Signature Sounds compiles what WWE feels to be the 25 best entrance themes in company history, including songs for such names as Batista, Randy Orton, The Brood, The Ultimate Warrior, Trish Stratus, Rey Mysterio, Mankind, Shawn Michaels and many more. The subjectiveness of the list, specifically the theme song choices WWE made and the order, is unimportant, as I cared more about being introduced to the world of Jim Johnston, WWE’s chief soundtrack producer and composer of some of the most memorable WWE entrance themes in company history.
The DVD starts off at number 25 with “I Walk Alone”, the theme song for WWE star Batista. Both Johnston and Batista comment on the creation of the song, the impact it has on Batista when he hears it at live events, and why the song connects with both the superstar and the WWE fans. The musical origin stories are the most compelling on the DVD, as you gain a better understanding of the theme song writing process, and subsequently a better understanding of why we, the fans, connect with the music.
There are some interesting trivia tidbits that pop up along the way as well, like the revelation that Jimmy Hart actually composed some of our favorite theme songs, such as Dusty Rhodes’ “Common Man Boogie.” It’s also interesting to discover which theme songs performed by well known acts like Motorhead and Rev Theory, were only performed by the groups, but were written by Jim Johnston.
My only real complaint about this release is the amount of time spent, or lack thereof, discussing certain songs. The list feels crowded at 25 entries, and perhaps either making the DVD longer or shortening the amount of entries would have done each song more justice, as certain tracks lack detailed explanation, such as Ultimate Warrior’s theme, and the process behind creating Shawn Michaels’ “Sexy Boy,” which was actually written by Jimmy Hart.
But at the end of the day, watching Jim Johnston walk us through the musical world of WWE, give insight into the process of creating what is such an important element in WWE’s world, and learning why we connect with a Superstar’s music, is enough to give Signature Sounds a recommendation, even if its replay value might not be very high.
And oh yeah, if like me you were wondering what the lyrics to “Break the Walls Down” mean, don’t worry, Chris Jericho tells us he doesn’t know either. That’s a particularly memorable part of the release.
“Signature Sounds: The Music of WWE” is now available for purchase on DVD.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
