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WWE has been on quite a role over the last year with their DVD releases, with titles focused on WCW and ECW, Goldberg, the first in hopefully many Mid-South DVDs and documentaries on Mick Foley and Triple H, among others – but the most unique release of the year may turn out to be “Signature Sounds: The Music of WWE.”
Obviously music is a big part of the pomp and circumstance of the WWE presentation and has been for most of the modern era. I don’t think anyone who grew up in the 1980s could imagine Hulk Hogan’s entrance without the guitar riff of “Real American” setting the stage for the crowd eruption. Fast forward head a decade and you could make the same case for the glass breaking before Steve Austin’s theme song set off waves of excitement.
With “Signature Sounds”, WWE sets out to pull back the curtain of some of the songs and provide insight into their creation. The countdown itself is up for debate since music, like pro wrestling, is such a subjective genre to cover, so if you are seeking out a definitive list, you probably will be left wondering where certain themes are – but as a DVD providing oversight into the creative process of the songs, this is a pretty interesting main program on the DVD.
One of the positives of the countdown is that it runs the gamut from different eras of the company – covering everything from Fandango’s theme to songs for Mr. Perfect and Sunny. It provides a great overview for how much the music of the company helped set the stage for what was about to go down in the ring.
As you might expect, the set features running commentary and comments from different WWE talents, some of it new interview material and some of it archived from older interviews with WWE personalities. While there are some good comments from the talents, the true star of the DVD, as you may imagine, is WWE’s long-standing in-house composer Jim Johnston.
Johnston is one of those personalities who has helped prep and charge the WWE product for decades but often does so without the spotlight that goes with such genius. Here he provides commentary and insight into each of the 25 themes that are picked and presented in the countdown.
Johnston’s comments, to me, were easily the best part of the DVD, noting, for instance, that the Shawn Michaels’ farewell song “Tell Me A Lie” when Michaels left and “retired” in 1997 as WWF champion, was actually a song written for Johnston’s mother after she passed away. Another song that ends up being used for a WWE Diva was actually written about Johnston’s wife. The origins for some of the songs bring a new dimension and heart to the music.
Johnston, filmed in his recording studio, will often play different instruments to strip down the songs to the basic riffs to help showcase their origins and how they have evolved as well. Overall, it’s a really unique presentation for a wrestling DVD and in many ways, a fun, interesting one of watch.
The main program presentation is 70 minutes long, so they spend on average about 2-3 minutes on each song. Extras include a look at the infamous “Man’s Man” theme for William Regal, the Shawn Michaels’ “Tell Me A Lie”, Billy Gunn’s theme, Val Venis’ theme and Hakushi’s theme. There are also a look at the creation of Goldust’s theme, and Johnston’s work scoring different WWE films. If there is ever a case to be made for how much Vince McMahon controls WWE, it is told in this extra where Johnston talks about learning Vince hates the score that was made for the John Cena film “Legendary” and has assigned Johnston to write a new score…with less than two weeks to go before it needs to be done.
Johnston, as always, came through, as he does on this DVD. For many fans, he is the equivalent of what John Williams is to great cinema – the master of the band and the composer for the soundtrack of their fandom. It was great to see him get his just due and attention.
WWE’s Signature Sounds can be ordered by clicking here. It is available only in DVD format.
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