Wreck Of The Old '97

Hank Thompson · Seven Decades [2000]

WRECK OF THE OLD '97

Traditiuonal



They give him his orders at Monroe,

Virginia Sayin', "Steve you're way behind time This

is not Thirty-Eight, but it's old Ninety-Seven You

must put her in Spencer on time" Then he looked 'round

and said to his black greasy fireman "Just shovel in

a little more coal And when we cross that white oak

mountain You can watch old Ninety-Seven roll" It's

a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville In a

line on a three mile grade It was on that grade where

he lost his airbrakes So you see what a jump he made

He was goin' down grade makin' ninety miles an hour

And his whistle broke into a scream He was found in

the wreck, with his hand on the throttle And scalded

to death by the steam Now,

ladies, you must all take warning From this time on

and learn Never speak harsh words to your true lovin'

husband He may leave you and never return