"Good 'ol Rocky Top..."

So... lots of states have unofficial theme songs.

New York- "New York, New York"
Alabama- "Sweet Home Alabama"
Texas- "Deep In The Heart Of Texas"

California's been serenaded by everyone from Tupac to Phantom Planet. One of Ohio's odes got remixed by the entire cast of the Drew Carey show... there are all kinds of unofficial theme songs. They get played at football games, sometimes at concerts too.

I wasn't even aware Tennessee had an Unofficial Theme Song until I moved here and everyone knew the words but me. It was like my first ACU Chapel all over again!

Tennessee's U.T.S. is "Rocky Top"-- and because I haven't heard it my whole life-- I think it's adorable. It's so catchy! And I still find it really novel because I'm fairly sure everyone in Nashville knows the song except me.

UT (TN, not TX-- even though they're both orange and represented by big T's.) uses it as their fight song, and at any major city events, the folks in charge end up playing it over a loudspeaker. The Franklin cloggers practice dancing to it on the steps of city hall, artists cover it at concerts, and anywhere it makes an appearance, *a sing-along ensues.

And I secretly love it. :) Know why?

Eecause every time it comes on, life turns into a musical. Everyone knows the words, and everyone sings along. (Of course after visiting the dueling piano bar this weekend, I've realized that the same thing tends to happen with "Ice Ice Baby" and also any hits by Michael Jackson or Bon Jovi... but Rocky Top still has sort of a wider appeal... in TN at least.)

Anyway, I'm happy my new state at least has a catchy U.T.S.... "Music City" oughta know a thing or two about writing a hook.

*This is not the best or most complete version of the song... but it's how it usually sounds when I hear it. :)