[Verse]

           G                      C
Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia

       G                       D
Sayin' Steve you're way behind time

        G                         C
This is not Thirty Eight, this is Old Ninety-Seven

         G            D          G
You must put her into Spencer on time



[Verse]

        G                             C
Then he turned around and said to his black greasy fireman

G                       D
Shovel on a little more coal

    G                  C
And when we cross that wide oak mountain

G                D     G
Watch Old Ninety-Seven roll



[Solo]

G     C     G     D

G     C     G  D  G



[Verse]

           G                      C
But it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville

     G                      D
On a line with a three mile grade

       G                     C
It was on that grade that he lost his air brakes

G             D       G
   See what a jump he made



[Verse]

       G                            C
He was goin' down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour

    G                    D
His whistle broke into a scream

       G                           C
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle

  G          D            G
a-scalded to death by the steam



[Solo]

G     C     G     D

G     C     G  D  G



[Verse]

       G                C
Then a telegram come to Washington station

    G              D
And this is how it read

          G                   C
Well that brave engineer that run Old Ninety-Seven

       G            D        G
He's a-lyin' in ol' Danville dead



[Verse]

        G                  C
So now, all you ladies you better take a warnin'

     G                D
From this time on and learn

      G                         C
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband

        G            D       G
He may leave you and never return