Top 10 Wrestling Themes of the Golden Age

Greetings fellow Golden Agers!  Hope the new year is treating you well thus far.

This week, we’ll take a look at the Top 10 wrestling themes of the Golden Age.  For anyone who is new to the blog, “The Golden Age” is a period stretching from the mid 1980s through  roughly the mid to late 1990s.

Only one restriction for this list—the song must be composed specifically for the wrestler(s) using it.  So for example The Sandman’s use of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” was excellent, but that song existed long before he ever used it.  Ditto Ricky Steamboat and “The Alan Parsons Project” song.  Unfortunately this rule also nixes some classics like Randy Savage’s “Pomp & Circumstance” or Ric Flair’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, but on the bright side there are plenty of great themes even without those classics.

Honorable Mentions: Bret Hart, Harlem Heat, Razor Ramon, Ted DiBiase, Kurt Angle

10. New World Order

Hulk Hogan’s joining of The Outsiders in 1996 created the greatest stable in the history of the wrestling business.  The nWo’s theme became synonymous with the brash, bad boy attitude that made them hated by many in the ‘90s.  Who could forget the Hulkster, beard dyed black, sauntering out to this theme and playing the spray painted championship belt like a guitar?

9. The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers

One of the most overlooked tag teams of the era, Jacques and Raymond Rougeau were one of WWF’s top heel teams in the 1980s.  The real life brothers from Montreal used a gimmick where they’d pretend to support America, even waving tiny American flags as they came to the ring, but they clearly did not have real allegiance to the USA.  A fun fact about their theme music is that they pretend to be patriotic “All American Boys” while singing in English, but when they switch to French they are actually dissing the USA.

8. Strike Force’s “Girls in Cars”

Tito Santana and Rick Martel were among the WWF’s most exciting wrestlers in the late 80s.  When they combined to form a new tag team called "Strike Force", a hip, flashy entrance theme was needed.  In 1987, Strike Force got just that with Robbie Dupree's “Girls in Cars” off of the WWF Piledriver album.  They typically entered arenas to an instrumental version, but the version with lyrics and the song’s music video are so deliciously ‘80s that they must be savored in their original brilliance.  If you’re anything like me, you’ll never forget the 8-bit version of the song which served as Ted DiBiase’s theme (Ted didn’t have entrance music in those days) in WWF Wrestlemania for the NES.  It would get stuck in your head for hours.

7. Goldberg

Storming onto the scene in a big way in the late 1990s (the twilight years of the Golden Age), Bill Goldberg had maybe the hottest stretch of months that any wrestler has ever had in the entire history of the wrestling business.  Crowds packed arenas and tuned in to Nitro week after week to watch this new phenom destroy his next victim and build his undefeated streak.  A large part of the Goldberg mystique was his entrance, complete with sparks flying and Bill snorting smoke out of his nose like a bull.  His theme had a distinctly military influence with all those drums pounding.  It got everyone in the arena psyched up and ready for battle.

6. Demolition

One of the greatest tag teams of the Golden Age, Demolition’s thundering “Pain & Destruction” was one of the heaviest, hardest rocking wrestling themes of all time.  Sung by rocker Rick Derringer, the track’s heavy drum sound, electric guitar and raspy vocals formed an intimidating soundtrack as the face-painted and spiked leather-clad Ax and Smash made their way to the ring.  Perhaps better yet were the foreboding lyrics—“Run and we’ll find you”, “There’s no place to hide”, “Pain and destruction is our middle name.”  Demolition looked like a cross between bad ass bikers and clowns from hell, and Deringer’s theme contributed to what every wrestling fan thought upon seeing them—“Wow, I wouldn’t want to mess with these guys…”

5. The Crow Sting

Probably my favorite WCW angle of all time, Stings journey from a blonde, happy-go-lucky babyface to a dark, silent, and mysterious figure of the shadows was a central storyline in 1997.  He’d appear in the rafters, wearing a trench coat and carrying a baseball bat, face completely expressionless.  Occasionally he’d come down from the rafters, lay out one wrestler or several, only to disappear again into the darkness—and he never said a word.  The enigmatic nature of the character was captivating, and fans couldn’t wait to finally get some answers on what had happened to Sting, what he was thinking and what he would do next.  When he finally did wrestle, Sting used this theme, which was a great fit for his character’s dark and mysterious persona.  It is a simple piece of music, but a perfect fit.

