About The Song
“Rocky Mountain Music” is a nostalgic country ballad by Eddie Rabbitt, released in June 1976 as the second single from his Elektra Records album of the same name. Written by Rabbitt, it peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, charting for 12 weeks, and reached No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 48 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, and No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. The 3:35 track reflects Rabbitt’s longing for his rural roots, painting vivid images of his Tennessee childhood: “Back upon an old dirt road / Next to a swamp full of toads.” His smooth, heartfelt vocals, infused with a touch of rockabilly, capture a yearning for simpler times, as Billboard noted: “Eddie’s voice carries the song’s homesick soul.” Rabbitt told Country Music in 1978, “I wrote it about missing home—those Tennessee hills and my grandpa’s fiddle.” The song’s evocative storytelling helped solidify Rabbitt’s reputation as a crossover artist, blending country with pop-rock sensibilities.
Recorded in early 1976 at The Sound Shop in Nashville, the track was produced by David Malloy, with uncredited Nashville players likely including Billy Sanford on guitar, Hargus “Pig” Robbins on piano, Henry Strzelecki on bass, and Larry Londin on drums, per Discogs. The arrangement—acoustic guitar, gentle steel, and subtle strings—creates a warm, reflective mood, as AllMusic praises: “It’s a tender ode to roots, with Eddie’s voice front and center.” The album Rocky Mountain Music reached No. 14 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The G-C-D chord progression and “playin’ me some Rocky Mountain music” refrain, per Chordify, gave it radio and fan appeal. A 2009 remaster on Spotify’s Number One Hits collection and a 2018 live version from The Eddie Rabbitt Collection underscore its enduring charm.
Eddie Rabbitt, born November 27, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, started as a songwriter, penning hits like “Kentucky Rain” for Elvis Presley (1970). His 1970s and 1980s career, with 17 No. 1 country hits like “Drinkin’ My Baby (Off My Mind)” (1976), defined the country-pop crossover era, per Wikipedia. “Rocky Mountain Music” was a live favorite, performed at his 1976 Grand Ole Opry shows and 1977 tour with Dolly Parton, with a YouTube clip showcasing his easy charisma. Covers are scarce, but a 1977 version by Conway Twitty exists, per SecondHandSongs. Reddit fans on r/country in 2023 called it “a love letter to simpler days,” with an X post in 2025 noting: “Still gives me chills.” Rabbitt died of lung cancer on May 7, 1998, at 56.
The song appeared in no major films but thrives on streaming platforms, with Shazam users tagging its wistful melody. No controversies surround it—just Rabbitt’s knack for heartfelt nostalgia, as No Depression notes: “Eddie made you feel his homesickness.” “Rocky Mountain Music” remains a cornerstone of his legacy, a timeless tribute to the pull of home and heritage.
Video
Lyric
Back upon an old dirt road
Next to a swamp full of toads
Was a shack where my grandpa would pass his time in the afternoon
He’d play an old fiddle tune
And the bottle would make him sing
He’d be playin’ me some Rocky Mountain music
Lord, it’s good to hear him singRocky Mountain music
Fills my memory
Rocky Mountain music
Papa, can I hear you playin’ for meLittle brother was never quite right
He used to sit on the floor in the sunlight
And I’d be strummin’ my guitar for him to keep time
Mama would holler from the kitchen door
“Son, don’t you play no more”
But grandpa would say, “Let the boy play some Rocky Mountain music”
Lord, it’s good to hear him singRocky Mountain music
Fills my memory
Rocky Mountain music
Papa, can I hear you playin’ for meI’m goin’ back to the shack where the front yard’s full of junk
And the backyard’s full of memories of you
I’m gonna sit on the porch where you used to sing
And listen to the wind blow through the pines
Playin’ me some Rocky Mountain music
Lord, it’s good to hear you singRocky Mountain music
Fills my memory
Rocky Mountain music
Papa, can I hear you playin’ for me