They gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia, Sayin' "Steve, you're way behind time; It's 8:38, and it's the Old '97; Gotta put her into Danville on time." Chorus: 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." 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. 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, 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. 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, 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. 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."