The Top 20 Wrestling Theme Songs
Presented by: Mr. V and the WrestleView Students (aka the readers)
Written by: Anthony J. Valvo of WrestleView.com
Well, the wait is over class! I got my minimum fifteen different ballots and the points are counted and ballots destroyed. It is time to present the Top 20 Wrestling themes of our generation!
First, allow me to present the readers that presented their selections.
Suzanne Abshire
Paul Pomykala
Rocky Jr.
Frank Contorno
Michael Fox
Captain Weibe (chat room, hope I did not butcher the name)
Josh Parnell
Moiz
John Giammarino
Paul Meade
Chris Elgee
Bl14659
Jakeb Smith
Jeremy Samples
Ricky Langston
Dta2us
Mr. V
So…17 ballots…20 themes…ONE TOP SONG!! So, who will win the honor of the 2009 WrestleView Students Theme of All Time? Please, join me in counting down the list.
Each ballot had their top five. Points are awarded by the rank they had the theme?
#1 song – 5 points
#2 song – 4 points
#3 song – 3 points
#4 song – 2 points
#5 song – 1 point
So, enough of my lecturing! This is a student-oriented lesson. Let’s begin!
Those themes that only got a point or two and therefore eliminated from the Top 20 (no YouTube clip for YOU!):
Songs that only got 1 point:
Christian’s ?Close Your Eyes?, performed by Waterproof Blonde
The theme used by Nunzio (I think it was called Big Italy)
Zack Ryder’s ?Oh Radio?
The American Males? WCW Theme Song
HHH’s early 2000s theme (when he was paired with Stephanie)
Christy Hemme’s TNA rock theme
The theme of Bertha Faye
A Man called Sting – WCW Sting’s theme
The Hardy Boyz tag team theme
HHH’s ?Time to Play the Game?
Austin Aries ?Personal Jesus? theme from ROH (I hope I did not mess this up)
R-Truth’s WWE Theme ?What’s Up??
Shane Douglas? ECW Theme ?Perfect Strangers?
Songs that only got 2 points:
Rey Mysterio’s early WWE theme (Who’s that Jumping out the Sky?)
Steve Blackman’s last WWE theme (High-beat instrumental theme)
Ted DiBiase’s WWF Theme (laughter, followed by Money, Money, Money, Money, etc.)
Jack Swagger’s WWE Theme titled ?On Your Knees?
The WWF Theme for the Brood
WCW’s Starcade From the early days
WCW’s Harlem Heat theme song
John Cena’s ?You Can?t See Me Theme?.
Songs that only got 3 points:
Eddie Guerrero’s ?Viva La Raza? Theme
Mick Foley’s early 2000s theme for the WWE (it was called Crash to my knowledge)
Goldberg’s ?Who’s Next Theme?
Kerwin White’s ?Sinatra Theme? (gosh I completely forgot about this one)
Lita’s WWE’s theme song
Honky Tonk Man’s ?Cool, Cocky, Bad? Theme
John Cena’s ?Basic Thugonomics? Theme song
The Theme song for the WWF Tag Team Demolition
Junk Yard Dog’s ?Another One Bites the Dust? Theme
New Jack’s ECW Theme (Natural Born Killas)
Ok, now that we knocked down these theme songs, now we will have the Top 22 themes (because of a tie)?
22) Bret Hart’s Main Theme Song in the WWE (4 points)
What better way to start this off by having the theme for ?The Best There Is?The Best There Was?And The Best There Ever Will Be (and recent wrestler on the WrestleView Spotlight). I always enjoyed this theme and you knew you would get a big reaction the moment the guitar rift hits! No words, no whiny lyrics, just a great instrumental beat of a legendary theme. The Hart Dynasty now have this theme, and though the lack the reaction that Bret Hart once had I think the time will come someday for these two superstars.
21) The Rock’s Theme song in 2001. (4 Points)
I always enjoyed this song as well. It did not have to be much, but again when you hear the Rock’s catchphrase the crowd was always in a frenzy. Like him or not for his wrestling abilities (which I thought were average at best), his charisma and skills on the mic were unquestioned.
