Somebody Hire Me: A Jim Johnston Story

 

Former WWE composer Jim Johnston was a  recent guest on the Chris Van Vliet show. During the interview he mentioned just how bad and mediocore the theme music for wrestlers are today. If you're a wrestling fan of the last twenty plus years you know that he is absolutely correct. Most theme songs of the wrestlers today just sucks, and it's not just the WWE suffering from this problem.

Jim Johnston is the man responsible for classic theme songs such as Stone Cold's glass breaking, The Undertaker's bells ringing, D'Lo's hip hop inspired Real Deal, Mark Henry's Barry White inspired Sexual Chocolate theme and so many more. The man who crafted all these song's that you could not wait to go and buy the entire WWF: The Music series on CD (how times have changed).

When you hear a Jim Johnston theme you know it, because it's loud and attention grabbig, it fits the wrestler who is walking out towards the ring in cohension with the theme. The majority of theme songs today just dont do that, WWE has a few Finn Balor's theme, Sasha Banks, The Undisputed Era before they're split, Io Shirai, The New Day, and AJ Styles are the only ones that immediately stick out to me as fitting the wrestler. 

When I watch AEW there are only a handful of themes I instantly know, The Lucha Bros, Sammy Guevaras, Jerichos, Jungle Boy (licensed music), Shawn Spears, Young Bucks, and who can forget Cody's theme and entrance? In Impact I couldn't tell you one noticeable theme song, sometimes I wonder is my TV even up loud enough.

That's part of the problem, theme music is a huge part of a wrestlers persona. For debuting wrestlers it can instantly grab the audiences attention and make them take notice. Returning from a months long injury? the sound of a wrestlers theme can send fans into an frenzy. That is just not happening today, because so much of the theme music today are just generic tunes. None really stand out to distinguish between the wrestlers.

I wonder why on earth is Jim Johnston not working with another wrestling company right now? If WWE is not wise enough to bring him back, go to AEW or Impact. If not as a full time composer, use his knowledge and ability to craft themes and make him an advisor to the in-house producers they already use.

Jim Johnston is a legend in the world of professional wrestling, simply because of the music he has given fans over the years. His tunes are on several fans playlists, you may hear a few of them cranked up to ignorant levels out of someones car. Wrestling needs more attention grabbing theme songs and he is the man to do it. So somebody, anybody hire him.