wrestling / Columns
The Ten Count 10.04.13: The Top 10 Entrance Themes
Welcome back to the Ten Count. As always, thank you for reading last week’s column. And here we go…
OF COURSE I MISSED A FEW THINGS
A lot of you mentioned this match:
It was on my initial list and was really close to making the cut. I guess I just don’t like Iron Man matches unless there is a Flair or Steamboat involved in that hour.
How about a match I totally forgot about:
I had to watch this one again but I still don’t think it’s a Top 10 match.
Finally, a little more Hell in a Cell:
I like this match a lot but again it didn’t quite make it.
YOUR THOUGHTS (IF WE WANT TO CALL THEM THAT)
Triple H is the Old School John Cena: Triple H is in the John Cena category for me. Given the right situation with the buildup and storyline and in the right type of match he can put on a hell of a performance and tell a great story. He’s not a guy like an HBK or Angle or Jericho or someone that can turn any old match into a really high quality match.
MY THOUGHT: I don’t necessarily agree with this. We have seen Triple H have very good matches with Kevin Nash, Batista, and well, John Cena. He is definitely not Flair, Steamboat, Michaels, or CM Punk but he can turn that “any old match” into something very good.
The Royal Rumble as the Turning Point of Triple H’s Career: Agreed. The Cactus match was the turning point for him. Before that he was booked horribly.
It sounds crazy now given his position in the company but at the beginning of his main event run before the Cactus matches it was almost as if he was being put in a position to fail. They spent all of summer 99 building to him getting the title at Summerslam then he fails and ends up getting his first title on TV the next night. Beating Austin at Summerslam would have done a lot more for his main event credibility than beating Mankind on Raw. Imagine Bryan losing to Cena at Summerslam this year then getting the title from Orton the next night. It just wouldn’t be the same. Then his first title reign lasts less than a month and ends at the hands of a near 60-year-old non-wrestler. Then he drops his second title reign again quickly, this time to Big Show, who wasn’t over at all. Then he has a pay-per-view match with Vince that is actually competitive and he can only win because Stephanie helps him in the end.
MY THOUGHT: That’s some good analysis there.
A Moment to Put Myself Over: Again a good read, thank you Evan. It has been said before but I will repeat it, it is good that you are knowledgeable and treat your readers with respect. The fact you are not above addressing errors you may have made in the previous columns also gains you respect in my book.
MY THOUGHT: I make lots of errors, lots of errors. Thanks for reading.
ERRORS, CORRECTIONS, AND OMGs
It seems like I didn’t Crtl-V well enough to change the video for my #8 selection. Here it is for your enjoyment:
I mentioned last week that there was another Ric Flair/Triple H match that was going to be on the list. I meant to write, another match that “could” have been on the list.
Also, apparently I have an issue with grammar. It took my wife about 5 years to get me to stop saying “I should have went to the store” instead of “I should have gone to the store”. This is the reason why I am writing for a “sports entertainment” website and not the New York Times. I promise I will try to do better and proofread more.
NOW SOMETHING NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT, MY FANTASY FOOTBALL TEAMS!
On to Week 4 of fantasy football, my teams went 1-2 with a heartbreaker on Monday night (damn you Drew Brees and your effectiveness). My teams are now 1-3, 2-2, and 3-1. I actually set my team correctly in all my leagues and picked up all the right people but just couldn’t win. The upside is my suicides are all still alive and kicking heading to week 5. I need some big wins this week as the byes on my team are about to add up.
ALSO, HOW ABOUT THOSE CLEVELAND BROWNS (AND INDIANS)?
YEAH, HOW ABOUT THEM BOTH!!!
The Browns had a very nice week against the Bengals. The defense is just awesome and is truly the backbone of the team. It is much easier to win games when the other team only scores 6 points. Also, I must be a fantasy genius since Jordan Cameron is on 2 of my 3 fantasy teams. They are playing the Bills this week and while I think Browns giving 4 might be a little high there is a very good chance of them winning.
I am writing this after the Indians loss to the Rays but they had a great year and unbelievable September. You just can’t leave that many men on base and expect to win against a great team. Make no mistake; the Rays are a great team with an outstanding manager. Hopefully this is the beginning of another run for the Tribe. We’ll begin to find out in April, 2014.
Here are the Ground Rules
Without any further ado, here is the Top 10 Themes Written for Wrestling!
#10. {Mr. Perfect – “Perfection” }
I seem to always enjoy songs that have a good brass section and drums. It just had that epic feel from the moment that first note hits.
Curt Hennig was, well, perfect as the character “Mr. Perfect” and the song just helped that gimmick go. It made him sound like an undefeated Roman gladiator that was on his way to another victory. The towel, the gum flip, and the Brain completed the package and made him a Hall of Famer.
#9. {DX – “Break It Down” }
This song is the 1st of 3 that Triple H has used in his career that will appear on this list. It is also the 1st of 2 songs for Shawn Michaels.
“Break It Down” was performed by the Chris Warren Band (who also did it live at WrestleMania 14) and encapsulated the DX attitude during the WWF Attitude Era. The song has that moment at the beginning all great theme songs have, an immediate and noticeable moment that “pops” the crowd. “Are You Ready?” was one of the most memorable moments from that era. It is an homage (errr, stolen) from Michael Buffer and was used on t-shirts, in promos, and of course this song. The theme has been around for 15+ years and hasn’t changed once which is a true testament to its greatness. I can’t wait to hear it during the 2014 Hall of Fame ceremony when they go in, allegedly.
