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-Leonard’s Pre-Sweet 16 Notes - It’s nice to see so many people come out and vote and chat about these pieces of music. In this and the final columns, I’ll try to get more musically analytical and picky, as I think that’s what these final rounds ask for. I enjoyed writing about this set, as there were several tough calls to be made. Please keep voting and commenting, as it is the readers that really make this thing interesting—not a old fuddy-duddy (I’m 24, P.S…) music elitist giving his views. Feel free to disagree with me…I’ll be glad to engage in a discussion about my thoughts! Sweet 16 1 Hulk Hogan “Real American” defeated 16 The Rock -CMV1 note – I can’t say I’m surprised by the result. It was pretty much a landslide victory for the Hogan theme. Looking forward in the tournament, I foresee it being very difficult for any theme to beat it. It’s just a truly iconic wrestling song that will always stick in the minds of those of us who grew up during the Hogan WWF era. -Leonard’s Notes - Short and sweet—Real American is the epitome of wrestling theme music. Maybe not the best compositionally, but influential in what post it carries. The Rock’s, while fun, is just typical generic rock with some quotes from the man himself thrown in. I did appreciate the mention of the theme being derived from the second Nation of Domination theme, as it does add some perspective. However, Real American has the edge in impact and compositional quality here. -“Much like the Beatles innovated pop/rock music. Hogan's theme was the quintessential theme for years. It was the first to really hit, and became the benchmark of themes. Rock's hold nothing against Hogan's.” – PEN15 -“I hate the fact one has to eliminate the other!” – The Hurra Duff -“Very hard pick, I listened to Hogan's music when he returned to WM 21 and his music just fired up the crowd crazy. His theme is ****en classic. BUT when I listened to The Rock's theme on youtube it just took me back to the good ol days of wrestling The Rock's theme is so soothing. Great, great, great theme. The Rock is my vote.” – Mooksin -“The thing I like about entrance themes are their ability to stand on their own. "Real American", even with Hulk Hogan, is a great song (at least great for the 80s). Without The Rock, that particular theme is...well...nothing.” – BryanV21 15 Million Dollar Man defeated 2 Ric Flair -CMV1 note – Well, there’s a big upset, in my book. The MDM theme won a close vote. I think Flair’s theme should have won, personally, but I cannot deny the fact that Dibiase had a classic entrance song. I honestly expected Flair vs. Hogan in the final. Whoops. -Leonard’s Notes - This makes me weep. I love Ted Dibiase’s theme. The pseudo-rap that he does is genius, and very stereotypically cheesy, which matches the time. Flair’s powerhouse theme should go all the way. Richard Strauss would be proud though…well, maybe this isn’t exactly what Strauss had in mind, but you get the idea. -“Yes Flair’s theme song is a good song, but a good theme song it is not. It is too mellow and doesn’t have anything that grabs you. In fact sometimes you have trouble even knowing the theme song started (WCW had a real bad habit of screwing up their sound system) It was a real song that gained its popularity from a Stanly Kubric movie and not wrestling. Compare this to MDM’s theme and you have a song that was created for the wrestler, had a grabbing opening, was sung by the wrestler himself and was made to represent the gimmick of the wrestler. Is it a better song? No, but is it a better wrestling theme? Yes.” – MachoKing -“Tough choice here, but MDM's theme has that awesome beat to it that ive always liked as well as Dibeases signature laugh” – Rahman82 -“One of the best theme songs of all time right here. Perfectly fit his persona, and played it all up so well. Flair's is just unremarkable and doesn't specifically tie to him that way Ted's did.” – Morpheus -“When DiBiase's laugh was heard, you knew someone was going to get choked out.” - Sean 3 Ultimate Warrior defeated 14 Bret Hart -CMV1 note – There were 34 voters in the Sweet 16 and this came down to the final vote…and there goes the last representative of the New Generation era of the early-to-mid 90’s. That’s not a surprise. The Warrior theme brought energy to the crowd that few