Tennessee Waltz – Redd Stewart, is a popular country music song with lyrics by Redd Stewart and music by Pee Wee King written in 1946 and first released in January 1948. The song became a multimillion seller via a 1950 recording – as “The Tennessee Waltz” – by Patti Page. As of 1974, it was the biggest-selling song ever in Japan.
All versions of the lyrics narrate a situation in which the persona has introduced his or her sweetheart to a friend who then waltzes away with her or him. The lyrics are altered for pronoun gender on the basis of the gender of the singer.
The popularity of “Tennessee Waltz” also made it the fourth official song of the state of Tennessee in 1965.
A considerable amount of time passed before Pee Wee King’s Golden West Cowboys were able to record “Tennessee Waltz.” Their recording was made in a December 2, 1947 session at the RCA Victor Studio in Chicago. Its release as Victor (20–2680) was noted the following month.
Redd Stewart – Tennessee Waltz
A-side “Rootie Tootie”
Released January 1948
Recorded December 2, 1947
Studio RCA Victor Studios, Chicago. Illinois
Genre Country
Length 2:57
Label RCA Victor
Composer(s) Pee Wee King
Lyricist(s) Redd Stewart