James A. Johnston - World Wrestling Federation: The Music, Volume 4 / World Wrestling Federation, James A. Johnston - WWF The Music, Vol. 5
Back to the box this week and boy do we have a doozy! Yes okay, I admit it, I’m a wrestling fan. These days I don’t really watch that much (though I still enjoyed going to live shows before the virus shut all that down). But back in the nineties and into the 2000s I was a big fan.
When I moved away from home for university, I had access to a public library that also loaned out CDs for the first time. I took full advantage of this by borrowing ten at a time and then taping them. I think maybe the novelty of seeing that they had these was more of a factor in me copying them than me actually ever wanting to listen to them as actual music releases. I’m not 100% sure I’ve ever listened to either all the way through, and I’m really not sure what I’ll have to say about a lot of it, but the rules are that I have to listen to everything in the box, so let’s get on with it.
Artist: James A. Johnston
Album: World Wrestling Federation: The Music,
Volume 4
UK Record Label: Koch Records
UK Release Date: 2nd November 1999
UK Single Releases from Album: None
Break Down the Walls (Chris Jericho): He used variations of this for years, definite late 90s nu-metal vibe to the vocals. Still the theme I associate with Y2J even now, so I suppose it’s successful in that respect.
Big (The Big Show): “Weeeeell, it’s the Big Show” is an iconic opening line! Slightly bluesy rock guitar overtones. Goes on a bit. Most of these themes are designed to be played for thirty seconds or so whilst the wrestler makes their way to the ring/celebrates their victory, so when stretched to a full three minutes not a great deal else tends to happen. You could say Johnston hits all his high spots early.
No Chance in Hell (The Corporation): Ah, Vince’s heel faction. As with the Jericho theme McMahon has used variations of this for ever, I’m not sure I’ve heard it all the way through before, it has a kind of mellow bit in the middle, before reverting to more familiar, more raucous territory.
Discogs tells me that Mark Henry’s Sexual Chocolate theme should follow here, but erm, it doesn’t. Maybe I had to cut a track to make it fit on one side of a tape and chose this?
This Is a Test (Test): He was called Test. His theme says “This Is a Test” repeatedly, along with some other unintelligible lyrics. I don’t really know what to say about this, it’s a bit rubbish to be honest. There’s a lot of generic late 90s rock on this compilation.
Wreck (Mankind): The squeal of tyres, followed by an incessant, catchy guitar riff. I do actually rather like this one, and it’s still used to this day when Mick Foley makes ad hoc WWE appearances.
Oh Hell Yeah (Stone Cold Steve Austin) featuring H-Blockx: Apparently H-Blockx are/were a German rock band, and as such we get more generic rock. This compilation really sounds dated.
Danger at the Door (D’Lo Brown): Finally, something that isn’t just guitars and shouty vocals! That doesn’t mean its good mind, he just repeats “You’re looking at the real deal now” a lot, whilst the same note plays over and over again in the background.
Blood Brother (Christian): Back to the guitars now. Can’t say I really remember this one, but it does have a slightly sinister tune in the background, like when someone in a horror film is about to open a door or something and you just know something bad is lurking behind it. But with a repeating guitar riff over the top obviously.
AssMan (Mr. Ass): Now we’re talking, this one is a classic! Our singer tells us about his love of asses, “so many asses, so little time”. We learn how he loves to love ‘em, loves to kick ‘em, loves to shove ‘em, loves to stick ‘em, loves to flaunt ‘em, loves to watch ‘em, loves to pick ‘em (eew!) and so on. Gloriously crap!
Ministry (Undertaker): This is okay, but the Undertaker’s original theme was so iconic that this just sounds kind of wrong. Similar haunting, funereal vibe but with (sigh) rock guitars over the top.
My Time (Triple H/Chyna): “1-2 is this on?” Another opening line that immediately takes me back to the Paul Levesque of this era. More tedious nu-metal vocals, more rock guitars. I know the target audience of the attitude era was teenage boys, but a bit of variety in the choice of music wouldn’t have hurt!
On the Edge (Edge) (New Version): The “You think you know me” opening line has followed Edge from theme to theme. I’m not sure I remember this one though, maybe it was recorded especially for this release or something? It’s alright I suppose, has a bit of dance rock feel to it.
Know Your Role (The Rock) (New Version): Okay, this one is memorable. Probably still the first Rock theme I would think of when Mr Johnson comes to mind. Fine for what it is.
You can listen to the album here
Album: WWF The Music, Vol. 5
UK Record Label: Koch Records
UK Release Date: 20th February 2001
UK Single Releases from Album: None
The Game (Triple H) performed by Motorhead: Still used by Trips to this day. It’s a proper song rather than just a 30 second track looped half a dozen times to make up the running time. As such it’s not bad, even if Lemmy was a kind of objectionable human being.
Rowdy (K-Kwik): Rapped by K-Kwik (now R-Truth) himself, this at least stands out from all the late 90s/early 2000s rock on here.
If You Dare (Tazz): Ah yes, this starts with the sound of an ECG machine flatlining, followed by a repetitive guitar riff, I don’t mind this one.
It Just Feels Right (Lita): Ooh, listening to this on headphones there’s a kind of ASMR affect going on when the whispering part comes in at the start. Otherwise nothing really stands out.
Out of the Fire (Kane): Another one that variations of have been used for donkey’s years now. It does fit the Kane character though, dark and brooding.
Latino Heat (Eddie Guerrero): Volume 5 is definitely a bit more varied musically than Volume 4, so for that I’m eternally thankful. South American rap is the order of the day here. Not terrible.
I’ve Got It All (“The One” Billy Gunn): Well, lets get one thing out of the way, this is no AssMan! It’s not bad though, in a cheesy eighties rock kind of way, complete with wailing sax.
What About Me? (Raven): The sound of ravens cawing to start us off so at least it’s on brand. There’s also some sort of chanting, and (inevitably) heavy guitar. Meh, alright I suppose.
Who I Am (Chyna): More ASMR whispering! I don’t mind this one, rawk vocals but it is kind of catchy. The “don’t treat me like a woman, don’t treat me like a man” part could easily get lodged in your head.
Medal (Kurt Angle): Ah, now this one is great! Still used to this day, and I’m really struggling not to chant “You suck” as I listen along. The simple ones are generally the most effective with wrestling themes I find, and even though it wasn’t originally written for him, this fits Olympic gold medalist Angle perfectly.
Bad Man (Rikishi): This was the theme Rikishi used after his heel turn in late 2000. We’re regaled with tales of how bad he is, how the streets have changed him and so on. Musically it’s quite a chilled-out rap number though, and truth be told I don’t mind it.
Shooter (Chris Benoit): Moving on…
Turn It Up (Too Cool): I’ve always had a bit of fondness for this one. “Banging it, banging it, banging it” followed by an electro breakdance number, how can you not enjoy it?
Pie (The Rock) guest vocalist Slick Rick: I think this one was recorded especially for this release. It’s a gospel number, where the Rock tells us of his love of “pie”. For the uninitiated, pie to the Rock is getting intimate with a young lady. This is a bit dubious to be honest, especially the “comedy” Chinese part.
I’m not going to lie, this one was a bit of a chore, but I definitely preferred Volume 5 to Volume 4, and as a snapshot of a hot product during that era, this is as good as anything I guess.
You can listen to the album here
I actually really liked the ministry theme, better than dead man walking ��♂️
ReplyDeleteOh I don't hate it or anything, I think it's just that I was so familiar with his classic theme, that this was always a little jarring. It's still recognisably "an Undertaker theme" though, which is the main thing.
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