The Seekers
"The Wreck Of The Old '97"


They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia
Sayin' Steve you're way behind time
It's 838 and it's the Old '97
Gotta put her into Danville on time
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
Steve Brady he said to his black greasy fireman
Shovel on a little more coal
I'm waitin' to pass them wide-open mountains
Gonna see the Old '97 roll
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
He's comin' down that line makin' ninety miles an hour
The whistle broke into a scream
They found him in the wreck with his hand upon the throttle
He'd been scalded to death by steam
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
Well come on now all you ladies
From this time on now learn
Don't you ever say harsh words to your true-lovin' husband
He'll leave you and never return
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
Instrumental bridge
Well he's comin' down that line makin' ninety miles an hour
And the whistle broke into a scream
They found him in the wreck with his hand upon the throttle
He'd been scalded to death by steam
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made
Well it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line with a three-mile grade
It was down that line where he lost his air-brakes
You can see what a jump he made