(David Graves George Claimed Authorship ...Won a Court Case and lost on the 3rd Appeal to the Supreme Court by the Victor Company). 1st. Recorded 1923 by Henry Whitter
@@steamcountry9523 He must have known Emmett W. Lundy.....famed Grayson County fiddler...I have his granddaughter's 1950 Gibson CF-100 guitar....great early recording!
It's very unlikely David Graves George wrote the lyrics. His story is suspicious on numerous points and the Victor company produced an analytical chemist with further evidence against him.
Wow, I never new who wrote this, my father loved it sang it all the time, RIP Popa/ I'll always Love you and Momma, Thanks for the video, Brings back fond memories.🇺🇸
I visited the Spencer Shop Museum in Spencer N.C. with my wife and grandsons yesterday. That was the "Spencer on time" in the song. It was the largest shop in the Southern Railways system. The main building which is 600 feet long could disassemble a steam locomotive and rebuild it to like new condition in just 30 days. I highly recommend it to those interested in the steam era.
My understanding of Westinghouse air brakes (1869) is that air pressure conducted from the engine through the train by "glad-hands" between cars holds the brakes off. The Westinghouse system uses air pressure to charge air reservoirs on each car. Full air pressure causes each car to release the brakes. A subsequent reduction or loss of air pressure causes each car to apply its brakes, using compressed air stored in its reservoirs. You can see how that would work if, for example, some cars became separated from the train. It's a good song and it describes a real wreck, but I'd like to know more about what actually failed.
@@yy19aos No. I remember the very old and deceased Jimmy Rogers on a long play album I own. REally enjoy listening to the former railroader. Thanks for the message. Be well.
@InnerSmile72 I read in the liner notes to the "Johnny Cash:The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958" 3-CD music compilation released by Time-Life Music, that Johnny Cash listened to this record at his uncle's house (he was a locomotive engineer) when he was a child. Henry Whitter proved to be a major influence on Johnny Cash's music.
Great to finally hear the original. Saw Johnny and June Carter Cash do this at a county fair once. In first grade we used to sing a ribald version about a girl wiping out on her bicycle...
I am 81. My father sang played and this song to us as chilldren in the 1940's. The first verse was "Well the Old 97 was the fastest mail that ran on the Southern Line And when she pulled in to Monroe VA she was 47 minutes behind time" Next to last verse "She was comin" round the bend doin" 90 miles an hour when the whistle broke into a scream (pause Whoo Whoo) He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle and was scalded to death by the steam" Other verses are pretty much the same although when I play the song I play and sing it exactly as I remember him doing.
I'm familiar with that radio show on WFMU. They play a lot of pretty nondescript stuff, then from nowhere at all they dig up a treasure like this one. And what a find it is.
It was only on March 11, 1933, that Judge John Boyd did finally proclaimed that David G. George was the original author to the ballad. Afterwards Victor Talking Machine Company was forced to pay David from the profits that were made from the 5,000,000 records that were sold. David received an approximate $65,295. Victor appealed three times.The supreme court of the United States decided to over rule the lower courts and again grant Victor ownership of the ballad -Wikipedia
Lyrics They give him his orders in Monroe, Virginia Saying, “Steve, you’re way behind time This is not ‘38, but it’s Old ‘97 You must put her in Spencer on time” Then he turned and said to his black, greasy fireman “Just shovel in a little more coal Then when we cross that White Oak Mountain You can watch Old ‘97 roll” 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 air brakes You see what a jump he made He was going down a grade, making ninety 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 Now, you ladies, you must take good warning From this time, now and on Never speak harsh words to your true loving husband He may leave you and never return
@@SmokeTemple No but they often times operated their trains at unsafe speeds, tied down the safety valves to get higher steam pressure for more speed things like that
![Harry McClintock - Red River Valley [1928].](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rn-fl2mnOus/mqdefault.jpg)
100 years old today.
Wow - my great grandfather, David Graves George, wrote the lyrics to Wreck of the Old 97. Thanks for posting this.
(David Graves George Claimed Authorship ...Won a Court Case and lost on the 3rd Appeal to the Supreme Court by the Victor Company).
1st. Recorded 1923 by Henry Whitter
@@steamcountry9523 He must have known Emmett W. Lundy.....famed Grayson County fiddler...I have his granddaughter's 1950 Gibson CF-100 guitar....great early recording!
@@ricklanders5645nice, Im from Ashe Co, I'm in the middle of a rabbit hole for local music.
@@blueridger28
It's very unlikely David Graves George wrote the lyrics. His story is suspicious on numerous points and the Victor company produced an analytical chemist with further evidence against him.
Wow, I never new who wrote this, my father loved it sang it all the time, RIP Popa/ I'll always Love you and Momma, Thanks for the video, Brings back fond memories.🇺🇸
My dad sang it too all the time when we were on car trips. Loved it!!
This music never gets old, just redone.
One of the greatest classics of all time! Thank you sir!!
I come from the town where the wreck of old 97 came from (Danville Va), 100 years later everyone still knows this song and the tale of old 97!
I visited the Spencer Shop Museum in Spencer N.C. with my wife and grandsons yesterday. That was the "Spencer on time" in the song. It was the largest shop in the Southern Railways system. The main building which is 600 feet long could disassemble a steam locomotive and rebuild it to like new condition in just 30 days. I highly recommend it to those interested in the steam era.