others could. With Flair out, Warrior is my favorite to meet Hogan in the final. -Leonard’s Notes - This is a tough one for me, but I think Hart narrowly should edge out Warrior here. Both are similar in that the man made the music, for sure. I would venture to say, however, that Hart’s intro is more response-inducing in terms of the crowd. Also, the Excellence of Execution’s theme is much more compositionally interesting and varied than the Warrior’s, as pumped up a theme it may be. Again, a tough choice. -“ While the Hitman's is a better song, Warrior's is most likely the best theme of all time, in my opinion. I'll be repeating myself from the last entry if I go on too long.” – PEN15 4 Triple H “Time to Play the Game” defeated 13 Evolution -CMV1 note – Another very close vote, as there were plenty of voters who supported Evolution over the Game. I think they are both tremendous entrance themes and, while I have always preferred Evolution to TTPTG, I think each had an outside shot of making some potentially unexpected noise in the later rounds. -Leonard’s Notes - The battle of Motorhead, I see. I don’t think it’s much of a contest. I really do like both themes, and they are very compositionally interesting. So one then must look at the impact that each theme had on the wrestler(s) that used it and it’s factor of “long lasting-ness.” Triple H’s theme wins that quite easily. -“Motorhead mad the song for Triple H, you have one of the greatest bands ever making a song for the WWE wrestlers. Triple H's best theme was with him for many of his title runs, and it fits. "My Time" was great as the Corporate DX leader was coming to his own, but once he was a true main eventer, then a truly great song needed to defined him. "Time to Play the Game" is that perfect fit.” – LWO4Life -“Triple H "time to play the game". Definitely one of the best wrestling songs of all time, and also one of the most adrenaline pumping songs of all time, period. This is easily a top 5 of all time.” - ironslave 5 DX defeated 12 Edge “Metalingus” -Leonard’s Notes - The hurting for me continues. These are the ones that make this job so difficult. When looking at the compositional structure, each has two basic themes, making them ternary (or “ABA”) form. Both themes are varied enough to make the piece interesting throughout. Both are fitting for the wrestler(s) they bring to the ring, whether it be Degeneration X (in any form) or Edge (and Lita). Also, the intros do a good job in getting the crowd amped, whether it’s the question “Are you ready?” or the statement “You think you know me.” The very last place I can go is the lyrics, and I find Edge’s slightly more interesting. Either theme would be deserving of a spot in the 8, but I would pick Edge’s Alter Bridge theme, if it were my decision. -CMV1 note – Admittedly, I was quietly hoping that Edge’s theme would get the win and move on to further represent the modern era. However, one cannot deny the impact of DX and their hard hitting, in your face entrance song. -“Edge is my favorite out of all of these.” - theghostofdokfreeez -“Edge’s theme might have been done by Creed, but DX’s theme was done by HHH’s brother. So both songs equally suck in their artist. Therefore to me, it comes down to what I like more and that is Edge’s theme. I do not like the DX theme as I feel it starts too slowly and honestly the words are really bad. As far as wrestling theme’s go, Edge is better off because his music does what a wrestling theme should do. It has a opening that grabs you, a chores that is catchy and isnt screaming, and most importantly it fits the wrestler better. We could argue till the cows come home about the DX theme fitting HBK and HHH, but my opinion is it didn’t while Edge’s theme does fit him more so then any other theme he has had, including the Rob Zombie theme.” – MachoKing -“Again I have to make a hard choice. Both are epic, but when Chris Warren screeches out "Break it down!" then all hell breaks loose & I'm air drumming like a maniac.” - Mizfan 11 Stone Cold “Glass Shatter” defeated 6 Chris Jericho “Break the Walls Down” -CMV1 note – Jericho made a late run at it on the final days of voting, but I really never expected it to advance past Austin. While a classic, Jericho’s theme is just not Austin’s. The simple, repetitious Austin entrance song with the glass shattering intro