Jim Johnston: Greatest WWE Hits
The essential collection from wrestling's premier theme artist...
Jim Johnston has had a profound influence on my life, as I'm sure he has yours. If I had to choose one man as being responsible for the soundtrack of my life to date, it would be Jim Johnston. The first music I can recall hearing that didn't come from Playdays, Arthur, Backstreet Boys or Oakie Doke came from Jim and probably goes a long way to explaining why I don't have a real job at the moment. Thank you, Jim.
The genius behind Johnston's music, for me, is the way he could capture a personality without using a single lyric whatsoever. He'd seemingly just look at a picture of a Superstar, maybe even a short clip of them walking to the ring, and create a piece of music that fit their character better than Mankind's tights fit Mick Foley's arse - and goodness me, were they snug or what?!
Jim's departure from WWE is sad. When a man has been in a high profile role like that for 32 years and consistently knocked the ball out of the park during that time, reading about his release without any sort of well wishes from the company that reaped the benefits from his tenacity and genius - not to mention the fact they still haven't recognised his achievements with a Hall of Fame induction - just rubs you up the wrong way, you know? Also, with his last big hit going down as Baron Corbin's 'Bring the Darkness' (End of Days), featuring vocals from Tommy Vext, it's clear the man still has a whole lot to give to the business. I'm sure the call made by WWE to not renew Jim's contract was the right one from their point of view, given that we don't really know the details surrounding the decision. But for a fan looking in from the outside, it just feels wrong.
Over here in the United Kingdom, we have a thing that happens on the radio every Sunday called 'The Official UK Top 40 Singles Chart' which is a very stressful show to listen to indeed. I don't listen to it anymore, but I can recall travelling back home from football matches when I was a kid and only getting down to number 17 during the course of my journey, even though there was clearly enough time to get to number one. Those reckless DJs would just waste time talking about the colour of the plant pot in their downstairs toilet and it would drive me insane. JUST PLAY THE F*****G MUSIC MAN!
I've got to be honest, I fully intended to make a Jim Johnson WWE Top 40 article here but the further I dug, the bigger the number of gems that wouldn't make the cut became. So I said 'screw it,' let's include all of the best tunes and make this a greatest hits compilation.
I'm not a music journalist so I won't be able to add any modicum of insightful commentary as to what makes the following songs great. They just make my toes tap, as I'm sure they do yours. Let's celebrate Jim's back catalogue of work by just listening to them. No hype or redundant hyperbole, no downstairs toilet plant pots, just quality tunes, mate.
I guess if this article is ever released on CD it would be called Now That's What I Call Jim Johnston, so let's just enjoy these bangers for what they're worth and pay homage to a fantastic musical legacy. Thank you, Jim.
HEY! According to the credits on the WWE Anthology album, Hulk Hogan's 'Real American' (written by Rick Derringer and Kenny Bernhard), Bret Hart's 'Hitman' (written by Jimmy Hart and J.J. Maguire), Million Dollar Man's 'It's All About The Money' (written by Hart and Maguire), Shawn Michaels' 'Sexy Boy' (also written by Hart and Maguire) and Honkey Tonk Man's 'Cool Cocky Bad (written by Hart) can't be claimed by Jim and do not make this list.
I know, I didn't know either...
Performed by Miestro.
Performed by Downstait.
Vocals by Sean Jenness.
Vocals by Kari Kimmel.
Fun fact: Michael P.S. Hayes did the "WEEEEEEEEEL, WELL IT'S THE BIG SHOW!" schtick. You learn something new every day.
Vocals by Evan Jones.
Performed by Motörhead.
Performed by Downstait.
Performed by Downstait.
Performed by Age Against The Machine.
Performed by Three 6 Mafia.
Featuring Rich Luzzi of Rev Theory.
Written by Jim and Chris Classic.
Performed by John Cena and Tha Trademarc
Performed by Shaman's Harvest.
Performed by Naughty By Nature.
Vocals by Tommy Vext.
Performed by Waterproof Blonde.
Performed by The Chris Warren Band.
Performed by Motörhead.
Performed by The Chris Warren Band.
The genius behind Johnston's music, for me, is the way he could capture a personality without using a single lyric whatsoever. He'd seemingly just look at a picture of a Superstar, maybe even a short clip of them walking to the ring, and create a piece of music that fit their character better than Mankind's tights fit Mick Foley's arse - and goodness me, were they snug or what?!
Jim's departure from WWE is sad. When a man has been in a high profile role like that for 32 years and consistently knocked the ball out of the park during that time, reading about his release without any sort of well wishes from the company that reaped the benefits from his tenacity and genius - not to mention the fact they still haven't recognised his achievements with a Hall of Fame induction - just rubs you up the wrong way, you know? Also, with his last big hit going down as Baron Corbin's 'Bring the Darkness' (End of Days), featuring vocals from Tommy Vext, it's clear the man still has a whole lot to give to the business. I'm sure the call made by WWE to not renew Jim's contract was the right one from their point of view, given that we don't really know the details surrounding the decision. But for a fan looking in from the outside, it just feels wrong.
Over here in the United Kingdom, we have a thing that happens on the radio every Sunday called 'The Official UK Top 40 Singles Chart' which is a very stressful show to listen to indeed. I don't listen to it anymore, but I can recall travelling back home from football matches when I was a kid and only getting down to number 17 during the course of my journey, even though there was clearly enough time to get to number one. Those reckless DJs would just waste time talking about the colour of the plant pot in their downstairs toilet and it would drive me insane. JUST PLAY THE F*****G MUSIC MAN!
