Lyr Req: Wreck of the Old 97

Subject: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: cookster
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:32 PM

does anyone know the lyrics?

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: bobad
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:39 PM

Artist/Band: Cash Johnny
Lyrics for Song: Wreck of the Old '97
Lyrics for Album: At San Quentin

Well they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia,
Said: "Steve, you're way behind time,
"This is not 38, this is Ol' 97,
"Put her into Spencer on time."

Then he turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman,
"Shovel on a little more coal.
"And when we cross that White Oak mountain,
"Watch Ol' '97 roll."

And then a telegram come from Washington station,
This is how it read:
"Oh that brave engineer that run ol 97,
"Is lyin in old Danville dead."

'Cos he was going down a grade making 90 miles an hour,
The whistle broke into a scream.
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle,
Scalded to death by the steam.

One more time!

Oh, now all you ladies you'd better take a warning,
From this time on and learn.
Never speak hard words to your true-lovin' husband.
He may leave you and never return.
Poor Boy.

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:41 PM

WRECK OF OLD 97 and WRECK OF THE 97 are in the DT.

See also these threads:

Lyr Add: Wreck of the Old 97

Origins: Wreck of the Old 97

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: cookster
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:44 PM

thanks guys!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WRECK OF THE OLD 97 (from Patrick Sky
From: SouthernCelt
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:46 PM

Here's a longer version (more verses) that I found on the internet somewhere a long time ago. Pat Sky's album version from the early 60s uses some of the extra verses that most others leave out.

THE WRECK OF THE OLD 97
(Long version)

On one cloudless morning I stood on the mountain
Just watching the smoke from below
It was coming from a lonesome smokestack
Way down on the Southern road

It was 97, the fastest train
That ever ran the Southern line
All the other trains take the side for 97
She's bound for the station on time

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

He turned and said to his black greasy fireman
Just shovel on a little more coal
And when we cross that White Oak Mountain
You can just watch old 97 roll

It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
On that line is a three-mile grade
It was on this grade that he lost his airbrakes
And you can see what a jump she made

He was going down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour
When his whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
He was scalded to death by the steam

Did she ever pull in? No, she never pulled in,
And at 1:45 he was due,
For hours and hours the switchman waited
For that fast mail that never pulled through.

Did she ever pull in? No, she never pulled in,
And that poor boy must be dead.
He must be layin' out on the long track
With the wheels spinnin' over his head.

Now old 97 was the fastest train
That the South had ever seen,
But she ran so fast on that Sunday morning
That the death score was numbered 14.

A telegram came from Washington Station
And this is what it said
That brave engineer that drove old 97
Is lyin' in old Danville dead

Now ladies, from this you must take warning
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband
He may leave you and never return

SC

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: cookster
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 08:56 PM

thank you.

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 09:03 PM

The Cat is slowing down !! that was a whole half hour !!

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: cookster
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 09:13 PM

What?

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 10:48 PM

Good versions of this old timer are in the threads linked by Masato, above.
bobad version is much abbreviated.
Version posted by Southern Celt is a different song based on and with the tune of "The Ship that Never Returned" ( aka MTA subway or Metrorail)song.
See threads 37117 and 43070:
MTA
Ship that Never Returned

Also see lyrics in the DT

Subject: RE: lyrics to,'Wreck Of The Old 97.'
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Jun 07 - 11:07 PM

Lead meant the response time is slowing down. Hey, cookster, I'm not trying to be cranky here, we were all new once, but I do suggest that you mess around with the search functions here. Once you learn to use them finding lyrics here is much easier. Search has it's quirks but usually works pretty well.