4. The Ultimate Warrior

Has there ever been a more fitting wrestling theme than the Warrior’s “Unstable”?  The pounding drum and blaring guitar form a simple but frenetic entrance theme, perfect for Warrior’s “sprint to the ring and shake the ropes” routine.  In recent years it has become common for fans to make fun of Warrior for (a) not being a great wrestler and (b) being a little bit crazy, but you can’t knock his success.  Crowds went wild for him and his gimmick was actually interesting.  The moment you heard those drums hit “DUN…DUN DUN DUN….” you knew you were going to be entertained. 

3. Hulk Hogan

You knew it was just a matter of time before we got to this, right?  Arguably the most iconic entrance theme in the history of wrestling “Real American” was the theme song of Hulkamania, a movement which took wrestling to heights it had never seen before and which created the business as we know it today.  The guitar work is great, but the lyrics are what make Real American special.  They nicely summed up what Hulkamania was all about—patriotism, courage, persistence, justice, and doing the right thing.  Like much of what Hulk said and did in those years, Real American gave Golden Age kids some values to believe in.

2. Jake the Snake

Jake Roberts was one of the best talkers in the history of the industry.  I tend to remember his work as a babyface (though he was a great heel too), feuding with the likes of Andre the Giant, Rick Rude and Ted DiBiase.  But Jake wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill good guy.  He had an edge, and a mystique—a sort of “dark charisma.”  His theme seems to capture that same essence.  It has a distinctly 80s sound, resembling something out of Miami Vice or even a slowed down version of the theme from Knight Rider, but with an element of mystery mixed in for good measure.  It was a great tune and a great fit for the Snake, who will go down in history as one of the greatest characters of all time.   

1. Mr. Perfect

A classic.  By the first note, everyone in the arena knew that Mr. Perfect was on his way to the ring—and therefore, that they were about to be treated to an excellent match.  The base drums and cymbals conjure up images of ancient Greece or Rome, perhaps the Gods and Goddesses.  It was an excellent fit for Mr. Perfect's gimmick—a man who was infallible and who possessed athletic ability beyond that of the mere mortal.  You might even say it was the Perfect theme song for the Perfect wrestler (yea, that was cliche but I had to do it).

Would love to hear from you about who we underrated, who overrated or who we missed altogether.  Leave a comment or tweet us @GoldenAge4Kids.

Top 10 Movie Themes of the Golden Age

We grew up in a great era for film.  Regardless of the genre, movies in the 1980s and 1990s more often than not delivered with solid acting, well-written plots and tons of memorable moments.  But one aspect of great films that is sometimes underrated by the general public is a great soundtrack.  The Golden Age produced some of the most memorable movie scores and themes of all-time, and in this entry, I’ll weigh in with my Top 10.

A disclaimer: As usual with a Top 10 list, please remember that there is room for differences in opinion.  I’m sure there are some awesome themes that I’ve left out here.  Also, while I typically consider the Golden Age to be the Mid 1980s through the 1990s, the “boundaries” of the age are pretty fluid, and for the purposes of this list I’ve gone a little further back into the 80s for a few tracks.  The idea is to catch themes from movies that our generation grew up on—even if those films were released a little earlier.  That said, I have deliberately left out the themes from movies like Star Wars, Rocky and the Godfather.  Even though those series had movies come out during the Golden Age, they all certainly started in the 70s, and so their music belongs to that generation.  Finally, I tried to keep the list to songs that were either composed specifically for the film they were featured in or songs that were designated as the movie’s “theme” music.  There were a ton of good songs that played in Golden Age movies, sometimes in very memorable scenes, but for this list we’re just looking at movie themes.

