The Wreck of the Old 97 - Sonny Terry, Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston

Well, they give him his orders in Monroe, Virginia

Saying, «Pete, you’re way behind time

This ain’t 38, but its old 97

And you’ve got to be in Center on time»

But he turned around to his black greasy fireman

Said, «Shovel in a little more coal

When we cross that White Oak Mountain

You can watch old 97 roll»

Well, it’s a mighty rough road from Lakesburg to Danville

And a line on a three mile grade

It was on this grade that he lost his airbrakes

And you see what a jump he made

He was a-going down the grade making ninety miles an hour

And his whistle broke out in a scream

It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes

And you see what a jump he made

Well, ladies, you can all take warning

From this time now and on

Never speak harsh words to your true loving husband

He might leave you and never come home

He was a-going down the grade making ninety miles an hour

And his whistle begin to scream

And we found him in the wreck with his hand on his throttle

And scalded to death by the steam

Well, ladies, you can all take warning

From this time now and on

Never speak harsh words to your true loving husband

He might leave you and never return