My understanding of Westinghouse air brakes (1869) is that air pressure conducted from the engine through the train by "glad-hands" between cars holds the brakes off. The Westinghouse system uses air pressure to charge air reservoirs on each car. Full air pressure causes each car to release the brakes. A subsequent reduction or loss of air pressure causes each car to apply its brakes, using compressed air stored in its reservoirs. You can see how that would work if, for example, some cars became separated from the train.
It's a good song and it describes a real wreck, but I'd like to know more about what actually failed.
As a child I remember this song by another singer in the 1950s. A great old tune to sing and play with guitar with friends. ThanX for the upload!
johnny cash possibly?
@@yy19aos No. I remember the very old and deceased Jimmy Rogers on a long play album I own. REally enjoy listening to the former railroader. Thanks for the message. Be well.
histori-cool!
@InnerSmile72 I read in the liner notes to the "Johnny Cash:The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958" 3-CD music compilation released by Time-Life Music, that Johnny Cash listened to this record at his uncle's house (he was a locomotive engineer) when he was a child. Henry Whitter proved to be a major influence on Johnny Cash's music.
Yes, alongside the great Jimmie Rodgers.
Thanks for this!
Wonderful recording thanks for the post!
Great to finally hear the original. Saw Johnny and June Carter Cash do this at a county fair once. In first grade we used to sing a ribald version about a girl wiping out on her bicycle...
I love old time songs
Thank you. There's another verse or two to that song and I can't seem to find it, recorded. I appreciate this one. God Bless You!
I am 81. My father sang played and this song to us as chilldren in the 1940's. The first verse was "Well the Old 97 was the fastest mail that ran on the Southern Line
And when she pulled in to Monroe VA she was 47 minutes behind time"
Next to last verse "She was comin" round the bend doin" 90 miles an hour when the whistle broke into a scream (pause Whoo Whoo)
He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle and was scalded to death by the steam"
Other verses are pretty much the same although when I play the song I play and sing it exactly as I remember him doing.
This is absolutely class.
qUERO DIZER PARA TODOSO OS GOSTAM DE MUSICAS ESTÃO DE PARABENZ SAO MUSICA ANTICAS MAS BEM SELECIONADA. PARABENS
Thank you very much, added to a playlist...
great song
I'm familiar with that radio show on WFMU. They play a lot of pretty nondescript stuff, then from nowhere at all they dig up a treasure like this one. And what a find it is.
THANKS FOR THE UPDATE
I have this on 78 AND have an original Edison record player.
I think you have Vernon Dalhart's. Henry Whitter recorded for Okeh, Victor, and RCA Victor, not Edison. Vernon Dalhart recorded for most every label.
It was only on March 11, 1933, that Judge John Boyd did finally proclaimed that David G. George was the original author to the ballad. Afterwards Victor Talking Machine Company was forced to pay David from the profits that were made from the 5,000,000 records that were sold. David received an approximate $65,295. Victor appealed three times.The supreme court of the United States decided to over rule the lower courts and again grant Victor ownership of the ballad -Wikipedia
The most likely original author is Fred Lewey
This is literally perfect for those Hey apple, amazing grace memes.
Lyrics
They give him his orders in Monroe, Virginia
Saying, “Steve, you’re way behind time
This is not ‘38, but it’s Old ‘97
You must put her in Spencer on time”
Then he turned and said to his black, greasy fireman
“Just shovel in a little more coal
Then when we cross that White Oak Mountain
You can watch Old ‘97 roll”
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 air brakes
You see what a jump he made
He was going down a grade, making ninety 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
Now, you ladies, you must take good warning
From this time, now and on
Never speak harsh words to your true loving husband
He may leave you and never return
He wrote the lyrics to the music of 'The Ship that Never Returned'. Yes, I do know what lyrics he used. We have the original sheet music.
Great upload! Nice work!
Fist recording wow. The Seekers version -my favorite.
G.B. Grayson is not on this. He and Henry Whittier didn't meet and begin their partnership until 1927 :)
Great you could meet up with your Great Grandad like this on You Tube! Do you know where he was from? thanks for the connection it's a great old song
Only 1920s kids will remember this
Not so. My 20’s dad sang it to his 50’s kids all of the time on car rides. We loved it!
One of the blessings of our modern technology is that we can "time warp" back to the days of acoustic recording process and wind-up record players.
My mother would sing this to us at nap time. Who did the best version of this classic?
That's an opinion, but Vernon Dalhart did a more polish'd version in 1924, & many other country singers also did it.
first and the best
It was sadly not taken very good care off this cylinder or record disc Vernon Dalharts version from 1924 a YEAR later is a different story
Did he ever pull in.....no he never pulled in.
Sounds like "Charlie On The M.T.A."
Same tune, and if you go way back, there was a song about a ship that never returned.
As Jerry Jeff said: "It's all just public domain."@@DNRY122
A great song about the workin' stiff who dies as a result from being pressured by his employer to work unsafely.
+IblameBlame Unlike today, right? LOL
Train engineers back then were the dare devils of their time, It wouldn't have taken much pressuring.
@@aryanson did they do alotta jumps and stunts?
@@SmokeTemple No but they often times operated their trains at unsafe speeds, tied down the safety valves to get higher steam pressure for more speed things like that