As one songwriter put it, the Lions have emerged ‘From the Dirt’ to energize their long-suffering fan base, while Jeff Daniels is convinced they’ve broken ‘The Curse of Bobby Layne.’ It’s a playoff serenade.

Detroit Grit: The Lions have taken their blue-collar work ethic to the top of the NFL. (Video Screenshot)
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Generation-altering, culture-changing success in the NFL breeds … tribute songs.
At least it does in the case of the Detroit Lions, who for the first time in their long history are the No. 1 seeds in the NFC conference and the odds-on favorite (ulp) to reach and win (double-ulp) their first-ever Super Bowl.
As a result, some diehard Lions fans who also happen to be musicians and songwriters have been inspired to celebrate these gritty, ultra-lovable, gridiron cats by creating memorable songs and tracks to cheer on the team, which hosts the Washington Commanders tonight in the divisional playoff round at Ford Field in Detroit.

Lifelong Fan: Andrew P. Oliver (Photo/Dan Johnson)
Take musician, producer and record label founder Andrew P. Oliver, a native of Greenville, Mich., who now makes his home, interestingly, in Greenville, South Carolina, but who’s been “a huge fan of the Lions” his entire life.
“I watched every game of the 0-16 season. Every year without fail, my brother and I would say ‘This is the Lions’ year,’ ” Oliver told Local Spins.
“Feels good to be on the winning side of things after all this time. I believe in Dan Campbell and the intangibles he brings to the team’s psyche. The Lions have the talent now, but they have the intangibles as well — a winning mentality and a refusal to accept anything less.”
So Oliver not only released a “Lions Victory” EP in September to kick off the season — with tracks such as “Jared Goff (Detroit Lions Hype Song)” and “Motor City Dan Campbell” — but this week unfurled “From the Dirt (Detroit Anthem)” to help spur the team onto playoff victory.
VIDEO: “From the Dirt (Detroit Anthem),” Andrew P. Oliver
Oliver — part of the band Brother Oliver, formed in Michigan with his brother, Stephen, in 2012 — called his new Lions theme “a pump-up track playing off Amik Robertson’s locker-room speech after the Vikings game a couple weeks ago.”
Of course, Oliver’s not alone. Actor, songwriter and guitarist Jeff Daniels has made a national splash with his clever and humorous ditty, “The Curse of Bobby Layne,” which he’s not only released as a single and performed in Detroit, but recently uncorked it on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

On ‘The Tonight Show’: Jeff Daniels
For those unfamiliar with the curse story: Former Detroit Lions quarterback Bobby Layne, who led them to their last NFL championship in 1957, was traded the next season to the Pittsburgh Steelers, which — as the unsubstantiated legend alleges — prompted Layne to declare that the Lions wouldn’t win for 50 years. We’re all singing a different tune a half-century later, so …
Last season, Grand Rapids native and metro Detroit hip-hop artist Ryn Scott created the song “Lions” (1,400 views on YouTube) while Detroit rapper Gmac Cash released “Lions Won Again” (158,000 views on YouTube).
All of it, hopefully, will fuel even more success for a team that’s captivated not only Michigan but the entire country.
Go Lions, indeed.
LISTEN: “The Curse of Bobby Layne,” Jeff Daniels, Peyton Manning, Jeff Daniels Band
VIDEO: Jeff Daniels on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
VIDEO: “Lions Won Again,” GMAC Cash
VIDEO: “Lions,” Ryn Scott
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