In the song, a moonshiner runs illegal whiskey from Kentucky to Knoxville on this route.

[2] Sections of the former Highway 33 in Union County have signs marking "The Original Thunder Road".

SR 33 begins in Polk County in Tennga at the Georgia state line concurrent with US 411 as its unsigned companion route.

US 411/SR 33 then continue north, then turn northwest and cross the Ocoee River before entering Benton.

Just before crossing into Loudon County, SR 72 separates and turns east, running along the banks of Tellico Lake.

US 411/SR 33 then cross into Loudon County and go northeast to Greenback to intersect with the southern end of SR 95.

US 11/US 70/SR 1 then separate and go east, leaving US 441/SR 33 to go north, with SR 33 changing to a primary highway at this intersection.

They continue through some North Knoxville neighborhoods, where they have an interchange with Hall of Fame Drive and unsigned SR 71 joins the concurrency, before entering Fountain City.

In Union County, it passes by the Knoxville Dragstrip before having an intersection and concurrency with SR 61 in Paulette.

It then meets the eastern end of SR 170 in Hickory Valley before crossing Norris Lake and into Claiborne County.

They leave Tazewell and go south through Springdale, before separating from US 25E/SR 32 and going north east, just before another crossing of Norris Lake.

It goes northeast, still curvy, and parallels the Clinch River again all the way to Kyles Ford, where it has an intersection and short concurrency with SR 70.