The Wreck of the Old ’97

Henry Clay Work, Henry Whitter

Well they gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia
Saying Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38 but it's old 97
You must put her into Spencer on time
Well he turned around and said to his fireman
Shovel in a little more coal
And when we cross this big White Mountain
We'll watch old 97 roll

[Dobro bridge]

It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
And a line on a three mile grade
It's on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
You see what a jump he made
They were goin' down the grade makin' 90 mile an hour
When his whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
A-scalded to death by the steam

[Fiddle bridge]

Then the telegram come to Washington city
And this is how it read
The brave engineer that run old 97
He's a laying in old Danville dead
Now all you ladies we take a warning
From this time now and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true loving husband

Trivia about the song The Wreck of the Old ’97 by Flatt & Scruggs

When was the song “The Wreck of the Old ’97” released by Flatt & Scruggs?
The song The Wreck of the Old ’97 was released in 1963, on the album “Hard Travelin’”.
Who composed the song “The Wreck of the Old ’97” by Flatt & Scruggs?
The song “The Wreck of the Old ’97” by Flatt & Scruggs was composed by Henry Clay Work, Henry Whitter.

Most popular songs of Flatt & Scruggs

Other artists of Bluegrass