Old 97 . Traditional

INTRO: verse chords
1   2  -  G      C      G      D
          G      C      G      D   G

     G                      C
They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia
       G                     D
sayin' Steve your way behind time
        G                        C
this is not thirty eight this is old 97
         G             D          G
You must pull her into Spencer on time.

   G                         C
He turned and he said to his black greasy fireman
      G                       D
let's shovel on a little more coal
    G                  C
and when we cross that white oak mountain
     G         D             G
just watch old ninety seven roll.

INSTRUMENTAL: verse chords

     G                       C
Was a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
      G                      D
on a climb 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.

       G                            C
He was comin' 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
scalded to death by the steam

INSTRUMENTAL: verse chords

  G                   C
A telegram came from Washington Station,
     G                D
and  This is what it read:
          G                       C
"Oh, that brave engineer that run old Ninety-Seven
    G           D         G
Is lyin' in old Danville dead."

     G                      C
Well all you loved ones had better take warnin'
     G                D
from this time on and learn
      G                         C
never speak harsh words to your true lovin partner
          G            D       G               G - cold stop
they may leave you and never return