20) Rob Conway’s ?Just Look at Me? (4 Points)
I will have to say I never heard this theme until the day I started typing this column. I took a break from watching wrestling during my latter college years (2003-2005) and never realized the greatness of Rob Conway. Now that I listen to this theme a bit, it is not bad. Plus, after watching clips of this gimmick made me laugh the more. I think the WWE could have done more with Conway. Just because you have an awesome theme song does not mean awesomeness follows (*cough* Zack Ryder *cough*).
19) Maryse’s ?Pour quoi?? Theme (4 Points)
The French adds a very nice touch, and this gimmick just hit this song out of the park. I originally hated Maryse and her gimmick. But now that she has been injured she has been truly missed in the Diva’s Division. I know that it is not just a lack of one person, but the division as a whole. But still, when you have the look and charisma among WWE Divas, you will go far. To the only Diva that made the list, I say get well soon Miss Oulett! We not only miss you, but your fan-tas-tish theme song.
18) Brock Lesnar’s ?Here Comes The Pain? (4 Points)
Aaah Yes! Before he had had the bad tattoo on his chest (won?t say it to his face though) and now widely known as an MMA success, Brock Lesnar mastered his trade in a WWE ring. When one heard this brilliant theme song, you know someone was going to be in a world of pain! This theme song was made for a beast both in and out of the ring. Brock Lesnar filled that and perhaps thanks to this song he became ?The Next Big Thing?, dominating all challengers for the few years he was in the WWE. Though he did not make it in the NFL, I think being the Heavyweight Champion in the UFC is an improvement. Now, if he can get this theme blaring before his next fight?(because MMA fans don?t like it when the WWE invades their shows).
17) Hulk Hogan’s WCW Theme called ?American Made? (5 Points)
Wow, I have not heard this song in a while! Nothing says American-Made in the 1990s than Hulk Hogan! More on him later?
16) Kurt Angle’s ?Medal? Theme from the WWE (5 Points) (1 first place vote)
The main reason why this theme is ranked higher than the others is because of the fan interaction. You can fill in some beats with ?You Suck? or ?Awesome? (because he was at one time Mr. V’s #1 wrestler). I still know my three I’s?Intensity, Integrity, and Intellegence. If you follow those three words, then you can not only be Kurt Angle, but Mr. V as well. A very good theme song that was remixed a few times. But the WV students will remember this theme as his best.
On a side note, remember Kurt’s epic comeback when told that he sucked?
Moving on…
15) Tazz’s ?13? WWE Theme (5 Points) (1 first place vote)
Another one of Mr. V’s favorite superstars. He was strong, powerful, and was the first man to beat Kurt Angle in a Televised WWF event. When hearing this song, you just want to go to the nearest gym and bench press 400 pounds, then do an exploder suplex to your trainer! This theme was intense and it is a shame that he can not compete in the ring anymore due to numerous injuries. FTW indeed!
14) Diamond Dallas Page and his ?Self Hi-Five? Theme Song (5 Points) (1 first place vote)
Though nearly a complete spinoff of one of the greatest songs of all-time (Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. To my students too young to appreciate good music, listen to this song and you will be wearing flannel jackets in no time). This theme was excellent for DDP, as when it played during his reigns as the WCW World Champion the crowd got into it. An underrated wrestler in my opinion, but an even more underrated theme song. So to you DDP, give yourself a ?Self Hi-Five?, then go back to yoga class.
13) Mr. Perfect’s Theme from his WWF days (5 Points) (1 first place vote)
Oh Mr. Hennig, we miss you so. We can only hope that when your son, Joe, gets promoted to the big time that we can hear this tremendous theme song one more time. Again like so many on this list, words were not needed to describe how great this theme song was. I mean, this song fit Mr. Perfect to a ?T?. And while this theme was played, he would always spit out his gum and smack to the crowd. A lucky souvenir from the Perfect one! And if you can master the trick, e-mail me. I will give you a gold star for that.
