Swiperboy - FootVol
It's "FootVol" Time in Tennessee, according to Renaldo Woolridge.
The Vols' junior basketball player has put his musical talents on display yet again, striking a Rocky Top rhythm entitled FootVol.
"This has definitely been the most popular song I've had right after its release,'' Woolridge said, referencing the 17,500 hits on YouTube the song has received since Sunday afternoon. "I wanted to spike everyone's excitement for the season, because I know so many people live for football.''
The Vols open Saturday at Neyland Stadium against UT Martin.
Woolridge's Eric Berry song and video has had more than 295,000 viewings on YouTube the past 11 months, and his "Never Leave You Like Kiffin" song has 112,500 hits in seven months.
Woolridge said he came up with the idea to do another football song with Rocky Top mixed in after the Vols finished their Elite Eight men's basketball run.
He wrote the song in one afternoon, recorded it another day and he has been waiting for the right time to release it.
Woolridge was more nervous about the reaction to the FootVol song than any of the others he has done.
"There was a fine line, because it's the Rocky Top song, and people have loved that here for years,'' Woolridge said. "I remember watching a tape of Marvin Gaye singing the national anthem in 1983, and he sang it differently, and some people liked it, and some people hated it.''
Woolridge said his partner, D.J. Nance, sent him seven versions of the Rocky Top re-mix before he was satisfied with the beat.
The lyrics include references to football coach Derek Dooley, athletic director Mike Hamilton and former Vols Reggie White and Peyton Manning.
Former Tennessee football coaches Robert Neyland and Lane Kiffin also are referenced, as well as the 1986 Sugar Bowl.
"Mike Hamilton was the one person I really wanted to shout out to in the song because he has made what we have with Tennessee athletics possible,'' Woolridge said. "With everything that's gone on, I don't think anyone else could do as good a job of managing it.
"I wonder if this is his first hip-hop song? I hope so.''
UT senior point guard Melvin Goins said he likes Woolridge's work on the court, and in music.
"You see the reaction of the fans to his music, and everyone is always looking forward to hearing it,'' Goins said. "I take my hat off to him because he's able to juggle his basketball, school and music.''
Woolridge, who's competing for a place in the Vols' 10-man rotation on the wing, said it isn't always easy.
"It's been pretty much all business; study hall, class, time in the gym and back to my room, and that's when I record,'' Woolridge said. "When I go out, it has been to set up or do shows.''
Woolridge, who goes by the name of "Swiperboy", has done about 10 public performances over the past two offseasons, most recently last weekend at Barley's and on The Hill on campus.
The Vols basketball team is currently in individual workouts, which consist of three 40-minute supervised sessions each week. Tennessee is eligible to begin practice full-time on Oct. 15.
"My plan, my dream, is to play in the NBA,'' Woolridge said. "This past summer I was offered a record deal from a major company, but I turned it down to come back and play basketball here.
"I love this game, and I love this team.''
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FootVol lyrics
Chorus
I'm talkin bout them volunteers man
Yes the time is here, never fear man
The dooly Era starts now, this the real change
Its footvol (its footvol time) in rockytop Tennessee
Man I say this for the fans in the stadium..and all the tailgators
This tennessee man..tell them haters we the greatest
It's footvol time...Its footvol time...In rockytop Tennessee
Verse
Swiperboy...and im ready for everybody to be up in that orange shirt
Standin up, makin noise, Watchin my boys on the field when they put in work
O yea..what yall thought I woulda turned my back on all oh oh contrary
Im a footvol fan, aint afraid to take stand, check the video w/ Eric Berry
I do this,
and I do it for the fans in the stands in the crowd getting so loud
Can't no body here tell me to pipe down
I do for knoxville that's my town
try n knock a Vol down, then we all standing
Cuz every song I throw a bomb like we bringing back Peyton Manning
Flow so audible...leave you all scramblin
The general like Robert Neyland that's when we began to win
This a new season, look at all we handlin
Lets bring the winning back, Shoutout to Mike Hamilton
started in '51 then in 98' again
But this the year of the VOL..We'll mark it 2010
Volunteers.. better stir it up cuz we in the mix
Footvol boutta Touchdown...give em six
Chorus
Im talkin bout them volunteers man
Yes the time is here, never fear man
The dooly Era starts now, this the real change
Its footvol (its footvol time) in rockytop Tennessee
Man I say this for the fans in the stadium..and all the tailgators
This tennessee man..tell them haters we the greatest
It's footvol time...Its footvol time...In rockytop Tennessee
Verse
Yea...so as they walk down that vol walk
Thinkin bout Sugar Bowl '86..yea that vol talk
Them runnin through that T..tradition it never stops
And then that band playing good ol rockytop
That sense of pride that you have as a volunteer
Alumni all the way down to the students here
Ima be yelling aint no tellin what we'll do this year
Cuz im a ballervol and every sport here is ready to cheer
See if you doubt us, we'll make you about us every night
Cuz I defend my team.....Reggie White
I see a little shine...is getting kinda bright
Lookin at the future its lookin back..Got success on skype
Haha ...there go that flag man its time to run
Its football time in Tennessee lets have some fun
Neyland stadium stand up..lets get it done
We drivin in a new Lane...4get the last 1!
