Johnny Cash - Wreck Of The Old '97 Lyrics






They gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia
Sayin' Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38 this is old 97
Put her into Spencer on time

Well he turned around and said to his big greasy fireman
Hey shovel on a little more coal
And when we cross that White Ol' Mountain
Watch ol' 97 roll

It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
In a line on a three mile grade
It was on that grade that he lost his air brake
You see what a jump we made

He was goin' down the grade makin' 90 miles an hour
His whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
Scalded to death by the steam

Now all you ladies you better take a warnin'
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true lover husband
He may leave you and never return





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Johnny Cash Wreck Of The Old '97 Comments
  1. J.... D....

    They gave him his orders in Monroe Virginia
    Sayin' "Steve you're way behind time
    This is not 38, this is ol' 97
    You must put 'er into Spencer on time!"

    Steve, he said to his black and greasy fireman
    "Jes' shovel in a little more coal,
    And when we cross over White Oak Mountain
    You can watch ol' 97 roll!"

    Oh it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
    For the line has a three-mile grade
    It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
    You can see what a jump that he made.

    He was goin' down grade makin' 90 mile an hour
    When the whistle broke into a scream!
    He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
    All scalded to death by the steam

    A Telegram came from Washington station
    And this is how it read
    That brave engineer who ran 97
    is a-lying in Danville, dead.

    So come all you ladies, you must take warnin'
    From this time on and learn
    Never part on harsh words with your true lovin' husband
    For he may leave you, and never return

  2. T.... W....

    That was country music.

  3. E.... B....

    Johnny Cash your the man.

  4. H.... ....

    Johnny's yells during the guitar solos really help make this song a wild and insane listen

  5. J.... ....

    I agree

  6. J.... T....

    That train wrecked in Danville, VA, (my hometown) I drive by the memorial all the time.

    J.... T....

    I saw the art work in Danville - back in 1995 when I attended the Harvest Jubilee.

  7. J.... B....

    26 people have wrecked a train coming down a mountain.

  8. L.... G....

    Awesome... love Johnny cash x

  9. J.... I....

    This came from the first album I ever bought. I have loved this song for nearly 50 years! Thanks for posting!!!

  10. T.... F....

    its in b flat if anyone was wondering, absolutely amazing music !

  11. l.... ....

    The absolute best version of this song 👍 Love the sound of that guitar

  12. N.... W....

    A great ole classic!!!!

  13. S.... S....

    Nice song

  14. L.... ....

    Cash at his coked out best! You can't deny it...proven fact

  15. j.... ....

    If only Steve was on time

  16. D.... G....

    Johnny Cash, was and is and will ALWAYS be one of my favorite performers. I had the privilege of meeting him, at the last concert, He and his beloved June, played in Oxnard, California, in 1988. ALWAYS A MASTER SHOWMAN! THANK YOU, JOHNNY.

  17. R.... C....

    He is the man in Black

  18. f.... J....

    awsome
    love it

  19. h.... h....

    velik forever

  20. C.... 2....

    I love this song & I love Johnny Cash👍🙂!!

  21. B.... D....

    whos listening in 0001

  22. S.... B....

    He wasn't going 90 MPH at the time of the crash. However, it is a great song.

  23. a.... e....

    How many pistons were driven that engine? Anybody knows my guess was 72, but for sure i am wrong because i not an enginire.

    a.... e....

    A steam locomotive only has 4 if it is a modern loco and only 2 if it is an older loco like a 4-4-0

  24. T.... L....

    the 13 people who disliked this need a serious throat punch! Best 2 minutes of music ever made!

    T.... L....

    You shouldn't wish ill will on anyone.

    T.... L....

    Tank Legend

    T.... L....

    Good boy

    T.... L....

    WELL she was comin' round the corner bout 90 miles an hour,
    When the wheel on her bicycle broke.

    She was found in the grass with a wheel up her ass

    And her kidney playin' Dixie on the spokes!

  25. H.... G....

    Thanks for the photo of the historical marker.

  26. d.... g....

    We're a band from southern Brazil and great fans of Johnny Cash's work. You can check out our rendering of the classic Wreck Of Old '97 - Casco. 

    Hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed playing it.

  27. T.... ....

    I still have AND listen to the vinyl LPs of Live at San Quentin and Folsom.  Classics... pure, unadulterated  CLASSICS!

  28. T.... ....

    I love this album

  29. d.... ....

    God Bless the ultimate rebel JC!

  30. T.... W....

    or Monroe!

  31. j.... n....

    Johnny Cash will be always be remembered

  32. J.... L....

    This was when Bob started playing lead for Johnny, he was right on the money with all his pickin back then, sounded more like Luther, seemed that later on, he kinda did it his own way,, nothing against Bob, cause he's always been my favorite

    J.... L....

    Mine has always been Luther.

  33. W.... ....

    Couldn't agree more. I love the pace mimicking a charging locomotive.

