If you’re a wrestling fan, you get to know wrestlers’ theme songs/entrance music and the shows’ opening themes just as you would memorable theme songs from sit coms or dramas that you watch on a regular basis. Although I am a huge wrestling fan, I generally don’t bother with the theme song CDs because, to be honest, I only know and like the part I hear when the wrestlers walk out from behind the curtain to the ring. The rest of the song means nothing to me. I think the last theme song compilation I actually bought for myself was the one with Shawn Michaels’ theme on it (and that could be any of them since it never has changed). I was given ThemeAddict: WWE The Music V6 by a fan of my work in PowerSlam Magazine in the UK which makes it special to me. But the CD itself? Not too good. Read on to find out why.

Who Picked These Themes?

With all the superstars in WWE and all the cool music that comes from the annals of World Wrestling Entertainment, I am led to wonder why on earth the themes that were chosen to be on the CD ever made the cut. For the most part, these are lesser known and unpopular theme songs and I found myself wondering where the fun stuff was. I think the money making machine that is the WWE Merchandising Department was looking for something new, anything new, to slap on a CD and sell to fans who buy everything and this was the result. To that end, I have to say this effort is not as bad as its predecessor, WWE Originals, where the wrestlers tried to sing songs we didn’t know and couldn’t even begin to enjoy.

As the name suggests, ThemeAddict is the sixth of such CDs that have been compiled for the WWE fans. This one was released in November 2004 and never really took off, and for good reason.

A Look at the Themes

1.Line In The Sand - Motorhead

This is one of the better pieces on the CD. Evolution was, at the time, the leading WWE faction on Raw and Motorhead nailed their persona with this hard rock song. As usual with Motorhead, the lyrics are nearly impossible to make out but discerning fans will immediately envision Evolution members walking to the ring when they hear this. There is a bonus very good guitar solo at the end of the song that has never been heard until the release of this CD that makes this song stand out from the rest.

2.Cool - Carlito Caribbean Cool

He’s pretty cool right now but when this CD came out, people barely knew who he was. Still, this laid back Caribbean style tune is distinctive and quite easy on the ears. It is far less generic than many theme songs and is quite welcome after the rather disturbingly loud Motorhead offering before it.

3.MacMilitant - Theodore Long

OK, you know WWE is stretching things when they add a General Manager’s theme song on a CD. This is a catchy rap type (not true rap but close) tune that I have heard a million times with different words over the course of the years I have watched WWF/WWE. It’s uninspired and really has no place on this CD. Then again, most of the other songs don’t either.

4.Just Close Your Eyes - Christian

This song, by Waterproof Blonde, is totally out of character for Christian and is more suited as a women’s theme song than a heel like Christian. The song is soft and slow and pretty darn dull.

5.Dangerous Politics - Heidenreich

Oh yes, even Heidenreich managed to weasel his way onto this CD! This is one of the most annoying song…ever. There is but one word … “Heidenreich” throughout the entire song! The music is hard driving but after a few times hearing “Heidenreich” said in a menacing tone, the skip feature on my CD player became my best friend. This is OK for a few second walk from curtain to ring but to actually listen to in its entirety is painful.

6.Real Good Girl - Raw Diva Search Theme

I hated the Diva Search and, at the time, cringed every time I heard this song. But upon listening to it without seeing the half dressed wanna bes tripping their way through embarrassing and time wasting segments on Raw, I don’t mind it as much. Hey, at least it has more than one word! Still, it won’t bring pleasant memories to most WWE fans.

7.Chavito Ardiente - Chavo Guerrero

I understand Eddie Guerrero having his theme song on a CD (Latino Heat) or even the stereotypical but humorous “Lie, Cheat, and Steal” theme that Eddie and Chavo were stuck with at one time but Chavo’s theme song? He has barely been on WWE television and hasn’t had a strong storyline since he and Eddie were tag partners in late 2003. This is a very generic sounding Latin tune that conveys absolutely nothing about the character except that he is Latino. And, let’s face it, does any one remember Chavo’s theme song after the “Ohhh Chavo!” in the beginning? It’s a very uninspired piece of work and I can’t figure out why this track on this CD. But, as you will see, that is a running theme for me as I review the CD.

8.Darkest Side, The - Undertaker (remix)

Why does WWE insist on messing with a good thing? Fans have loved the original Undertaker theme song for as long as Mark Caloway has played the character yet, on this CD, they had to go and remix it and make it sound almost like the theme song I have come to know and enjoy throughout the years but different enough so that if I heard this at a wake or funeral, I wouldn’t recognize it as the Undertaker’s theme song. I know WWE has milked the heck out of this theme but I don’t think the fans would have minded the original version on this CD at all. WWE should have left well enough alone or left this track out completely.

9.Child's Play - Eugene

While the Eugene character was quite hot when this was released, his music was not. This instrumental sounds like a remixed, watered down version of the Rocky theme and not a very good one. It’s boring. It doesn’t do a thing for me and, once again, the skip feature comes in handy.

