Home / Opinion / Billy Ray Cyrus’ anthem for the Predators, ‘Bring the Stanley Cup to Tennessee,’ is… not good

Billy Ray Cyrus’ anthem for the Predators, ‘Bring the Stanley Cup to Tennessee,’ is… not good

By Ian Oland

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June 2, 2017 4:19 pm

Born and raised in Frederick, Maryland, I was constantly exposed to country music throughout my childhood and, as an adult, I grew to love and appreciate the genre. Which is why I can say with 100% confidence that this Predators rally song written by Billy Ray Cyrus is incomprehensibly bad.

Entitled Bring the Stanley Cup to Tennessee, this quickly put-together hatchet-job of a song was likely done by Cyrus to capitalize on the national attention being given to the Predators.

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While the music is polished, the vocals are a disaster. The song starts with a promising and powerful guitar riff, but then the entirety of the first verse is performed in a growling whisper. When the chorus begins, Cyrus, who is now singing in his normal voice, is either intentionally or unintentionally off key. We’ll all stand and cheer, and toast it with a beer Cyrus sings, while a cowbell is loudly struck in the background.

The only way I can describe Cyrus’s vocals, and I say this with great sincerity, is that he sounds like he’s straining to get out a turd.

Rolling Stone writes “The song is little more than a verse and a lick, but that’s all it really needs to be.”

I agree. If I had to listen to another 30 seconds, I’m not sure I’d still have ears. No, I don’t know what I mean by that.

What do you guys think? Am I being overdramatic? Is this anthem so bad it’s good?

11:20 PM update: Cyrus has deleted the original version of the song and released a new mix, which features an audible first verse.

The song is available as a free download at BillyRayCyrus.com.

Headline photo: @billyraycyrus

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