Listen to audio

Run time: 3:05

Stream (help)

VBR M3U (Hi-Fi)
64Kbps M3U (Lo-Fi)

Play / Download (help)

(1.41 MB)64Kbps MP3 ZIP
(2.81 MB)VBR ZIP
(6.77 MB)Flac ZIP

Resources

Ernest ThompsonThe Wreck of the Southern Old 97 (1924)

Here's the flip side of Columbia 130-D, The Wreck of the Old Southern 97, sung and played by Ernest Thompson. Recorded in 1924. From the original 78rpm disk.


This audio is part of the collection: 78 RPMs & Cylinder Recordings

Artist/Composer: Ernest Thompson
Date: 1924-00-00 00:00:00
Source: Columbia 130-D digitized by old78collector
Keywords: Music; Country; Folk; 78rpm; Oldtime

Notes

I don't know much about Ernest Thompson except that he was one of the earliest country artists to record. He was blind and worked as a street singer in North Carolina and surrounding areas. Apparently his recordings were not very successful, since he only recorded two sessions, both in 1924 for Columbia, and never recorded afterwards. Supposedly he recorded thirty-odd sides, but I don't know how many of these were released.

Individual Files

Write a review
Downloaded 18,558 timesReviews
Average Rating:

Reviewer: oospray - - June 21, 2009
Subject: Flip side
the flip side of this version was Are You From Dixie. I have the old 78 of it but it is buried deep somewhere, so it was a thrill to get to hear it here so easily.

Reviewer: bill from ellerslie - - April 9, 2009
Subject: More about Ernest Thompson
Ernest Thompson was born in 1892. When he was a child he was badly burned in a fire. It damaged his voice box which is why he sings so oddly. Later he was blinded while working in a sawmill. He had only two recording sessions, one in 1924 and again in 1930. He was a street musician all his life and died in 1961.

Reviewer: otfiddler - - February 21, 2009
Subject: More Info
Ref: "Country Music Records A Discography" by Tony Russell

"Wreck of The Southern 97" was recorded by

Henry Whitter - 12/10/1923 for Okeh, NY,NY
Earnest Thompson - 4/26/1924 for Columbia, NY,NY
Vernon Dalhart - 5/14/1924 for Edison, NY,NY

Earnest Thompson is shown to have had nine (9) recording sessions from April 25, 1924 through March 29, 1930.

Reviewer: Larry w Jones - - November 4, 2008
Subject: Wreck Of The Old 97 - 2008 version by Larry W. Jones
http://pic-a-pagediscounts.com/Wreck_Of_The_Old_97.html

Wreck Of The Old 97 (Larry W. Jones 11/03/2008) (song#5825)

The route from Monroe to Spencer was rolling terrain
Mail was there on time on the Southern Railway fast train
The day, t'was a Sunday, in the year nineteen oh three
September twenty seven went down in history

The train had late arrival in Monroe, Virginia
Ninety Seven had the speed like a fire within ya
Just one hour late was nothing for this steam condenser
Old Ninety Seven would make up that time to Spencer

Many signs were posted to warn of steep grades and curves
But the Fast Mail was driven by guts and steady nerves
North Carolina was a hundred sixty six miles
Engineer Broadey said he would make it there in style

Danville's Stillhouse Trestle was seventy five feet high
And old Ninety Seven made the approach on the fly
To make that curve before the trestle was looking bleak
Nine good men died at the bottom of Cherrystone Creek

The wreck of the old Ninety Seven is history
And just why it left the tracks is no man's mystery
Now, Southern Railway wanted the mail to be on time
But Danville's Stillhouse trestle was the end of the line

All you fair ladies, when you write your love a letter
Don't be so worried about getting it there on time
Some engineer may speed even though he knows better
The wreck of Old Ninety Seven wasn't worth your dime
Note to musicians:
These lyrics are ready for YOUR music,
recording and marketing as you wish.
email Larry W. Jones at lwj001@hotmail.com

Reviewer: Apocalypstick - - May 28, 2008
Subject: great
I'm very happy I stumbled onto this. Does anyone know the lyrics or where I could find them? I tried listening to the song but I couldn't quite figure them out.

Reviewer: StaggrLee - - May 25, 2008
Subject: Fantastic!
I have been enjoying this mp3 for a few months now. Thompson's singing has a gruff charm, and I think this version has a lot more excitement than Vernon Dalhart's two recordings (both available on the archive). This is also the only recording of "Old 97" that I have found to feature an additional verse in the beginning of the song.

Reviewer: rowster - - November 24, 2006
Subject: First recorded
"The Wreck of the Old 97" was initially recorded commercially by Virginia musicians G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter (Okeh records), but when it was released by light-opera singer Vernon Dalhart, it became the first million-selling record in the United States.
http://www.blueridgeinstitute.org/ballads/old97song.html

Reviewer: vecchiman - - August 29, 2006
Subject: Some Answers
Actually Vernan Dalhart was the first person to record this album on an Edison Recording in 1924. And yes that sound that you hear is a ukelele. In fact my Great Grandfather Frank (Palakiko) Ferreira was the ukelele player in Dalharts recording. He is credited with bringing the first ukelele and hawiian music to the United States

Reviewer: Spuzz - - May 9, 2005
Subject: The Power Of B sides
My interest was piqued.. what was on the b side of this record? So i downloaded this, and it's just great! A simple song, with a harmonica, a ukelele(?) and a great bluegrass voice. The song I'm not entirely clear on, but this is a great listen.

Reviewer: bobwhite - - August 20, 2004
Subject: Memories from the '40s OLD 97
I was raised in the mountains of eastern WV, poor and with no electricity or other utilities. My
grandfather left me a wind-up Edison Victrola
( cylinder records ) and OLD 97 was my favorite of
the few that I had. It was Vernon Dalharts version from 1927, I think. I have always been fascinated by the song and the story behind it. The rendition by Ernest Thompson is one of the best I have ever heard. I had never heard of Thompson. Guess I'll do some research. I really enjoyed this