  34. b.... b....

    Johnny fuckin cash!!

  35. T.... P....

    Another great song to learn from JC.

  36. T.... ....

    4 dislikes? do these people hate him? it should be -2 dislikes

  37. R.... I....

    Best Texas Shuffle Ever! :-))

  38. J.... M....

    bob wootan what a guitarist

  39. M.... ....

    Brandon

  40. R.... ....

    Think I got it right this time.
    Caller called Casey at half past 4. He kissed his wife at the station door. Climbed into the cab with orders in his hand, says this is my trip to the promised land. thru the s. memphis yards on the fly
    fireman says Casey ya got a white eye an alla switchmen knew from the engines moans
    the man at the throttle was casey jones. Well it had been rainin some 5 or 6 weeks trax looked like the bed of a creek, slow'd him down to a 30 mph gate, thru the mail 8 hrs late

  41. R.... ....

    Hello There! Thanks 4 helping me on that 1. I did not listen to the whole
    song. Yes this hogger's name is/was Steve Broadie?

  42. R.... ....

    Damn good job. Johnny. fyi the firemans name was Sim Webb a black man who knew boilers.
    Steve hollered "Join the birds! meaning jump! apparently the end of the train caboose, a.k.a.
    chariot, crummy, was fouling the main line as the old 97 thundered on around the curve. even
    if the brakes were thrown into emergency, the loco would have still thundered into the crummy
    or caboose making splinters. YUP Johnny Cash is a real American icon.

  43. l.... ....

    Live At San Quentin (1969) = one of the best live albums ever made!

  44. L.... ....

    @1:22 Johnny lets out a yell cuz the music's hot and he's loving it. Awesome!

  45. M.... B....

    legend mate, if i could have seen anybody live ever it would have been him.

  46. P.... L....

    Thank you for sharing this. Its great.
    Oak

  47. C.... D....

    If you're a musician and you didn't get inspired by Johnny... I'm sorry you just wasted your life !!!!

  48. J.... F....

    Love how the snare drum makes it sound like theres a train running through the concert.

    J.... F....

    James Fielding back when musicians were creative ...

    J.... F....

    Flogging Molly's drummer uses that technique a lot and says Jonny cash is there inspiration behind it

  49. m.... ....

    @postbanes The King Period :)

  50. B.... C....

    @CajonDS Indeed so the whole engine crew, and the clerks in the crushed cars were cooked after they died, thus the "scalded to death by the steam" conclusion of some of those in the rescue and recovery operation on 27-28 September 1903.

  51. B.... C....

    This is how those who didn't witness the wreck would envision it. Those who tried to extricate the dead from the train, Southern #1102 on her side beneath four crushed cars and one intact car, alongside Stillhouse Trestle on 27 September 1903, had some bodies come apart in their hands, thus the "scalded to death by the steam" conclusion in the lyrics.

  52. f.... ....

    I dont know about everyone else, but country at that time wasnt the same sound as his. He had his own voice and style. I dont even think you could consider it rockabilly. johnny Cash was and IS Johnny Cash. no better way to put it.

  53. M.... ....

    @MrArceus7 nah, thats Elvis

  54. F.... ....

    @postbanes i thought that was george strait.. ?

  55. l.... ....

    What a man ;-)

  56. S.... ....

    Johnny Cash Rules.

  57. T.... ....

    you got me

  58. g.... ....

    @Theaceofspadez1 I live in Spencer, NC! Put 'er into Spencer on time!

  59. T.... ....

    I LIVE IN MONROE VA BEAT THAT YOU CANT

  60. R.... B....

    @cfdaf85340 'tard! but i guess your dumbass is still allowed to have an opinion.

  61. M.... ....

    Johnny Cash is the king of country and a great American. Rest in peace Johnny

  62. b.... ....

    j.c. johnny cash and jesus christ have the same initials I don't think that's necisaricarialy a coincidence if you get what i mean, either way he's the only god that i believe in

  63. b.... ....

    i agree it is the best version even though its live

  64. a.... ....

    Eternal thanks to Mom & Dad who bought this LP........I wore this out on the old RCA stereo in the 70's

  65. m.... ....

    Absolutely right. Best version ever. Sounds angry and happy at the same time. Bob Wootten is picking that Telecaster about as hard as any man ever has. Awesome.

  66. J.... O....

    dead right, awesome version of the song... really epitomises the Bob Wootton sound, and yeah, that freight train's a-rollin'!

  67. B.... C....

    Best version out there.

  68. P.... Z....

    A true story too. Song is about a mail train on the Southern Railway company. Train was running late and the engineer lost control of the train because of speed and air brake failure. He did not get killed by steam though, He was found impaled[basically] into the mud at the bottom of the creek next to the bridge, happened in September 1903.

  69. m.... ....

    what a nice song!!! thanks for posting it:)