When the Tennessee Volunteers play you can count on hearing the song Rocky Top played by the marching band and sung loudly by fans throughout the contest.

Written by married songwriters Boudreaux Bryant and Felice Bryant in 1967, the song became popular in the early 1970s when singer Lynn Anderson reached the charts with it.

The Tennessee band began playing the song in 1972 and the rest is history. Now, whenever the Volunteers play Rocky Top blares from the band and the lungs of fans. Rocky Top is also an official state of Tennessee song.

Here are the lyrics to Rocky Top:

Wish that I was on ol’ Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills
Ain’t no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain’t no telephone bills
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, other half cat
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda pop
I still dream about that

Rocky Top, you’ll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top, Tennessee

Once two strangers climbed ol’ Rocky Top
Lookin’ for a moonshine still
Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top
Reckon they never will
Corn won’t grow at all on Rocky Top
Dirt’s too rocky by far
That’s why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar

Rocky Top, you’ll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top, Tennessee

I’ve had years of cramped-up city life
Trapped like a duck in a pen
All I know is it’s a pity life
Can’t be simple again

Rocky Top, you’ll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top, Tennessee