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schlange - Posted - 01/10/2014: 11:24:12
This week's song is the railroading classic "The Wreck of the Old 97" which was inspired by the tragic September 27, 1903 crash of Southern Railway's train 97, a mail train nicknamed "Fast Mail." En route from Monroe, Virginia, to Spencer, North Carolina engineer Joseph Broady was going too fast (since the train was running an hour late and he had been instructed to get to Spencer on time) and the train went off the rails on the curve leading into the Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, VA. (You can read more details of the wreck as well as song copyright disputes on Wikipedia, as well as this page and this page).
The lyrics were written by local(s) who arrived on the scene and helped pull bodies from the wreckage, although there was some dispute about which local actually wrote it. The lyrics were eventually polished up by Henry Whitter and the resulting song, performed by Vernon Dalhart on Victor Record #19427 is sometimes cited as the first million-selling country music release in the American record industry. (It has since been performed by countless musicians including The Statler Brothers, David Holt, Flatt and Scruggs, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash, Chuck Ragan, and Hank Williams III.) The ballad is sung to the tune of The Ship That Never Returned which was written by Henry Clay Work in 1865.
Lyrics
Well they gave him his orders in Monroe Virginia
Sayin' Steve you're way behind time
This is not 38, this is ole' 97
You must put her into Spencer on time
So he turned around and said to his black greasy fireman
To shovel on a little more the coal
And when we cross that White Oak Mountain
You can watch ole' 97 roll
It's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville
It's a line on a three mile grade
It was on that grade that he lost his airbrakes
You can see what a jump he made
He was goin' down that grade makin' 90 miles an hour
When his whistle broke into a scream
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle
Scalded to death by the steam
So ladies you must take warnin'
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husbands
They may leave you and never return
I said ladies you must take warnin'
From this time on and learn
Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husbands
They may leave you and never return, They may leave you and never return
Learn the Tune
- Casey Henry's ~16 minute complete "Murphy Method" lesson can be purchased thru 1/18/14 for $6. I highly recommend it! Get it here >
- There are several tabs in the BHO archives, of which Jack Baker's seems to best match what I'm familiar with.
- I've included BIAB backing tracks below as well as a PDF chord chart.
- There are 11 versions of this in the MP3 archive at this time. Murrell Thixton's is excellent (as expected).
I hope you all enjoy learning this tune! Post videos or MP3s of yourselves playing it--I'll try to do the same.
Debs - Posted - 01/10/2014: 12:36:07
Looking forward to having a go at this one - I love those railroad songs!
Lew H - Posted - 01/10/2014: 13:14:29
I wonder if this is the same trestle mentioned by Doc Watson in "The Greenville Trestle?" I'm glad you posted the picture: I've never seen it before.
Too bad I only play OT banjo. This is one of my favorite songs.
CreekRunner - Posted - 01/10/2014: 13:27:10
Hey Eric,
If we purchase the Casey Henry lesson, how long does it remain available to the purchaser. I'm a slow learner.
David
Crusty - Posted - 01/10/2014: 13:27:59
This one's a bonus tune - if you learn Wreck of the Old 97 then you've also learned The Ship That Never Returned and Charlie on the MTA.
schlange - Posted - 01/10/2014: 14:13:56
quote:
Originally posted by Lew H
I wonder if this is the same trestle mentioned by Doc Watson in "The Greenville Trestle?" I'm glad you posted the picture: I've never seen it before.
Too bad I only play OT banjo. This is one of my favorite songs.
Here are a few other pics I found online as well...
schlange - Posted - 01/10/2014: 14:15:05
quote:
Originally posted by CreekRunner
Hey Eric,
If we purchase the Casey Henry lesson, how long does it remain available to the purchaser. I'm a slow learner.
David
Forever! You can stream it whenever you'd like, as long as you're signed into your BHO account. Just go to the Murphy lesson page to access any purchased lessons from Casey.
Crusty - Posted - 01/10/2014: 14:31:01
You can also look for White Oak Mountain using Google Maps and you'll find the rail line coming down the mountain in a straight line with a bend at the bottom.
Hey Lew, I've got a clawhammer tab of it if you want it (easy peasy and fun to play). I'm going to introduce it to my old time jam group as The Ship That Never Returned (1865) which certainly qualifies as OT, then after everyone's learned it I'll tell them that I tricked them into playing a "new" song.
ken61 - Posted - 01/10/2014: 15:59:46
This is just the best idea since sliced bread. Eric, I assume these TOTW were your idea. Outstanding!
These are exactly what we have been needing on the BHO . A lot of info, some inexpensive lessons, some exposure for various teachers to show their wares, and a terrific opportunity for the members to get involved and do some banjo learning. Not to mention something to chat about !
Thanks
ken
Crusty - Posted - 01/10/2014: 16:03:11
Shoulda done this earlier but it took a while to find the tab. Here's Ol' 97 clawhammer style.
schlange - Posted - 01/10/2014: 16:06:31
quote:
Originally posted by ken61
This is just the best idea since sliced bread. Eric, I assume these TOTW were your idea. Outstanding!
These are exactly what we have been needing on the BHO . A lot of info, some inexpensive lessons, some exposure for various teachers to show their wares, and a terrific opportunity for the members to get involved and do some banjo learning. Not to mention something to chat about !
Thanks
ken
I'd like to take credit for it, but it wasn't my idea. :-) The clawhammer crowd has been doing a TOTW since 2008 (see banjohangout.org/topic/125151).
