The State of Tennessee

Current State Songs

#1-#6

Proposed Song
 

Tennessee

Written by Vivian Rorie

I do not know of another state
Where I had rather be
Than this great state I'm living in
And that is Tennessee.

I love the stars dearly
And there are surely three
That show the Grand Division
Of my home-land, Tennessee.

Where could you find a me adow
With grass so vividly green?
Where could you find the mountains
With such majestic scene?

You will never find so bright a moon
To shine down from above
You will also see the robin
The wren, and the turtle dove.

And don't forget the rivers
Where visitors long to stay.
And many have voice in parting,
'I'm sure glad I passed this way.'

You will see the cattle grazing
Beside a cotton field;
And there's the Grand Ole Opry
And a feeling it's all God's will.

I have lived here all my life
It's where I'm going to be
Although I've traveled quite a bit,
I'll still take Tennessee!

Oh, I sure love the state I'm in:
The great state of Tennessee!"

Rocky Top

Written by
Boudleaux and Felice Bryant

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;

Chorus
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;

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.

Tennessee
Download the Tennessee.mp3

Words and Music by Chuck Jones
Performed by members of Kim Hassenfeld's Class Fall 2002 at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee
Tennessee Tennessee

Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee
Tennessee Tennessee

Tennessee Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee

 

Tennessee Waltz

Written by Redd Stewart
Composed by Pee Wee King

I was waltzing with my darlin'
to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend
I happened to see
Introduced him to my loved one
and while they were waltzing
My friend stole my sweetheart from me.

I remember the night
and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes I lost my little darlin'
the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz.

 

When It's Iris Time In Tennessee

Written by Willa Waid Newman

Sweetness of Spring memories bring
Of a place I long to be.
Land of Sunshine calls this old heart of mine,
Come back to Tennessee.

Rocks and the rills deep tinted hills,
Three's no spot so dear to me.
Where'er I roam still it's my Home Sweet Home,
My own, my Tennessee.

When it's Iris time down in Tennessee,
I'll be coming back to stay
Where the mockingbird sings
at the break of day
A lilting love song gay.
Where the Iris grows,
Where the Harpeth flows,
That is where I long to be.
There's a picture there that lives in memory
When it's Iris time in Tennessee.

 

My Homeland, Tennessee

Written by Nell Grayson Taylor
Composed by Roy Lamont Smith

O Tennessee, that gave us birth,
To thee our hearts bow down.
For thee our love and loyalty
Shall weave a fadeless crown.
Thy purple hills our cradle was;
Thy fields our mother breast
Beneath thy sunny bended skies,
Our childhood days were blessed.

Could we forget our heritage
Of heroes strong and brave?
Could we do aught but cherish it,
Unsullied to the grave?
Ah no! the State where Jackson sleeps,
Shall ever peerless be.
We glory in thy majesty;
Our homeland, Tennessee.

'Twas long ago our fathers came,
A free and noble band,
Across the mountain's frowning heights
To seek a promised land.
And here before their raptured eyes;
In beauteous majesty:
Outspread the smiling valleys
Of the winding Tennessee.

O Tennessee: Fair Tennessee:
Our love for thee can never die:
Dear homeland, Tennessee.

 

My Tennessee

Written by Frances Hannah Tranum

Beloved state, oh state of mine,
In all the world I could not find,
Where God has strewn with lavish hand,
More natural beauty o'er the land.
From ev'ry stream and valley green
His wond'rous art is ever seen.
Ah, let my heart beat true to thee,
And swell with pride for Tennessee.

Thy rocks and rills, and wooded hills,
My mem'ry keeps the childhood thrills
You gave to me, that I might know
The joys supreme, you could bestow.
The song of birds, the whisp'ring trees,
The low herds, the hum of bees,
I all comes back so dear to me,
My childhood home in Tennessee.

Your battles fought, and vict'ries won,
Your freedom bought and duty done,
With daughters fair, and sons so brave,
To do and dare, their deeds they gave.
Courageously, without a fear,
And won the name of volunteer.
In sacred trust, let those who will,
By being just, preserve it still.

Oh, Tennessee, My Tennessee,
Thy hills and vales are fair to see,
With mountains grand, and fertile lands
There is no state more dear to me.
Thro' other climes tho I may roam,
There will be times I'll long for home,
In Tennessee, Fair Tennessee,
The land of my nativity.

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