#8. {The Fabulous Freebirds – Badstreet USA}
This song is recognized as the first theme song specifically written for wrestling and what made it even better was that it was co-written by a wrestler. Many other wrestlers used music dating all the way back to Gorgeous George but this was special. It still is special. Back in 1983, the Freebirds were probably the hottest thing in wrestling as their feud with the Von Erichs was drawing big money in the old World Class Championship Wrestling. Hayes had the idea that they needed a theme that embodied their attitude, Georgia roots, and just something awesome. Hayes went into the recording studio and emerged with “Badstreet USA”. The Birds went on to record the awesome early 80’s video that is above for the song and the rest is history. I hope that WWE can settle the issues around this song so it can be a part of the WWE library for years to come. Hey, at least there is YouTube, right?
#7. New World Order – “Rockhouse”}
First thing first, I didn’t know that this was named “Rockhouse”. Oh Google, the things you teach me know no bounds.
Yes, I know this is basically porn music. Yes, I know that it was watered down towards the end with all the words on top of the melody. Yes, I know the New World Order basically killed WCW and bleed it dry before it was dead. You know what else I know, this song ROCKED HARD!
It was anti-establishment and fit the personality of the group perfectly. I will ask all of you to think back to 1996 and what the theme music was like and compare it to “Rockhouse”. It was so fresh, so new, so different that makes it so memorable all these years later. I am very happy WWE owns the rights to the song so it will live forever just as the memories of the New World Order will as well.
#6. {Triple H – “The Game” }
Here is the 2nd of those Triple H themes on the list. Written specifically for Triple H and performed by Motorhead (sorry, don’t know how to do the dot thing) “The Game” comes in at #6 on the list.
The inspiration came from a great sit down interview back in 1999 with Jim Ross. Triple H during that interview said he was not just a student of the game, he was the game. Think about Triple H using this song for his entire career:
It just doesn’t work the same in my mind. “The Game” was another one of those pieces to the overall presentation package for Triple H. Also, the song is just cool….really, really cool. Just listen to the words very closely, you can almost imagine them coming right from Triple H’s mouth. That is really the key to a great theme song; it adds to the character and makes total sense.
#5. {Shawn Michaels – “Sexy Boy”}
After Shawn threw Marty Jannetty through the Barber Shop window he needed a theme song that told the world who he was and more importantly who he wanted to be.
The original was sung by Sherri Martel who was his valet at the time. This song was different and unique for the WWF in 1992. Within a couple of years after Sherri left the WWF, Shawn himself took over the lead vocals and the song we all know now was born.
The song was a huge part of the evolution of Shawn Michaels and is damn catchy.
#4. {Evolution – Line in the Sand}
Oh man, this song is all kinds of awesome. It’s awesome not in a “cheesy wrestling theme” way but just in an awesome way.
“Line in the Sand” was the 2nd theme for Evolution and I can’t think of any other song for the group. It created a hard rock edge for an “elite” team but elevated the group to something even bigger. The group was just so cool and the swagger of the beat was so unreal.
Just listen to the lyrics and you’ll hear the story of the group, my favorite line is “see my reflection change, nothing ever stays the same”. It was foreshadowing all the people leaving the group and moving on, almost like well, Evolution.
#3. {Hulk Hogan – “Real American”}
Now onto the top 3 and they are 3 of the greatest superstars of all time. Let’s start with Hulk Hogan.
“Real American” was originally used by Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda as the US Express. Once they left the WWF, it was decided Hulk Hogan would begin using it. I am sure it was perfectly acceptable for Windham and Rotunda to use it but this song just feels like it was perfectly suited for Hulk Hogan.
“I am a Real American, fight for the rights of every man. I am a Real American, fight for what’s right. Fight for your Life.” Then comes the massive guitar riff and we are off the one of the biggest pops in wrestling. I feel like I have said this a ton, but the lyrics were perfect for the character and was perfectly cheesy for the rock and wrestling boom of the 1980s. It just brings a smile to your face and isn’t that what professional wrestling is supposed to do.
#2. {Stone Cold Steve Austin – “I Won’t Do What You Tell Me”}
You know how I know this song is great; when Steve Austin got that new horrible theme in 2001 I almost couldn’t listen to it. I missed this song so much and was so happy when it came back later in his career.
“When you hear the glass, that’s your ass!” It’s always a nice thing to have a catchphrase come from your theme song. The hard rocking guitar riff and drums just made you believe that someone was about to get their ass kicked. You felt it, you believed it, and were amped to watch it happen.
The theme that is #1 must be absolutely phenomenal to beat all the others on the list. Believe me, it is!
#1. {The Undertaker – “Graveyard Symphony” }
Did anybody think it was going to be anything else? The Undertaker’s theme from 1995-1998 is legend….wait for it….dary. Legendary!
A quick story, I was at WrestleMania 20 when he returned. The music hit (yes, I know it wasn’t exactly the same as this but it was damn close) there were goose bumps on my arms and tears in my eyes as he went down that aisle.
The theme just evokes so many emotions every time you hear it. You know you are about to see quite possibly the best gimmick in the history of the business and one of the greatest superstars of all time. Of all the themes he has had, this one stands above the rest and is the #1 Wrestling Theme Written for Wrestling of All Time.
So there you have it, the Top 10 Triple H Matches! What is your opinion?
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The WWE just did a top 50 list of themes so I am going to do 2 Top 10 Lists around theme music. Next week, I will take a look at the top 10 themes that were not written specifically for wrestling but are bring used for our favorite superstars.
Until then, remember it’s all entertainment and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. And I’m out.
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