Old vs New Rocky Top

Rocky Top" is a favorite of UT fans, alumni, and others who sing it while the Tennessee Volunteers play at Neyland Stadium and Thompson–Boling Arena. The House of Bryant in Gatlinburg, their publishing company, has granted the University of Tennessee a perpetual license to play the song as much and as often as success on the field dictates. The song was first played on October 21, 1972, during a home game against the Alabama Crimson Tide, where the Volunteers lost (17–10). According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the band director at the time, Dr. W. J. Julian, was reluctant to play "Rocky Top" as Julian did not think it was appropriate for the game's halftime show. However, the assistant band director, Barry MacDonald, insisted on playing the song, and Julian eventually gave in and let the band play "Rocky Top" for 50 seconds at the end of a circle drill during their halftime show. Over the years, "Rocky Top" has become so closely associated with UT that many people believe it to be the school's fight song. However, UT's official fight song is "Down the Field Lyrics: Rocky Top, you'll always be Home sweet home to me Good ol' Rocky Top (woo!) Rocky Top, Tennessee