I've got to be honest, I fully intended to make a Jim Johnson WWE Top 40 article here but the further I dug, the bigger the number of gems that wouldn't make the cut became. So I said 'screw it,' let's include all of the best tunes and make this a greatest hits compilation.
I'm not a music journalist so I won't be able to add any modicum of insightful commentary as to what makes the following songs great. They just make my toes tap, as I'm sure they do yours. Let's celebrate Jim's back catalogue of work by just listening to them. No hype or redundant hyperbole, no downstairs toilet plant pots, just quality tunes, mate.
I guess if this article is ever released on CD it would be called Now That's What I Call Jim Johnston, so let's just enjoy these bangers for what they're worth and pay homage to a fantastic musical legacy. Thank you, Jim.
HEY! According to the credits on the WWE Anthology album, Hulk Hogan's 'Real American' (written by Rick Derringer and Kenny Bernhard), Bret Hart's 'Hitman' (written by Jimmy Hart and J.J. Maguire), Million Dollar Man's 'It's All About The Money' (written by Hart and Maguire), Shawn Michaels' 'Sexy Boy' (also written by Hart and Maguire) and Honkey Tonk Man's 'Cool Cocky Bad (written by Hart) can't be claimed by Jim and do not make this list.
I know, I didn't know either...
86. Steven Regal - Real Man's Man
85. Bret Hart/Natalya - Return Of The Hitman
84. Nation Of Domination - Power
83. Rodney Mac/Teddy Long - Macmilitant
Performed by Miestro.
82. Scotty 2 Hotty/Too Cool - Turn It Up
81. Brodus Clay - Somebody Call My Moma
80. Brock Lesnar - Enforcer
79. Alex Riley - Say It To My Face
Performed by Downstait.
78. Umaga - Virtual Voodoo
77. Sheamus - Written In My Face
Vocals by Sean Jenness.
76. Eddie Guerrero - Latino Heat
75. New Age Outlaws - Oh You Didn't Know
74. Big Bossman - Guard
73. Val Venis - Hello Ladies
72. Sycho Sid - Snapped
71. Diesel - Diesel Blues
70. Dude Love - Dude's Shack
69. AJ Lee - Let's Light It Up
Vocals by Kari Kimmel.
68. John Morrison - Ain't No Make Believe
67. Smack - SmackDown's Debut Theme
66. Tamina - Tropical Storm
65. Doink The Clown - Evil Behind The Makeup
64. Mark Henry - Sexual Chocolate
63. Ken Shamrock - The Ultimate
62. Ryback - Meat On The Table
61. The Godfather - The Ho Train
60. The Undertaker - You're Gonna Pay
59. Test - This Is A Test
58. Al Snow - Snow-Man
57. Shawn Michaels Farewell - Tell Me A Lie
56. The Big Show - Big
Fun fact: Michael P.S. Hayes did the "WEEEEEEEEEL, WELL IT'S THE BIG SHOW!" schtick. You learn something new every day.
55. Ezekiel Jackon - Domination
Vocals by Evan Jones.
54. Triple H - King Of Kings
Performed by Motörhead.
53. Cody Rhodes - Smoke & Mirrors
52. Rebellion Theme - Burning Tree
51. Goldust - Gold-Lust
50. Kane - Burned
49. New Day - New Day, New Way
48. Edge & Christian - You Think You Know Me
47. The Sandman - Nightmare
46. The Miz - I Came To Play
Performed by Downstait.
45. Armageddon PPV - The End
44. Dolph Ziggler - Here To Show The World
Performed by Downstait.
43. Rob Van Dam - Dam-Nation
42. Mankind - Schizophreniac
41. Jack Swagger - On Your Knees
Performed by Age Against The Machine.
40. Razor Ramon - Bad Boy
39. D'Lo Brown - The Real Deal
38. Mick Foley - Wreck
37. Mark Henry - Some Bodies Gonna Get It
Performed by Three 6 Mafia.
36. Eddie Guerrero - Lie Cheat Steal
35. Brawl For All Theme
34. Tazz - If You Dare
33. Fandango - ChaChaLaLa
32. Lita - It Just Feels Right
31. Randy Orton - Voices
Featuring Rich Luzzi of Rev Theory.
30. APA - Protection
29. Eric Bischoff - I'm Back
28. The Undertaker - Funeral Dirge
27. Rey Mysterio - 619
Written by Jim and Chris Classic.
26. The Shield - Special Op
25. John Cena - Basic Thuganomics
Performed by John Cena and Tha Trademarc
24. Drew McIntyre - Broken Dreams
Performed by Shaman's Harvest.
23. Mr Perfect - Perfection
22. Shane McMahon - Here Comes The Money
Performed by Naughty By Nature.
21. Baron Corbin - Bring the Darkness (End of Days)
Vocals by Tommy Vext.
20. Brock Lesnar - The Next Big Thing
19. Christian - Just Close Your Eyes
Performed by Waterproof Blonde.
18. The Corporate Ministry
17. Billy Gunn - Ass Man
16. 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper - Hot Rod
15. Kurt Angle - Medal
14. Christian - At Last
13. Jake 'The Snake' Roberts - Snake Bit
12. Vince McMahon - No Chance In Hell
11. Chris Jericho - Break The Walls Down
10. Gangrel/The Brood - Blood
9. The Rock - Is Cooking
8. D-Generation X - Break It Down
Performed by The Chris Warren Band.
7. Triple H - The Game
Performed by Motörhead.
6. Triple H - My Time
Performed by The Chris Warren Band.