engineer that run old Ninety-Seven
He's a-lyin' in old Danville dead
So now all you ladies you better take a-warnin'
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband
He may leave you and never return