I just want to see a TOTW for Scruggs-style playing, so I've decided to start doing them. I'm finding it personally interesting to pick a tune, research it, and learn to play it--and 1 week is a good amount of time to work on at least the basic/intermediate tunes for me.
I'm glad some other folks enjoy it, too!
Crusty - Posted - 01/10/2014: 16:19:35
Eddie Davis' TOTW threads in the 4 string section are good too.
roadkingjimmy - Posted - 01/11/2014: 07:17:27
This is a fun song,Thanks Crusty for the CH tab!
schlange - Posted - 01/13/2014: 09:46:48
I've officially got the break memorized--now I need to keep playing it so it's automatic. I can only play it at 60-70BMP at this point. But it's a fine little tune!
bart_brush - Posted - 01/13/2014: 10:21:50
Lew H--
I also play old time only, and this works beautifully in two finger thumb lead style; D tuning, like "Reuben". I use exclusively my thumb for all melody notes, going up the 2nd string for the high notes around frets 4, 5, and 7 (I think those are the frets....don't have my banjo handy). There are some good bends and slides possible at various spots.
conquestbanjo - Posted - 01/13/2014: 12:13:47
Eric,
I agree that this is one of the best additions to the hangout that could come along for me, I hope that it will push me into something new and challenging in my beginner trying to get to intermediate state. Thanks for all your work on it for us.
Poco50 - Posted - 01/14/2014: 06:25:36
I have tried to download the lesson on Casey's site and it takes me to an "404 application error" message, and i clicked on the link that you posted Eric. Ill keep trying during the day to see if it is corrected.
schlange - Posted - 01/14/2014: 08:52:26
quote:
Originally posted by Poco50
I have tried to download the lesson on Casey's site and it takes me to an "404 application error" message, and i clicked on the link that you posted Eric. Ill keep trying during the day to see if it is corrected.
Sorry about that--this is now fixed. Get the lesson here >
Patrick Turner - Posted - 01/16/2014: 22:20:03
I purchased the lesson and I cannot view it. It says cannot be shown because of privacy issue. Could my problem be because I have a Mac computer?
Poco50 - Posted - 01/17/2014: 05:37:11
Patrick, i have a Mac and i am able to view it, i dont know how to correct your problem, but just lettin u know it works for me.
Good Luck,
Gary....
schlange - Posted - 01/17/2014: 06:10:39
Patrick, can you email me and tell me what URL you are on, and what error message you're getting exactly? The videos work on Mac and PC just fine (as well as mobile devices) so I'm not sure what the issue is--my guess is it's some kind of browser configuration funkiness on your end.
eric@banjohangout.org
Patrick Turner - Posted - 01/17/2014: 23:20:19
Eric,
I don't know what the problem was last night but I clicked on it tonight and it worked fine, so I am all set. I also got an email from Casey Henry offering help and encouraging
words from Poco50. Seems to be a lot of nice people on this site. I thank you all. After this I think I will join the Banjo Union.
petegottfried - Posted - 01/23/2014: 03:22:47
This is great! I started playing in August and work mainly through Tony Trischka's excellent web site. But, I have also been working with Murphy Henry's first DVD and have Banjo In The Hollow and Cripple Creek in my head. I can't wait to start working with this. And the price is EXCELLENT!
Great job,
Pete
Buffalo, NY
schlange - Posted - 02/01/2014: 12:22:26
Just added some other backing tracks, all the way down to 60BPM, at a member's request.
JoeDownes - Posted - 02/02/2014: 07:14:41
I was inspired by this thread to play this song again. I learned a basic arrangement when I just started to learn the banjo. Now I've been improvising on the melody and chords to make my own arrangement, repeating bits that I like without playing the song the same way twice. Here are two breaks that show what I came up with and how the improvisation leads to all kinds of variations. The timing is not quite there yet, but I thought it's worth sharing anyway. I play the bass, guitar and mandolin, too. I used the great (free) Variety of Sounds plugins to add some character. I hope you enjoy it.
Click me to listen!
Poco50 - Posted - 02/02/2014: 12:22:57
Nice job Joe of comin up with ur own version of Old 97 sounds good.
Gary....
Jack Baker - Posted - 02/03/2014: 07:27:27
Hi Eric,
Here's Earl's exact version as played on the LP you posted...Dr. Michael Corcoran does some very nice arrangements of his own and Casey always does nice arrangements of her own...use this transcription if you like for a Tabledited version...Jack
Wreck Of The Old 97 Earl Scruggs
Originally posted by schlange
Edited by - Jack Baker on 02/03/2014 07:38:41
schlange - Posted - 02/03/2014: 09:16:23
Thanks, Jack!
Jack Baker - Posted - 02/03/2014: 11:12:50
Oops! Made a correction. Here it is again...Jack
Wreck Of The Old 97
Originally posted by schlange
Thanks, Jack!
Jack Baker - Posted - 02/03/2014: 19:28:48
Eric,
Go to the tab archive page if you can use this Tabledit file. I just added the R. H. fingers in the tab and I don't want to keep messing up this page...Jack
Originally posted by Jack Baker
maverickdallas - Posted - 04/14/2014: 18:55:44
I often play this together with "The Wreck of the Old Number Nine".
I call my arrangement "The Two-Wreck Medley".
Edited by - maverickdallas on 04/14/2014 18:56:24
