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.