I can remember back to the early days of wrestling. Back when wrestling really started to explode and take off in its World Wrestling Federation (WWF) days. It was when Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and Andre the Giant were wrestling. Gimmick wrestlers like Iron Sheik, Million Dollar Man and Nikolai Volkov were there as well. There were diverse characters who stood out and each had a story to tell. And they each came to the ring with powerful and different theme music which made them easily identified and cheered or jeered.
Hulk Hogan has perhaps the most famous of wrestling songs with "Real American". According to info found at Wikipedia, Hogan originally used the Survivor song Eye of the Tiger which was from the Rocky movie's soundtrack. Hogan of course had made a cameo in the Rocky 3 movie. Hulk later started using the tune we all know, "Real American" as performed by Rick Derringer. The song became synonymous with Hulkamania and fans everywhere continue to cheer to it. Somehow fans can't help but feel goosebumps when that tune comes on, whether they are at an arena or watching a WWE event at home. It's classic and timeless music we identify with a wrestling legend.
Other very famous pieces of WWE music have been used with The Macho Man Randy Savage and Ric Flair. These two entrance themes are borrowed classical music making them even more recognizable. The Macho Man used the very famous music of Pomp and Circumstance, which is heard year in and out at graduation ceremonies. Ric Flair uses the well-know Also sprach Zarathustra, op. 30 by Richard Strauss. The piece was inspired by a Friedrich Nietzsche book and was also used in the Stanley Kubrick film 2001.
Over the years WWE has brought forth many more popular wrestlers, each with distinct music and theme songs. There's the famous entrance of Stone Cold Steve Austin, complete with glass shattering to start the tune off. There's The Rock's famous entrance song which features the bravado and smooth yet cocky funk of the People's Champ. Undertaker's famous bell toll followed by his eery organ music that could be heard in a funeral parlor. John Cena is one of a handful of superstars to record his own music for use as an entrance theme. There's many more including the current theme music for wrestlers like Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista and Rey Mysterio...
It's the music that makes WWE just as good as the in-ring wrestling action. The music pumps up the fans and gets them ready for the action. It also gives us an identifying trademark for each wrestler, just as symbolic as their finishing moves. The WWE music will always live on, long after wrestling careers end.
See the Music and Theme Songs of WWE Squidoo page for more info
For more commentary, news and other great stuff about pro wrestling, check out the blog at: WWE Characters the Blog.
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