defined an era. Perhaps Jericho’s would have had a better chance at the Elite 8 against a different opponent. -Leonard’s Notes - Another painful one for me. I really love Jericho’s theme, as it worked for him as a face or a heel. However, nobody can argue the monumental impact of that glass shattering, and how it defined an entire era of wrestling. Austin wins with no problem. -“I don't really like voting against Jericho because as a wrestler and performer I like him better than I do Austin, and if his "Break the Walls Down" theme was going up against almost anyone else I'd vote for it. If I am going to be honest though I can't really do that here in this bracket because Austin's "Glass Shatter" is his best theme and one of the most iconic ones ever. Like Hogan’s, and the Rocks before you know what you are going to get the minute you hear that familiar sound of breaking glass.” – Lunchbox -“Just for the way the crowd would pop every time the glass shattered.” - Manya 23 New World Order defeated 26 Undertaker (Ministry) -Leonard’s Notes - The rock take on the original “Deadman” theme is pretty interesting, and the generic rock theme of the nWo is pretty iconic as well (I’ll say again, I love when the guy says “N-N-New World Order”). While the Ministry theme didn’t stay around for too long, we always find the nWo theme popping back up. Not oft mentioned also is the fact that this theme is one of the few associated with World Championship Wrestling’s rise to the top of the wrestling world for a year or so. Begrudgingly, New World Order should win. -CMV1 note – I had the NWO ranked very high on my initial list, so I’m happy to see it advance fairly convincingly. I love the Taker’s Ministry theme, though. Both are personal favorites of mine. -“I am a gigantic Taker mark, I loved the Ministry, but I think NWO is going to win this round. I think NWO deserves it more, but I am voting for Taker anyways in protest to the IWC's newfound hatred of Taker.” – Mr. Big Gulp -“I'll be honest, I'm not a hug fan of either theme. Ministry was a remix of sorts and nWo's theme was ripped from Jimi Hendrix. I give the slight nod to nWo based solely on the reaction it brought from fans.” – Bad Medicine -“No contest. The Undertaker's Ministry theme does little to nothing for me. The NWO's theme makes me think of "swagger", which is what the group was all about. The guitar riff in the NWO theme is just great, although I'm willing to bet it's a rip-off just like 99% of WCW themes were anyway.” – BryanV21 9 Undertaker (traditional theme) defeated 57 Stone Cold “Disturbed” -CMV1 note – Thank God. It’s about time the Disturbed Austin theme got knocked out. To see it get demolished and only receive 4 of 34 votes makes me happy. It did make a heck of a run, though, to keep the tournament interesting, but the Deadman’s traditional theme wins out, as it should. -Leonard’s Notes - “Bad form” or not, the Undertaker’s “Funeral March” should win handily, dare I say in a complete blowout. This Stone Cold theme is just an interpretation of a theme that didn’t need interpreted. Whether you like the song is irrelevant (and I don’t, but to each his own)—and even if you thought it was a good theme, it doesn’t hold a candle to the mysticism that is created (in part) by the Undertaker’s original theme. -"As for Disturbed. I love Stone Cold and I love Disturbed. But they went together like me and my girlfriend.... awkwardly." -JDThompson -"This is the Undertaker theme that truly becomes the icon he is. The Disturbed theme was an album selling ploy used short term. As above, it's no contest." – Mr. Bungle -“Undertaker in the only one this round that was not a tough decision” – Max Powers -“Undertaker's traditional theme is boring. It's the gong and the SFX and his mannerisms that make crowds pop, not the Funeral March. Now, about the Disturbed theme: Chad, why do you hate America? I could produce a three page rant on what makes Steve Austin's Disturbed theme so great, but I want to hear from you first.” – Durandal CMV1 closing note - The Elite 8 voting has already begun in the LOP Forums. If you wish to cast yours, become a forum member and enjoy the various discussions, theme music included. I'm interested in your thoughts on the Sweet 16 in meantime. Any surprises? Any pre-round of 8 thoughts?
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