It was the first time you heard a particular note, drum beat or electronically created sound that made your ears tingle, your heart skip a beat and resonated with your soul. This is “My Song” – a series where the music that makes the person is spotlighted. James Bullock writes about a song that helped initiate his love for professional wrestling.
I was only three years old in 1988. I really didn’t knowledgably understand what it meant to have a hobby or enjoy some form of quality entertainment. I just liked what I liked. But I did know that I loved one of racing’s hottest attractions/red-headed stepchildren in monster trucks. The giant machines would mesmerize me for hours on end, exposing my little, fragile mind to a world that seemed larger than life. In truth, every kid looks toward things greater than themselves because that’s the only thing they see; and I was no different. That mindset remained with me for years and essentially translated into another form of scrutinized entertainment.
It’s hard to pin point what promo it was, when it happened, what event it occurred during, but on one particular night in 1988, my eyes caught the image of something else larger than life – a man draped in red and yellow (and baby oil). After this bronzed, blond haired individual talked about his three demandments and planned to win some kind of “match” for all of his fans, I watched intently as this man who was introduced as “Hulk Hogan” stomped to a square with ropes surrounding it while the ushering rocking tunes’ lead singer kept saying that he was a, “…real American.” Years later I would discover that Rick Derringer created a musical gem that represents my love for pro wrestling until this very day.
The song, just like the man who used it for his entrance music, feels as broad and grand as the country it singled out. Any time I hear the iconic wrestling theme, I can’t help but feel as I did as a child. The ability to hulk up and practically feel that with a little training, prayer, and some vitamins I could overcome all obstacles. I guess that’s what it takes to truly be a real American.
