Jimmy Johnston Hidden Gems

 

I was watching Royal Rumble this past weekend with my wife, and as entrants came out for the respective Rumble matches. My wife mentioned how most theme songs today are so unrecognizable if she's doing something else, she won't know who is entering the match until she looks up.  Judging by social media comments I've seen since, the general consensus is today's entrance themes are very generic.

That led us down the road of theme songs from previous years and Jim Johnston work before separating from the WWE. 

Jimmy Johnston was the long time composer of WWF/E theme songs. He is responsible for so many of our favorite theme songs Stone Cold's, The Undertaker's, The Brood, Ultimate Warrior, D-X, The Rock's, D'Lo, Kane way too many to name.. He is a unsung hero of the company's product and absolutely deserves a documentary about him, and the WWE Hall of Fame (whether you agree with it's legitimacy or not). I wrote a previous article about him and how he could still bring so much to the table for any promotion.

During his time in the fed, just about every member of the roster had a very noticeable theme song. Through time and human beings knack for forgetting things, some of his songs have been forgotten by the masses. With that here's five song's he produced that are largely forgotten gems. 

5. Billy Gunn The One 

The official name of this theme song is I've Got It All, it was Billy Gunn's theme song when he was going under "The One Moniker" trying to move on from the "Ass Man" gimmick. The song is a jazz inspired saxophone backing heavy tune, the song is catchy but it has largely been forgotten. Which is fitting as Gunn's run as the one was just as forgettable.

4. Christian At Last

Christian has had some catchy theme songs over his career. Most notably his Brood theme, Just Close Your Eyes, and his TNA/AEW theme song. Lost amongst all those theme songs is his At Last theme. The song gives you that orchestra inspired rock n roll feeling, taking inspiration from rock classics like Queen Bohemian Rhapsody or Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. 

Starting with a opera chorus chanting Christian's name, before segueing into a Rock instrumental. His entrance music was amplified by the falling pyro that would accompany him on his way to the ring. It's a shame this theme did not last longer. 

3. Kidman You Can Run

To quote the younger generations slang, this song slaps Kidman's You Can Run was his theme during his Smackdown heel run in the 2000's. It's a hip hop inspired song, with a hard drum slapping bass. Unfortunately since it's been about 20 years and Kidman for as great of a talent he was, isn't going down in the history books as one of the greats.  This theme could be bought back for a current talent, and some may hear it and say they vaguely remember it. While the new generation probably would say damn this song is good.

2. Air Boom Boom!

In the early 2010's WWE put two of their most athletic high-flying members of the roster together, in Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne. The two became a tag-team known as Air Boom and actually achieved some success winning the WWE tag team championship once. When they became a cohesive unit, they gained a team appropriate theme song Boom! 

The song has a opening riff of a flight landing with then a loud blast effect. The beat has a very sonic siren sound to create the illusion of soaring through the air. The song is high energy and catchy, perfectly complementing the two superstars talent.  This is one of my favorite hidden gems.

1. Cody Rhodes Undashing Smoke and Mirrors 

Before Cody Rhodes was  the superstar he is today known as the American Nightmare, he was a young wrestler working to make his way in the ring. He had the gimmick of a well-groomed narcissistic "Dashing" Cody Rhodes. That was until his nose was accidentally broken by Rey Mysterio during a match. What followed was the masked, deranged, undashing Cody Rhodes.  

Following his gimmick change, his Smoke and Mirrors theme was slowed down and remixed into a slower more sinister version. The gimmick while brilliant didn't catch fire like it should have in my opinion, and this theme song falls into the same category.