Mellencamp, John - Wreck Of The Old 97 Lyrics
When they give him his orders at Monroe, Virginia
Sayin', "Steve, you're way behind the times"
"This is not 38, this is Old 97"
"So get here in Spencer, on time"
"Shovel on a little more coal"
"When we cross that big White Mountain"
"You'll be watchin' Old 97 start to roll"
Well it's a mighty long road from Lynchburg down to Danville
On a line of three-mile grade
It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
You should of seen the jump he had to make
He was goin' down grade at 90 miles an hour
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
Was scalded to death by the steam
When the telegram came from Washington city
And this is how the telegram read
"That the brave engineer in the old 97"
"Is laid out in Danville and he's dead"
Now all of you ladies
Take heed and take warning
And try to learn
Never speak harsh words
Against your loving husband
'Cause he may never return
No he may never return
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Mellencamp, John Wreck Of The Old 97 Comments
WOW, John, just WOW! You and I are just a few months apart in age. I grew up loving this song, but you knocked it out of the park. Great version John!
How writing these musices
Best version ever!
Boxcar Willie, Cash, Flat and Scruggs all made the song too upbeat. This is a song about Broady’s death trying to make time for schedule.
John, you’ve done a wonderful job putting some feeling and emotion in your singing that this song always deserved.
P.S. I did some USPS Express Mail contract work and they penalize you, contractually financial penalize you, for every minute you’re late just as they did in 1903 with this wreck of Old 97. I have a personal connection to what pressures and time constraints Engineer Broady was under. God rest the souls of those that died that day because the mail still doesn’t care and carries on as it ever was. The same holds true for UPS, FedEx, DHL, Amazon, the whole lot. Safety second seems to be the business at those places, but they’ll never admit it.
Nice version
Originally composed by G. B. Grayson & Henry Whitter! It is a song about a tragic death and a metapher of the modern America! I love this sung by John Cougar Mellencamp!