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Tennessee State Song

Tennessee Adopted: May 23, 2011

Tennessee

by John R. Bean

   Oh Tennessee, I long to come back home.
   I guess your dew has settled on my soul.
   Everyday I stayed away,
   You called my heart back, home to stay.
   Oh Tennessee, I long to come back home.
   
   Oh Tennessee, I’m missing you too soon.
   Silver skies and lazy afternoons…
   Silver clouds and golden moon,
   You’re Mother Nature’s Tender Womb…
   Oh Tennessee, I’m missing you too soon.
   
   Your days, have such gentle ways
   Aimless thoughts and windblown rhymes
   Your nights sing such peaceful songs.
   To a tired and weary mind.
   
   Oh Tennessee, I’ve spent more than I’ve earned,
   But I’m much richer now for what I’ve learned…
   Money won’t buy peace of mind,
   And peace of mind is what I’ll find…
   Oh Tennessee, you treated me so kind.
  
   Welcome home
   Welcome home

Adoption of ninth state song

Tennessee state song

Depending on your point of view, "Tennessee," by John R. Bean, is the seventh or the ninth song to be adopted by the Tennessee General Assembly. Some of the news reporting has referred to "Tennessee" as the seventh song. This count does not take into account another song titled "Tennessee," by Vivian Rorie or "Smoky Mountain Rain," by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan. Perhaps because these two songs were adopted by Resolution some do not consider them official. Since a Resolution is an official expression of the Legislature, we do consider them "official."

"If we get two more we could cut an album,"

quipped House Democratic Chairman Mike Turner of Nashville during brief House floor debate.[1]

If one counts the Tennessee bicentennial songs (3) and Tennessee's United States bicentennial song, the count could have gone even higher.

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 242

SENATE BILL NO. 1910

By Woodson, McNally, Barnes, Overbey, Ford, Beavers, Bell, Berke, Burks, Crowe, Faulk, Finney, Gresham, Harper, Haynes, Henry, Herron, Johnson, Kelsey, Ketron, Kyle, Marrero, Norris, Roberts, Southerland, Stewart, Tate, Tracy, Watson, Yager, Mr. Speaker Ramsey

Substituted for: House Bill No. 1131
By Harry Brooks, Stewart

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 3, relative to state songs.

WHEREAS, from time to time, the General Assembly has adopted certain songs as official state songs; and

WHEREAS, over Tennessee's history, eight songs have been honored as official state songs: "My Homeland, Tennessee" (1925); "When It's Iris Time in Tennessee" (1935); "My Tennessee" (1955); "Tennessee Waltz" (1965); "Rocky Top" (1982); "Tennessee" (1992); "The Pride of Tennessee" (1996); and "Smoky Mountain Rain" (2010); and

WHEREAS, "Tennessee," a wonderful song written by the late John R. Bean of Knoxville, celebrates Tennessee's culture and natural beauty in a wistful, elegiac tone reminiscent of America's finest folk music; and

WHEREAS, the lyrics to "Tennessee" are as follows:

"Tennessee" by John R. Bean

Oh Tennessee, I long to come back home.
I guess your dew has settled on my soul.
Everyday I stayed away,
You called my heart back, home to stay.
Oh Tennessee, I long to come back home.

Oh Tennessee, I'm missing you too soon.
Silver skies and lazy afternoons ...
Silver clouds and golden moon,
You're Mother Nature's Tender Womb ...
Oh Tennessee, I'm missing you too soon.

Your days, have such gentle ways,
Aimless thoughts and windblown rhymes,
Your nights sing such peaceful songs
To a tired and weary mind.

Oh Tennessee, I've spent more than I've earned,
But I'm much richer now for what I've learned ...
Money won't buy peace of mind,
And peace of mind is what I'll find ...
Oh Tennessee, you treated me so kind.

Welcome home,
Welcome home; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Bean recorded a demo of the song shortly before his passing, thus preserving his inspiring interpretation of "Tennessee" for present and future generations of Tennesseans to enjoy; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that this body should formerly recognize "Tennessee" by John R. Bean as a state song; now, therefore,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-302, is amended by adding the following language as a new subdivision (6):

(6) "Tennessee" by John R. Bean, as adopted by this act.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

"Tennessee" became an official state song when Governor Bill Haslam signed Senate Bill No.1910 on May 23, 2011.

Written by the late John Bean, of Knoxville, this song is the second song so honored with the title "Tennessee." The first "Tennessee" was written by Vivian Rorie and adopted by House Joint Resolution No. 744 in 1992. It's technical designation is the "song of the 97th General Assembly."

Sources...

Senate Bill No. 1910. Nashville: The Tennessee General Assembly, 2012. Web. >http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1910>.
The State of Tennessee. The Tennessee General Assembly. Tennessee Code. LexisNexis®, 2011. Web.
[1] Humphrey, Tom. "State Song No. 9 Approved by House and Senate." Knoxville News Sentinel 11 May 2011. n. pag. Web. 8 Sep. 2011. <http://blogs.knoxnews.com/humphrey/2011/05/state-song-no-9-approved-by-ho.html>.

Additional Information