Honorable Mention:  Axel F (Beverly Hills Cop Theme)

Ok, so I couldn’t quite find a spot for this one in the Top 10, but it’s definitely worth remembering.  Starring 80s Icon Eddie Murphy, the Beverly Hills Cop series was one of the best action comedy series of the era, helping bring popularity to the genre that would later give us quality Golden Age films like Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys and Rush Hour.  The heavy synth/techno vibe still sounds pretty slick 20-some years later, like you could still throw this track on at a party today.  To kids today, it’s probably better known as “The Crazy Frog Song”, since it was covered by the computer-generated Crazy Frog character and made into a ring tone in the early 2000’s.

10. Forrest Gump Theme

In a movie full of great music, including tracks by Buffalo Springfield, CCR, Bob Seger and Fleetwood Mac, Forrest Gump's orchestral theme still manages to stand out as a brilliant composition.  Composed by Alan Silvestri (who we will see again a little later), the Forrest Gump theme sets the stage for what is, in my opinion, one of the greatest stories ever told in a motion picture.  In particular the part of the score around 2:50 in the video above brings about a flood of emotion and reminds me of the beauty of this terrific film.  Also, the part that begins around 6:55 reminds me of Forrest’s time returning kicks for the Crimson Tide, one of the most memorable parts of this epic movie.

9. Indiana Jones Theme

So, this is my first (and biggest) bend of my own rules, as Raiders of the Lost Ark came out in 1981, a few years before I’d typically say the Golden Age began.  That said, RotLA and the Indy Sequels are distinctly 80s in nature, and many of us grew up on them, so why get hung up on technicalities?  Plus, who could say no to this brilliant piece of music?  It sets the score perfectly for the action and adventure that Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones character would encounter.  The song also serves as our first reminder of a simple rule that will be proven right time and again in this list: John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra are amazing and everything they touch is gold.

8. Ghostbusters Theme

This is an example of a movie theme that grew to be almost as big as the movie itself.  Ray Parker Jr.’s Ghostbusters theme not only set the stage for Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray’s 1984 box office smash, it reached the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart the summer the film came out and stayed there for 3 weeks.  Every kid in the Golden Age knew the tune and of course the memorable “I ain’t afraid of no ghost!” slogan.  On a personal level, every Halloween my elementary school would have a little mini-parade in the school parking lot for all the kids to show off their costumes, and the Ghostbusters theme was always played at least once each year.  It’s a warm-fuzzy Golden Age memory for me, and every time I hear the theme I’m reminded of it. 

7. Top Gun Anthem (theme from Top Gun)

I’m not sure that there was a cooler movie made in the 80s than Top Gun.  The film features a lot of great music but only one title theme, and it certainly delivers.  Featuring Harold Faltermeyer (who was also responsible for the Beverly Hills Cop theme) on piano and a big-haired Steve Stevens  absolutely rocking it on electric guitar, the Top Gun Anthem took home a Grammy award in 1987 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.  Well deserved, I’d say—this song rocked pretty hard and contributed to many Golden Agers wishing they could feel, even for a moment, as cool as Tom Cruise’s “Maverick” in Top Gun.

6. Braveheart Theme

On first listen, you might think that the theme for Braveheart seems very gentle and beautiful for a movie that’s best known for (Mel Gibson as) William Wallace’s rousing pre-battle speech.  But at its core, Braveheart isn’t just about war, it’s about a man who is as brave and noble as they come, who loves his wife, who remembers what his father died for, and who loves his country so much that he is willing to give the last full measure of devotion.  The soft wind instruments mixed with the bagpipes give the song a very sentimental and distinctly Scottish sound.  It was composed by James Horner and performed by—you guessed it—The London Symphany Orchestra.

