They gave him his orders down at Monroe Virginia
Sayin' Bill you're way behind time
This is not 54 but it's old 97
You must put her in Atlanta on time

He looked round sayin' to his black greasy fireman
You just keep on a little more coal
And when we cross that great big mountain
You just watch old 97 roll

[ guitar ]
Twas a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
With a line on a three mile grade
He lost twenty minutes so he had to lose the average
You can see what a round he made

He was tearing down grade doin' ninety miles an hour
When his whistle began to scream
They found him in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
He was scalded to death by the steam

Oh ladies you must take warning
From this time on and learn
Never speak cross words to your true loving husband
He may leave you and never return

[ guitar ]
Yes ladies you must take warning...