Randy Smith
Tennessee's fight song, "Rocky Top" was recently named as the best fight song in college football. In previous years it had also been named the most annoying and obnoxious one, but it's part of what makes Neyland Stadium the toughest place to play. In the early 1970s you wouldn't hear "Rocky Top" played in Knoxville. In the late 1970s however you could hear it played in Chattanooga at UTC's games. Basketball coach Ron Shumate was looking for another way to create interest for his team and he asked WDOD General Manager Bill Nash for some advice.
Nash who also served as the "Voice of the Mocs" told Shumate about the song, written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.
It had become a big-time Bluegrass hit for the Osborne Brothers and Nash saw something special. In 1976, Shumate's Mocs had made it to the D-II National Championship Game and lost. Nash told Shumate, "We've been to the top of the mountain, on Rocky Top and the water was so sweet, we want to go back." In 1977, the Mocs went back to the National Championship and won it. Rocky Top was here to stay....so we thought.
It seems that University of Tennessee Director of Bands, Dr. Jay Julian heard the song and he decided the Pride of the Southland Band simply had to have it. So, Tennessee actually took the song from UTC. Both dchools used it for a few years, in fact when the Mocs and Vols each played in the 1982 NCAA Mideast Regional Basketball Tournament in Louisville, the song was played by pep bands from both schools. Eventually in a few years, the Mocs dropped the song and let the Volunteers have it.
So now you know. UTC had the song first and there has never been any real hostility about it. Now....it's become so popular on a national scale everyone has heard of it and it is indeed the most famous fight song in the game. U.T. Knoxville has always looked at U.T. Chattanooga as its little sister and that has caused some hostility among Mocs' fans but without the insight of Bill Nash and Ron Shumate it would likely be just a popular Bluegrass tune.
Regardless, you'll hear it quite a bit this Saturday in Atlanta's Mercedes Benz Stadium as the Vols take on Syracuse in the 2025 season opener. By the way, the last time Tennessee opened the season against Syracuse away from Neyland Stadium, the Vols won the national championship....Just sayin'.
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Randy Smith can be reached at rsmithsports@epbfi.com