☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a train accident and the brave journey of the engineer Steve.
- It is about a dangerous three-mile uphill stretch where the train loses its brakes.
- At the end of the song, Steve is found in the wreckage with a scalded hand on the wheel.
- The message to the Washington station states that the brave engineer lies dead in Danville.
- The song lyrics convey the lesson of never saying mean words, as you never know if your loved one will return.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Wreck Of The Old Ninety-Seven" by
Johnny Cash tell the story of a train accident. It is about an engineer named Steve, who is told in Monroe, Virginia, that he must bring the train, number 97, to Spencer on time. Together with his dirty fireman, he gives his all to accelerate the train and complete the journey.
However, on the way from Lynchburg to Danville, there is a dangerous stretch: a three-mile grade. There, the train loses its brakes and makes a violent leap. It hurtles down at ninety miles per hour and the train whistle turns into a scream. At the end of the song, Steve is found in the wreckage with a scalded hand on the wheel.
The lyrics also include a message that is sent to the Washington Station. It says that the brave engineer who drove the train is dead in Danville.
The lesson of the song is that one should never say hurtful words to their beloved spouse, as they could leave and never return.
Overall, the lyrics of the song tell the tragic story of a train accident and give us a lesson about the importance of love and respect in relationships.