D|-6-6--6-|

If you want to play along with the recording, 
you have to tune up your guitar 3/4 (or 1/4 with the capo on 1st fret).
This will match Luther's tuning.

[Intro]
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------0-2-2-2---0----------PM------------------------------------|
A|--4-4---------4---4-2-0--(4-2-0)---------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
                          
          A                       D
Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia.
       A                        E
Said, "Steve, you're way behind time.
        A                         D
This is not Thirty-Eight, this is old Ninety-Seven.
 A           E         A
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 Oak Mountain,
Watch old Ninety-Seven roll."

[Solo]
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------2-----------2-4-2--------------|
D|------2-2-2---------0-0-0-0-4---4-2-2-2-4-------4/6----------|
A|--0-4-------4-0-2-4------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
                                                                            
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------|
G|------2-2-2-------------------2------------------------------|
D|--2-4-------4-2-----0-0-0-0-4---4-2-2-2---0------------PM----|
A|----------------2-4---------------------4---4-2-0---(4-2-0)--|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|

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 airbrakes,
You'd see what a jump he made.

He was going down the grade makin' ninety 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 lovin' husband
he may leave you and never return.
 
|This verse wasn't in the original Sun-recording,| 
|but Johnny sings it in the San Quentin version. |
|So here it is (3rd verse).                      |

And then a telegram came from Washington station,
this is how it read:
"Oh that brave engineer that run old Ninety-Seven, 
is lyin' in old Danville dead".