In the 1970s, the song achieved such popularity among bar crowds that the Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based old-time band the Red Clay Ramblers' national tours included a crowd-pleasing satire informally titled 'Play 'Rocky Top' (or I'll Punch Your Lights Out.)' The Bryants' children currently own the rights to the song under the corporate name 'House of Bryant.' Lyrics ĭespite its fast and upbeat tempo, the song laments the loss of a way of life. The song was officially adopted as the fifth Tennessee state song in 1982, passing in the Tennessee House of Representatives in an unanimous 97-0 vote and in the Tennessee Senate with a 30-1 vote. Julian stated that if Rocky Top was ever not played, then there would be a mutiny among Vol fans, reflecting the song's deep-rooted foundation in UT sports. UT recognized the song's appeal and the band started playing Rocky Top at every game. Randolph reprised his jazzy 'Rocky Top' solo when Tennessee played LSU on New Year's Eve, 1972 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl at the Houston Astrodome. The song was deemed popular enough to be played at a halftime country music show by guest saxophone soloist Boots Randolph at a game in Knoxville against Alabama on October 21, 1972, gaining fans' attention. In 1972, UT's Pride of the Southland Band first played the song as part of one of its drills, the idea and arrangement being primarily the work of band arranger Barry MacDonald. While the song became a staple of the Osborne Brothers concerts in the late 1960s, the song did not achieve mass popularity until the early 1970s, when Lynn Anderson's version reached number seventeen on the Billboard Country Top 100. Writing the fast-paced 'Rocky Top,' which took about 10 minutes, served as a temporary diversion for them. At the time, the Bryants were working at The Gatlinburg Inn in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on a collection of slow-tempo songs for a project for Archie Campbell and Chet Atkins. 'Rocky Top' was written by married songwriting duo Boudleaux Bryant (1920–1987) and Felice Bryant (1925–2003) in 1967. In 2005, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ranked 'Rocky Top' number seven on its list of 100 Songs of the South. Country charts, and Lynn Anderson's 1970 version peaked at No. The Osborne Brothers' 1967 bluegrass version of the song reached No. college athletics, 'Rocky Top' is associated with the Tennessee Volunteers of the University of Tennessee (UT), whose Pride of the Southland Band has played a marching band version of the song at the school's sporting events since the early 1970s. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler and freer existence in the hills of Tennessee, is one of Tennessee's ten official state songs and has been recorded by dozens of artists from multiple musical genres worldwide since its publication. ' Rocky Top' is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. For other uses, see Rocky Top (disambiguation).įrom the album Yesterday, Today, and the Osborne Brothers There’s now a city in Tennessee that has taken on the name, but they may not be able to compete with Knoxville and the Volunteers when it comes to nickname recognition.Ĭhances are when you’re talking about Rocky Top, you’re talking about Tennessee football.This article is about the song. Rocky Top wasn’t an actual place, though the Osborne Brothers wrote the song in Gatlinburg and it may refer to a specific mountain top in the Great Smokey Mountains. That title belongs to the song “Down the Field.” Still, it feels just as essential to enjoying a college football Saturday in Tennessee.

It is not, in fact, the school fight song. Since then, it’s gained a direct association with the Volunteers. In 1972, the Tennessee marching band first added it to their repertoire at football games. “Rocky Top” is a bluegrass song originally performed by the Osborne Brothers in 1967.

It’s even become a way to refer to where Tennessee plays games. In fact, the song is so deeply associated with the Volunteers, it doesn’t just get mistaken for Tennesee‘s fight song. The orange and white checkers of Neyland Stadium are iconic.

So why does it sometimes get referred to as Rocky Top? The Tennessee Volunteers play their football at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.

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