G 
They gave him his orders, 
   C 
At Monroe, Virginia, 
       G                       D 
Sayin' Pete you're way behind time. 
        G                C 
This is not '38, but its old '97, 
         G            D          G 
You must put her into Spencer on time. 
 
 Verse 2  
G 
He looked round an' said, 
       C 
To his black, greasy fireman, 
     G                       D 
Jus' shove on in a lil' more coal. 
    G                  C 
And when we cross that wide old mountain, 
        G           D G 
You can watch old '97 roll. 
 
 Verse 3  
G 
Its a mighty rough road, 
     C 
From Lynchburg to Danville, 
     G                    D 
In a line on a three mile grade. 
       G 
It was on that grade, 
C 
That he lost his airbrake, 
        G          D       G 
And you see what a jump he made. 
 
 Verse 4  
G 
He was goin' down the grade, 
       C 
Makin' ninety miles an hour, 
         G                    D 
When his whistle broke into a scream. 
       G 
He was found in the wreck, 
         C 
With his hand on the throttle, 
      G          D            G 
And a scalded to death by the steam. 
 
 Verse 5  
G              C 
Now ladies you must take warnin', 
     G                 D 
From this time now and on. 
      G 
Never speak harsh words, 
        C 
To your true love and husband, 
       G             D     G 
He may leave you and never return.