Chorus
Im talkin bout them volunteers man
Yes the time is here, never fear man
The dooly Era starts now, this the real change
Its footvol (its footvol time) in rockytop Tennessee
Man I say this for the fans in the stadium..and all the tailgators
This tennessee man..tell them haters we the greatest
It's footvol time...Its footvol time...In rockytop Tennessee
Source: YouTube.com
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Comments » 25
bustervols writes:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Swiper Boy.
KC_Vol writes:
You gotta love it. It's nice to have a kid from Cali showing so much love for Knoxville, TN.
DownTheField writes:
kid's a Vol! i'm proud of him. it's also nice to see references to neyland, reggie, and sugar vols- not a lot of players latch on to any of the history- good for you renaldo
BxVol writes:
Great job Swiper Boy!
VOLinATL writes:
Hate the music, but I do applaud the sentiment.
UTvols12342000 writes:
Love the song!!
I hope it was KNS's lizard love showing that is the cause of the misspelling of tailgater.
Vay_Owe_Ale_Ace writes:
This is actually good... Didn't like the Eric Berry song very much (Eric Berry...He's scary); kinda corny. But the Rocky Top remix background here is actually good. Good job Wool.
snowvol writes:
Tell you what I notice - the older version of Rocky Top in the song. The former Pride directors had the band playing Rocky Top the way I always remembered it. Under Dr. Sousa, he's changed the length of notes and the overall sound of the chorus - though I love Rocky Top, it doesn't sound nearly as good under Sousa. Not even close.
NeylandWest writes:
This is so unbelievably cool...nicely done, Swiperboy!
nicknack1 writes:
I absolutely love the mellophone/saxophone parts in Rocky Top. They have the countermelody and it sounds good, so I applaud Sousa
tnsportsman writes:
LOL, Love it Swiper-Boy! Like your sprit and love your play on the court! Get to Neyland early and come play/sing it at our tailgate!
GO VOLS, WE ARE UT!
Mtnbiker writes:
Im not a rap fan by any means, but I love the songs Swiperboy has done. RockyTop remix is the first that brought tears of deep appreciation.
Orangeblood13 writes:
Im talkin bout them volunteers man
Yes the time is here, never fear man
nice stuff
(hope you practicing the post as much as you write!)
RockyTopRenegade writes:
Had to shorten the notes to work in the "whooo".
mamalizzer writes:
Great job! I love it.
KC_Vol writes:
That Rocky Top mix is sweet! Normally, I'm not much of a rap fan but that remix of Rocky Top is top notch.
Chris4Vols22 writes:
I'm not the biggest SwiperBoy fan, but this song is legit. I hope he keeps making more complex music like this and that he raps faster.
Colliervol writes:
Song's nice but if he spent as much time honing his basketball skills as he does his rapping, his rear end wouldn't be collecting splinters on the bench. NBA, seriously???
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
Agree. I was in the Pride in the '70's under Dr. Julian, and it sounded so much better. They've especially destroyed the official fight song, Down the Field. It sounds horrible now with all the staccato...no energy at all.
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
Sousa had nothing to do with that arrangement. It's the same as when we first started playing it in the '70s.
pj_ladyvolnMI writes:
I'm pretty sure it's a Barry McDonald arrangement. His stuff for the Pride was amazing.
vol68 writes:
Even a "give em six" John Ward reference. Good job SB. Miss THE Voice of the Vols.
POTSVol writes:
The reason more of the notes in the songs the band plays are staccato is so you can tell where the notes start and stop. From a distance, it would all sound slurry and a little messy. This way it makes it crisp and clean. Up close it would sound fine but far away, like the opposite end of the stadium, it just wouldn't sound as good. We would try playing the Julian way and listen to older recordings and compare. It really is easier to listen to. Down the Field and Fight Vols Fight are more or less marches and are supposed to be played with shorter notes. Not all are played in that style.
I marched five years under Sousa. This is the reasoning I was given. Makes sense to me.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
I didn't listen to it... being a music teacher I sorta resent them calling it a "song". I do have to admit that rap IS music. tho'...not my favorite but a little fun. I hope he's as excited about UT b-ball.
mocsandvolsfan writes:
Ok I just forced myself to listen to half of it. I was right. It's not a "song"...no singing at all in it.
However...for it's genre it was good! People who like rap would like this I think.
But he could do as well in the gym working on foul shots, shots anywhere inside the 3 point mark, footwork for defense, etc...I like Woolridge but honestly I think he's a little spoiled maybe...heck I would be if Orlando was my Dad.
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