10.Don't Mess With - Victoria

Victoria’s character has evolved from a crazy heel to a jiggling dancing face to a “diva” stuck in lingerie contests. This song is a rocking tune but, again, I don’t envision Victoria when I hear this. I just hear a lot of noise and clatter. I would have preferred Trish’s theme song rather than this one. It completely forgettable.

11.Ain't No Stoppin' Me - Shelton Benjamin

Most fans only remember the first line – “Ain’t No Stopping Me…” and I am no different. The rest just passes me by when Benjamin hits the ring. On the CD, I am forced to listen to the whole song. However, this is a catchy tune and fits the character, which is more than I can say for most of the other songs compiled here.

12.You Can Run - Billy Kidman

Billy Kidman? He had a good, but very short run as one half of the Smackdown tag team champs with Paul London followed by a turn and then he, and the storyline, disappeared. But his theme song is on here. I guarantee very few fans, even die hards, would be able to identify which WWE star’s theme song “You Can Run” is. This is a rap song that, in no way, represents the character of Billy Kidman. It’s not a terrible song, but people generally buy this type of CD to be reminded of the stars that are connected to the songs and this CD fails miserably to make the star connection that I know I, as a fan, want. As an aside, I was told that this song was a bonus, internet only downloadable song that came with the 2002 Anthology box set but I can’t verify that as I didn’t get that set nor hear the song that came with it.

13.Rise Up (SmackDown! Theme) - Drowning Pool

This is the ninth Smackdown theme song and is much more tame than the Drowning Pool’s mainstream offerings. It’s not a bad song and easily recognizable by the WWE fan, which is what it should be.

14.International Woman - Gail Kim

Gail Kim has since been fired from WWE which says a lot about the choices WWE made for this CD and the forward thinking the company has. Even if Gail hadn’t been fired, this is yet another offering that give us no connection to the star. The song is bland and boring and it’s just as well that we don’t have to listen to it on WWE TV any longer.

15.Longhorn - John "Bradshaw" Layfield

Well, cows moo in this one. That’s a … change of pace. JBL has honed his character immensely since this song came out last year but most fans would probably connect this “presidential sounding” song with him. Another excruciatingly boring instrumental that is fine in a very small doses (like from curtain to ring) but tedious after a few seconds.

16.Untouchables - John Cena

This is not a theme song per se. It is John Cena giving us a taste of what type of music his new Rap CD will contain. As a Cena fan, I enjoyed this track the most. At least it was fresh and done by someone I know and am a fan of. It is classic rap and, if you don’t like rap music, you won’t like this. It’s tame though and you don’t have to worry about the kids hearing any vulgarities. This isn’t as good as Cena’s “Basic Thuganomics” offering but it’s passable.

Track Listing

1.Line In The Sand - Motorhead
2.Cool - Carlito Caribbean Cool
3.MacMilitant - Theodore Long
4.Just Close Your Eyes - Christian
5.Dangerous Politics - Heidenreich
6.Real Good Girl - Raw Diva Search Theme
7.Chavito Ardiente - Chavo Guerrero
8.Darkest Side, The - Undertaker (remix)
9.Child's Play - Eugene
10.Don't Mess With - Victoria
11.Ain't No Stoppin' Me - Shelton Benjamin
12.You Can Run - Billy Kidman
13.Rise Up (SmackDown! Theme) - Drowning Pool
14.International Woman - Gail Kim
15.Longhorn - John "Bradshaw" Layfield
16.Untouchables - John Cena

Bonus DVD

Perhaps WWE was anticipating low sales for this CD so they threw in a bonus DVD. Viewers get 30 minutes of extended entrance theme songs. It’s a nice extra but, if you don’t like the theme songs to begin with, the last thing you want to do is to see and hear them extended.

Buying Info

This CD is available at www.wwwe.com’s Shopzone as well as almost anywhere music CD’s are sold.

Conclusion

Buy this CD if:

You collect all wrestling theme song CDs

You collect all wrestling CD’s period

You really like the theme songs or wrestlers on this CD

Don’t bother if:

You can barely stand to listen to the theme songs on WWE TV let alone the entire songs

You aren’t a WWE fan

You are expecting a great toe tapping/head banging/sing along type of CD

I am rating this below average – two stars. However, wrestling fans vary in their tastes as much as anyone I have met and something that has me running away with my ears plugged, may be blaring loudly on someone’s CD player or stereo system as I type this. This type of CD is really a niche CD as I can’t image any non-wrestling fan picking this up for the music. For me, it was a one-time listen and then it was put away with many other wrestling offerings that don’t do a thing for me. Still, a few tunes are catchy enough (Evolution’s, Cena’s, Smackdown’s, and Shelton Benjamin’s) that a true blue wrestling fan would probably not complain a bit about spending $15.00 on this disc. I am just glad I got mine as a gift. It takes all the guilt of out of spending good money on bad music.

Wrestling fans, I would love to hear your comments and views on this CD!


Recommended: No

Great Music to Play While: Driving