As I stood on the mountain one cold frosty morning
Just watching the smoke from below
It was twirling from an old lonesome smokestack
Way down on the southern road
Well, he picked up his orders in Monroe, Virginia
Saying, Steve, you're way behind time
This is not 38, but it's 097
Gonna put her into Spencer on time
Then he turned and he said to his black crazy fireman
Shovel in a little more
And when we reach that old white oak mountain
You can watch 097 roll
Now it's a mighty rough road
From Lynchburg to Danville
And she's lying on the road
On a three-mile grade
It was on that stretch that he lost his air brake
You can see what a jump he made
He was coming down that grade
Making 90 miles
And I went with his whistle
Broke into a stream
And they found him in a wreck
With his hand on a throttle
He was called to death by the steam
Well, the music was traveling
Or the telegraph wires
This was the time of my life



This is what it said
Said that brave engineer from Monroe, Virginia
Is the line in that graveyard dead
So I'm telling you, my fair lady
Take warning from this time on
And learn
Never speak harsh words
To your true loving husband
He may leave you to never return
But best you here from Denver
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