5. E.T. Theme

Once again I’m stretching the bounds a little bit, dipping into 1982 for this one.  But is there any more classic 80’s kids movie than E.T.?  John Williams did it again here.  Empire Magazine (and a number of other film critics through the years) once proclaimed Elliot and E.T.’s flight to the forest as “the most magical moment in cinema” ever.  High praise, but difficult to argue with, and this theme song is inextricably linked to (and is a big part of) the magic of that scene.  The soaring melody, starting at the 0:13 second mark, mirrors Elliot and E.T. soaring over the forest and past the moon.  As kids, we all watched that scene with a sense of magic and wonder, and listening to the theme now brings those feelings rushing back.  If interested, there is also video on youtube of John Williams conductingthis song live, and the crowd literally cannot help but gasp and applaud when the melody soars at the :07 second mark.

4. Don’t You Forget About Me (The Breakfast Club Theme)

An absolute 80s anthem.  The Breakfast club is the prototype for a teen movie, telling the story of 5 high schoolers with completely different backgrounds who are all brought together by having to spend a winter Saturday in detention.  The song is awesome by itself, one of my favorites from a decade filled with amazing music, and it topped the charts in more than  one country.  But its association with a classic movie like the Breakfast Club makes it truly unforgettable.  You can’t think of one without the other, and they’re both top-notch.  As an aside, any time you walk underneath a goalpost, it’s obligatory to mimic Bender’s fist pump at the end of the movie and sing or hum this song.

3. Jurassic Park

Perhaps more than any other song on this list, this theme transports me back in time to my childhood.  I remember it like yesterday: it was field day at our elementary school, a Friday afternoon about a week before school let out for summer, and a friend’s dad offered to take a bunch of us to the movies to see the new movie called Jurassic Park.  Needless to say, all of us were completely blown away by the film and the (at that time) state-of-the-art special effects that made the dinosaurs seem so real.  Of course, when you watch it back now the effects don’t seem nearly as impressive, but the music has held up wonderfully, maybe even gotten better with age.  Like Forrest Gump, the main theme really contains a few different movements—one which is the most epic and which plays as the helicopter arrives and a bit later when the old guy says “WELCOME… to JURASSIC PARK!”; another more gentle piece that plays when the main characters first see the island’s dinosaurs; and a final piece which plays during the movies more tense scenes.  John Williams, you have done it again sir. 

2. Promontory (The Last of the Mohicans Theme)

Holy crap this theme is epic.  Crank the volume up in your headphones and enjoy this beautiful piece from Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman.  Based on the 19th Century novel by James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans was one of the most critically acclaimed films of 1992 (and still has 97% positive at Rotten Tomatoes).  Starring Daniel Day Lewis as Hawkeye, the movie is set in 1757 during the French and Indian War, when America was almost entirely a vast and untamed frontier.  “Promontory” was actually based on a tune called “The Gael” by Scottish songwriter Dougie MacLean, and I think you can certainly hear the Scottish influence in the violin sound.  It sets the perfect tone for the movies tale of love and war, very similar to Braveheart’s theme.  In the last decade the track saw a bump in popularity: first it was featured in a viral video about the changing globalsocio-economic picture, then shortly thereafter in a Nike commercial featuring Steven Jackson and Shawn Merriman.

1. Back to the Future Theme

“Roads?  Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Topping our list is the classic theme from my favorite movie of all time (though I tried to not be biased), Back to the Future.  Composed by Alan Silvestri, the film’s score plays many times throughout the movie, but perhaps most memorably during the scene where Doc slides down from the clock tower to ensure Marty’s return to 1985—for my money, one of the best scenes in any movie ever made.  There’s a very magical quality to this film, and every single time I hear this theme it makes me want to immediately drop everything and go watch it.  It will never get old or tired, it will always be a classic, and for me it’ll always be the #1 theme in a Golden Age for movie themes.

So, that’s our Top 10.  Who did we overrate?  Who did we leave out altogether?  We’d love to hear your list—post a comment or hit us on Twitter @GoldenAge4Kids