Maps of Music

Southern Rain (2000)

Where the lyrics of Southern Rain take you, and where it was really made.

The title track was written in Cyrus's backyard during a rainstorm, while he felt depressed about leaving his previous record company.

Place unknown

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Cyrus wrote the title track in his backyard during a rainstorm
He said he felt depressed about leaving his previous record company at the time
Released in an election year
Monument Records offered "We the People" to both the George W. Bush and Al Gore presidential campaigns
Bush's 2000 campaign adopted "We the People" as an official theme song
Cyrus said he was unsettled by the song's association with Bush

Dann Huff brought "You Won't Be Lonely Now", "All I'm Thinking About Is You", and "Everywhere I Wanna Be" to Cyrus
"You Won't Be Lonely Now" was the first song recorded for the album
"I Will" was the last song chosen to be recorded for the album
Blake Chancey produced tracks 3 to 6, 9, and 10
Jeff Balding handled recording on all tracks except track 11
Cyrus's band rented studio time and recorded the bonus cover "Hey Elvis" themselves

Cyrus's manager played him a demo of "Love You Back" on the way to Savannah for the album cover photoshoot
Cyrus played the track repeatedly during the shoot

Born William Ray Cyrus on August 25, 1961, in Flatwoods, Kentucky; American singer, songwriter and actor.
Debut album Some Gave All (1992) topped the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums; certified 9× multi-platinum in the US and sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
Lead single "Achy Breaky Heart" topped the Hot Country Songs chart and became a global hit, spreading the line dance into the mainstream.
Moved from Mercury Records to Monument Records in 1999, then to New Door/UMe, Walt Disney Records and Lyric Street Records.
Starred in the PAX series Doc (2001–2004), Disney Channel's Hannah Montana (2006–2011) with daughter Miley Cyrus, and CMT's Still the King (2016–2017).

Featured on the remix of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 19 consecutive weeks there.
The song won Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video.

Married Cindy Smith (1986–1991), then Leticia "Tish" Finley; the couple raised several children together.
Married Australian singer Firerose in 2023; divorce finalized in August 2024.

AllMusic: William Ruhlmann called it a sturdy collection of average country songs performed by a minor country talent
Entertainment Weekly: Alanna Nash said he shines on the roots rockers even when he is nearly swallowed up by the power-pop ballads
People: wrote that much of the record sounds like the work of a frustrated heavy metal singer
About.com: a writer said Billy Ray fans would love the album and that it shows he has more to give than one hit
Music.com: Larry Wayne Clark gave a positive review and called it among the better country albums released in the new millennium
Highlights picked by critics: "Hey Elvis", "We the People", "Love You Back", and "Burn Down the Trailer Park"

Cyrus said he was inspired to write the title track in his backyard during a rainstorm.
"Hey Elvis" was originally recorded by Bryan Adams and first released as a bonus track on the Japanese version of his 1996 album 18 til I Die.
Cyrus said he had wanted to cover "Hey Elvis" since Adams gave him a recording of the song in 1997.
Cyrus's father, Ron Cyrus, a Kentucky state legislator, insisted that "We the People" is a Democrat song.
Paul Thorn later put his own version of "Burn Down the Trailer Park" on his 2001 album Aint Love Strange.