If Cringe-Worthy Song Worked for Rangers, Then Why Not Arkansas?

See, hear the candidates Razorback fans could find themselves belting out when Hogs need to Hulk up most during a game rest of the season

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Oct 26, 2023 12:36 PM EDT

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When things turned in a sharp negative direction for the Texas Rangers from the second half of August through the first half of September, management looked for every way possible to keep the team from falling out of playoff contention all together.

They searched through all the traditional baseball avenues to try to find a spark, but nothing worked. Then, organically, Texas fans in Section 133 started looking for ways to be as rowdy and obnoxious as possible, hoping their energy would spread to the team. The energy transfer began to work, but it wasn't quite enough. The players needed something special and they knew it.

That's when they sent an odd request to team executives. They wanted the rights to play Creed songs secured and they had a couple specifically in mind, the most prominent of which was "Higher." They knew Creed was a popular band to hate, but they also knew everyone knew the words and would sing it anyway. There was just something about the idea of 40,000 Rangers fans singing along to it that got them hyped.

Executives thought the idea was strange, but if the players wanted it and thought it might help, then they were gonna get their wish. At the next home game the song blasted out, fans sang and the adrenaline flowed. The rest is history as a team with one of the weakest bullpens in history turned things around and found a way to make it to the World Series.

So, if it can work in DFW, perhaps the formula of finding a song or group it's "cool" to hate but fans can interact with will turn things around in Northwest Arkansas. Sam Pittman has already tried changing coaches, so why not throw one more variable into the mix to say he tried everything to get the Razorbacks on track again.

Always willing to help, a list has been compiled of the most worthy candidates. The idea of Arkansas fans collectively singing one of these to an unsuspecting SEC team is enough to bring a glow to pretty much anyone's day.

NICKELBACK – "How You Remind Me"

There's no way a list like this could start any other way than Nickelback. They're basically the other side of the Creed coin as far bands go that people claim to despise yet secretly turn up on the radio if no one else is around.

And if you're going to go with Nickelback, it has to be all in with the heaviest of heavy hitter songs from their catalogue when it comes to drawing whines from people pretending to be music snobs, "How You Remind Me."

The best thing about this is, for a song everyone claims to not listen to yet know they hate in the deepest areas of their hearts, almost everyone knows the words. That's the No. 1 ingredient to choosing a song for all 45,000 Razorback fans physically present in a "sold out" Razorback to sing along together on the first weekend of deer season. That might freak out the Auburn players way more than an additional "Woooo Pig Sooie."

NICKELBACK – "Rockstar"

So many people love to hate Nickelback, and this song does appear on the list of most hated songs of all time, but considering how many super famous people appear in this video singing along, the hate couldn't have been that deep. That's a lot of support. Even the NASCAR crowd will see a few familiar faces from their tight circle of people they are willing to back.

This song works on two levels. The first is the idea this Arkansas team wants to find a way to be rockstars again and live a life of being loved everywhere they go to the fullest. So many lines in this song align quite well with what it's like to be a Razorback around town when things are going well.

The second is how well this video could be adapted for the stadium experience. They can record fans, famous people associated with Arkansas, and also a long list of beloved current and former Razorback athletes. It's got sing-along crowd pleaser written all over it, so this is a legitimate contender.

EVANESCENCE – Bring Me to Life

A long time ago, in an age before social media, a little band from Arkansas played in a strip mall just off Asher Avenue in Little Rock down the street from Arkansas-Little Rock. It wasn't a big deal that particular night because around that same time, Slipknot, a band known for its terrifying imagery, was the biggest band rolling through the venue.

However, a few days, possibly weeks later, the Marvel movie "Daredevil" came out and Evanescence, a band few knew at the time, rocketed to the top as "Bring Me to Life" played constantly. Teenagers saw Amy Lee more than their own mothers for a short while.

The idea of that haunting opening piano playing through Razorback Stadium is enough to draw chills. Plus, all generations will know the song because once social media came around and memes became a thing, this song became second only to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" in the meme community, so the teens in the stands have been forced by the wonders of the internet to have the lyrics memorized also.

Vanilla Ice – "Ninja Rap"

The one song on this list that deserved to be a meme is the one that actually appears to carry the most respect. "Ninja Rap" killed whatever street cred Vanilla Ice had inthe 90's and appeared to bring an abrupt end to his career. Apparently rapping with people in foam Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes was more than those locked in the East Coast vs. West Coast rap battles could stomach.

However, this song is exactly why Vanilla Ice still has a career outside of renovating houses every now and then. It's had even more staying power among the current generations than "Ice, Ice, Baby" because the Ninja Turtles keep getting rebooted at a level fit for Batman, Spiderman and Superman.

The best part of this song is even those who don't know it can easily catch on and join in the cringy fun with the rest of the Razorback fans.

Honorable mention:

Limp Bizkit – "Rollin'"
No one inspires people to want to punch someone in the face more than 1990s Fred Durst. However, this song and any other song they put out requires too man beeps to play in a family environment.

Billy Ray Cyrus – "Achy Breaky Heart"
There's little doubt this era of Billy Ray Cyrus hits all the love to hate cringe at the highest level and it does reference Arkansas, which would be a fun point in the song for everyone to get extra loud, but nothing evokes PTSD from the people who lived through the summer this song came out like hearing those opening chords. Too many small town festivals played this on loop to not put someone in therapy if it were played again. I'm looking at you Pink Tomato Festival.