Wreck Of The Old 97
Tabbed by: MrModigh
Capo on 1st fret.
This is from the Sun-recording done in the 50's.
The intro and solo are as played by Luther Perkins.
I haven't found the correct solo tab so I've made it myself,
and I think it's the most accurate.
The solo that Bob Wootton plays at San Quentin,
is the same except for the part with the slide.
I think Wootton plays it like this instead: G|--4-44--
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".
