“Rocky Top” is the University of Tennessee’s most popular college football song. Even though it is not the university’s official fight song, it is the most proudly sung tune for all of Tennessee’s college life. Everybody chimes in and cheers on “good old Rocky Top.” It is hard to express how popular U.T. college football is in Knoxville and all over Tennessee.

Felice and Boudleaux Bryant wrote “Rocky Top” in 1967 as a diversion from other work, with the song taking them just 10 minutes to write. Although the husband-and-wife songwriter duo—known for many famous hits like “Love Hurts” and “Wake Up, Little Susie”—wrote some 6000 songs over the span of their career, “Rocky Top” may be their most lasting creation.

There are many parts of Tennessee culture that make it difficult to get things like vaccine mandates passed in this state. College football, country music, Elvis, and “Rocky Top” are certainly among them.

Watch the best scenes of this year’s winning Tennessee Volunteers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide literally “turning the tide” in favor of the Vols after a 15-game losing streak. And its “Rocky Top” through to the glorious end!

Related:

“Rocky Top” song on Wikipedia

Dolly Parton sings “Rocky Top”