12) Chris Jericho’s ?Break The Walls? Theme (6 Points)
I have been a fan of this theme song since day one. This was an excellent way to express the superstar and even using ?Jericho? in the lyrics is a great touch. No matter what gimmick he used in recent years, he was able to get unlimited cheers and boos throughout the duration of the song. Sadly, it missed cracking the top 10 because there were eleven themes that totally reeked of awesomeness.
11) Rob Van Dam’s ?One of a Kind? Theme (6 Points)
Come on guys?.you marked out when you heard this theme song at the 2009 Royal Rumble. I did, and I did not even watch the PPV! No matter if he was in ECW or in the WWE, RVD was a main draw for those companies and he needed an appropriate theme song to match his uncanny ability. Though Pantera was great, the WWE got the theme song right for Rob. And if RVD is reading this, I will request one thing. Please be a guest host for RAW? I think RVD would be an amazing host. Also, so we can listen to the crowd’s reaction to when this song begins to play at the arena. Fans would go crazy!
INTERMISSION…
Before I announce the top ten theme songs in professional wrestling, I would let your minds ease up a little bit. Here are a couple of tunes picked randomly by Mr. V. So relax for a few minute. Pick up that pot of coffee, take the hall pass and go to the bathroom, or get a snack from the icebox. Here is something that I think many fans forgot (and it is not the Brass Bonanza)?
Before Ted Jr. and Cody, there was the bromance (had to add that word in Microsoft Word) of Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty (aka II Cool). This theme at one time in a few years back was played in car stereos all around the United States. Wait?actually this song was not all that good. It is almost as dreadful as Crelly singing ?Oh Radio?. I regret dancing to this during a Gong Show skit I did years ago. Onward, class! Wow, I actually am embarrassed to even play that.
…well I hope that you all enjoyed your little break. Now let’s get back to class!
10) Sandman’s ECW Theme known from Metallica’s ?Enter Sandman? (7 Points)
I am afraid that Metallica will do to Mr. V the way they did Napster, so I can?t play the song. But to get a feel of the Impact this song had to the ECW crowd, here is a taste?
Just listen to this reaction! No wonder why a few of the students in my WrestleView classroom picked this as a top five on their ballots. It is a shame that it was not ranked higher. A shame that WWE is PG now, huh?
9) Edge’s Current ?Metalingus? Theme Song (7 Points) (1 first place vote)
One of the best wrestlers today now can compliment that with one of the best theme songs of all time according to our beloved students of WrestleView. No ?canned? booing was needed when the music hit and Edge would come out of the smoke with the Title in tow (and in worst cases Vickie Guerrero). If you listen to the lyrics, man does it fit the guy well. Now I think when he comes back, when the music hits the crowd will be on their feet! In all seriousness, I really like this theme song and I do hope that Edge recovers quickly!
8) Randy Orton’s Current ?Voices? Track (7 Points)
If there is any current wrestler that matches his theme, it is Randy Orton. At first, I was not a fan. But the more I listened to it, I enjoy it. Watch the way he walks, his rhythm in the walk the beat of the theme that is played now. Does he hear voices in his head? In him gimmick, he did when he had that IED. Orton’s old theme was outdated and did not fit with his ‘snake-like? gimmick. This theme does it for him. May your new title reign be long and strong, Mr. Orton.
7) Bryan Danielson’s ?The Final Countdown? From Ring of Honor (8 Points)
I have seen many matches with Bryan Danielson since I started watching ROH closely. One thing I noticed is that the fans love Danielson. He fits the ROH mold. He has endurance, wrestling skills, and the ability to work with anyone. The band that plays this theme is called Europe. But to fans of Danielson, it is part of the nostalgia that is The American Dragon. The moment you hear this theme, you don?t of Europe’s only hit, but you think of ?The Best in the World?. The fans sing-a-long with it, they prepare for what could be a great match ahead. I understand that we won?t hear this in the WWE, so to those that heard it at the arenas, enjoy. You will never get that again (unless he comes back to ROH).
