<P> "Rocky Top" was written by married songwriting duo Boudleaux Bryant (1920--1987) and Felice Bryant (1925--2003) in 1967 . 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 . Writing the fast - paced "Rocky Top," which took about 10 minutes to write, served as a temporary diversion for them . </P> <P> 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 . 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 . The song was deemed popular enough to be played at a halftime country music show at a game against Alabama in October 1972, gaining fans' attention . UT recognized the song's appeal and the band started playing Rocky Top at every game . Longtime band director W.J. 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 . </P> <P> The song was officially adopted as the fifth Tennessee state song in 1982 . 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," and the song's original sheet music is on display at the Rocky Top Village Inn in downtown Gatlinburg . </P> <P> Despite its fast and upbeat tempo, the song is actually a lament over the loss of a way of life . In the song's opening verse, the singer longs for a place called "Rocky Top," where there is no "smoggy smoke" and there are no "telephone bills ." The singer reminisces about a love affair he once had on Rocky Top with a woman "wild as a mink" and "sweet as soda pop ." The song's second verse recalls a story about two "strangers" (apparently revenue agents) climbing Rocky Top "looking for a moonshine still," but never returning (conflict between moonshiners and "revenuers" is a common theme in Appalachian culture). The song says that the soil on Rocky Top is too rocky to grow corn, so the people of Rocky Top "get their corn from a jar". In the third and final verse (which consists of just four lines), the singer again longs for the "simple" life, likening life in the city to being "trapped like a duck in a pen ." </P>

When did rocky top became a state song