6) AJ Styles ?I Am, I Am? Theme for TNA (8 Points)
The highest ranked TNA theme song almost cracks the Top 5 Wrestling Themes by our WrestleView Student Body. Sadly, it just missed the cut. I can say that every time the song is played, the crowd gets into the character well. I believe that AJ is a very religious guy and I definitely respect him for that. Grits I believe is a Christian hip-hop group, and for them to do this theme works well. In my opinion, out of all the TNA theme songs out there, AJ’s is clearly in my top three. It is that good and I encourage the readers to listen to the whole song.
5) Ric Flair’s ?Dawn? (aka WOOOO) theme used throughout many years. (10 Points) (1 first place vote)
Who knew that a classical music piece by Richard Strauss in 1896 would symbolize one of the greatest performers of all time? Words can not describe how great this theme song is. It makes you want to find your robe (or Halloween cape) and pretend that you can be ?The Nature Boy?. I am sure that many a fan would strike a pose or a Ric Flair strut and scream WOOOOO! when one hears this. At a concert in Heinz Hall I heard this, and I too WOOO?d out loud (almost got me detention from my teacher, but well worth it). Ric Flair is easily one of the top five wrestlers of all-time. Thanks to the WrestleView students, his theme is also a top five wrestling theme. My students got this theme right on the money.
4) Shawn Michaels ?Sexy Boy? Theme (16 Points) (1 first place vote)
Ok, I am sorry. But I found this on YouTube and wanted to share it with the class. Angle may be a shell of himself today, but his comedy in the WWE at times was priceless.
Now, the real theme (w/Sherri Martel in the background)
This was a classic no matter what anyone says. Though I feel that the song lost luster that now soccer moms are dancing to this at live events, this song can be considered a hit right before the ?Attitude Era?. ?Sexy Boy? was a hit the moment it debuted. I can?t disagree with that, as I think this theme hit soon after his break from The Rockers. This music, along with his talents in the ring, made him one of the most successful wrestlers in the past twenty years! This track is a must for wrestling fans around the world (The original, not the revised when Michaels sings his own lyrics.
3) The Undertaker’s Theme Music (17 Points) (2 first place votes)
C?mon?admit it! At least one time in your life, you get chills when this song is being played. When you hear that bell toll the first time, you get on your feet and watch The Undertaker’s two minute walk to the ring, followed by turning the lights back on with his hands. This theme made kids stare with their jaws hanging when he was a heel back in his early career when Ted DiBiase Sr. was his manager. Sorry Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock, you could never replace the theme of The Deadman. Another wise decision by the readers here. And another wise decision by The Undertaker for going back to this after his mediocre run as ?The Biker?.
2) Stone Cold Steve Austin’s ?Glass Break? Theme (20 Points) (2 first place votes)
This theme song just makes you want to break a window, storm into a room, crack open a beer, and execute a stunner on your boss! The theme that truly associated ?The Attitude Era? and turned Steve Austin from the ?Ringmaster? into ?The Rattlesnake?. In my humble opinion, if not for this theme he would not be world champion. This song matched by the gimmick turned the WWE around 180 degrees and helped the company take over WCW once and for all. I am sure the moment Vince McMahon bought WCW he played this theme song in the background, toasted himself with a couple Miller Lites, and chugged them down faster than a frat boy. A legendary theme song for that WWE era. But not truly legendary as??
1) Hulk Hogan’s ?Real American? Theme used in the WWF (31 Points) (6 first place votes)
This song does not need a long story. THE only song in which most of the students agreed was the best theme of all time. I am sure many shirts were destroyed when this song was played (as some of us tried to be ?The Hulkster? back in the day). The theme song that started the theme music era! And once again, Hogan tops another wrestling list.
Well, who knew that a Mr. V ?Homework Assignment? would be this much fun! Thanks to all the readers who voted and to those that did not cast a ballot, don?t complain! I gave you three and a half weeks to case a ballot. However if you would like to comment on this piece, please send me an e-mail at mistervwv@hotmail.com. I can?t wait to read your reaction to this article.
Until my next piece (which more than likely will be Mr. V #37), I will end this by saying enjoy your weekend. And also, birthday wishes would be nice (Mr. V’s B-Day is tomorrow, class!). You are all…DISMISSED!!!!
Thanks To all who voted and to all of you who read this. I would not have done this if not for the generous responses to the Homework Assignment.
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