It had to happen. As much music as the WWF, now WWE has created in the last near 20 years, this album was a necessity. Three discs entitled The Federation Years, The Attitude Years, and Now make up this compilation of classic entrance music and never released tunes.

This is my third review where the format takes on three points. Is it good? Is it bad? Or is it just completely awful that it's ugly/celmatic. Oh you don't know who celmatic is? Let's just say he was an Epinions Community Care representative when I worked for Epinions. Check him out at http://www.epinions.com/user-celmatic.

Jim Johnston started making buffer music for the WWF for their television programs. Soon thereafter, he had his hands in all original entrance songs for the wrestlers. This album had 86 songs and Johnston has his hands in all but one. The one exception is Real American by Rick Derringer. Every other piece of music was produced by Mr. Johnston. His first WWF album was called The Wrestling Album and was basically original songs by the WWF characters pieced together by Mean Gene Okerlund and Jesse "The Body" Ventura on commentary. You had Rowdy Roddy Piper singing For Everybody to Jimmy Hart singing Eat Your Heart Out Rick Springfield. And since then, there have been five volumes of original WWF music, plus one CD of rap renditions of his theme music, and one CD of rock renditions of the theme music.

The Federation Years Disc 1

The Good

Obviously you have to start with the opus that was Real American performed by Rick Derringer. Anyone who has ever watched any wrestling from the late 80's to mid 90's knows the song. But, did you know that the song was originally used as entrance music for the American Express? Yes, Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo walked out to that blaring theme song. But they left the federation and Hogan was the inheritor. Just think if Windham and Rotundo had stayed. What this version of the song doesn't have is the spoken word intro by Derringer. When Hogan first started using the song, it was there. But it was too long and they simply cut it. Here we have the cut version. The lyrics are cheesy such as the "fight for your right, fight for your life" line, but still, it worked. Hitman was another song that worked greatly. Whenever Bret "The Hitman" Hart's music blared out of the speakers, you knew you were going to see the pink and black. One thing about Bret is that he was always in charge of his gimmick. He never changed his theme song, although I believe this version was slightly different than the original. And who can forget Sexy Boy, the Heart Break Kid's theme song? Originally Sherri Martel, who was his valet, did the vocals, but after he started going solo, he added his vocals to the song, unchanged lyrically. The lyrics are hilarious. "I think I'm cute, I know I'm sexy. I got the looks that drive's a girl wild. I got the moves that really move 'em. I send chills, up and down their spine." Classic HBK. It's All About Money was the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase's theme song. He was the classic WWF heel in the late 80's. The music is perfect especially with his signature chuckle. Story was that Vince McMahon used to have him play the gimmick at bars and gave him wads of hundred dollar bills just to push the gimmick even harder. Snake Pit was an exceptional theme song for Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Johnston gives you the feel of a sneaky, untrustworthy, stab you in the back wrestler and that's exactly what Jake was. Schizophrenic was Mankind's initial WWF entrance song. It was strictly dramatic and insane music that would've sounded great in any scary movie. Mankind's character at the time was one that should've been kept in his house locked up because of his insanity.

The Bad

Walkabout was the theme song of the Bushwackers. Vince McMahon took the bloody Sheephearders and turned them into the lovable Bushwackers. As a child, I hated their song because it meant they were coming into the ring to wrestle. Does anyone remember the Hulk Hogan movie No Holds Barred? For those select few who remember that movie, do you remember the theme song? Neither did I until I listened to this CD. It tries to be a harder version of Real American, but doesn't even come close to capturing the emotion. I will give Honky Tonk Man (Wayne Ferris) credit for actually providing the vocals for Cool Cocky Bad, but that's it. It's simply a take on any Honky Tonk Blues song you've ever heard. The sexy Sunny really was the first WWF diva. She pathed the way for many of the women in WWE today. Too bad she couldn't keep her nose clean. But her song I Know You Want Me was so bland that I'm not exactly sure how she was able to get the pop she did when she walked to ringside.

The Celmatic

This is the bad of the bad for disc one. Whenever WWE wants to give a wrestler some time off, they usually have a big send off so we are supposed to care when the wrestler comes back. Tell Me A Lie was used for Shawn Michael's farewell on one of the many times he probably didn't want to drop his belt. This was probably used with a package of video of his greatest hits. And people probably groaned when they heard the awful vocals of whoever is singing this. There's no way this should've found an outlet anywhere. You Start The Fire which is Bret Hart's tribute song is just as bad. It sounds like a country song gone bad. At least now they use popular music from bands we know for these types of deals. And the worst song on the first disc is actually a tie. The first worst song is the one used first for Macho Man Savage and Elizabeth's wedding called Together. They try to achieve Peabo Bryson but really, it's a horrible song song. And the second worst song is I'll Be Your Hero which was used for Lex Luger during his days when they were trying to push him as the second coming of Hulk Hogan. But you could fill the passion in Lex in one teaspoon as he miserably failed in the role. This is like the worst Michael Bolton song you've ever heard. And Lex is the Michael Bolton of wrestling, so I guess it really fits.

What's Missing?

Where's Jive Soul Bro from the Slickster?

The Attitude Years Disc 2

The Good

The first song on Disc 2 is none other than Break It Down used for Degeneration-X. This song is probably the signature piece of the Attitude Years. The Attitude Years is basically a three year period from 1997-2000 where the WWF gained most of it's popularity as an entertainment company. And DX helped start it. I Won't Do What You Tell Me is my favorite piece of entrance music of all time and is the theme song for my favorite wrestler of all time, Stone Cold Steve Austin. It's instrumental and starts with the sound of glass breaking. Then it's just mayhem. I used it for my batter walk-up music at a recent All-Star game I played in but I couldn't do the Stone Cold walk as well as he did it. Blood was the entrance music for a wrestler named Gangrel. He had a vampire gimmick and one of the coolest ring entrances ever. But, he was short lived basically because they limited his character and he wasn't what they were looking for at the time as far as stars were concerned. But this song is great in that it helped enhance his character. He wasn't a big star, but many people remember him for the song and his ring entrance. Oh You Didn't Know helped turn two jobbers and lousy wrestlers into two of the bigger stars of the Attitude era. You may remember this if you watched wrestling during this time. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. Degeneration-X proudly brings to you, the tag team champions of the world. The Road Dog Jesse James, the Bad As* Billy Gun, the New Age Outlaws." Classic stuff. If You Smell . . . is the Rock's theme. It actually started a little darker when he was a bad guy and was called Do You Smell . . ., but was soon changed as he turned into a good guy. Not my favorite theme song, but it helped establish him to be one of the biggest stars in the history of wrestling. Lastly, Break Down The Walls is the best piece of music for a new wrestler ever created. When Chris Jericho came into the WWF there was a huge anticipation and then when his entrance music hit, it was gold.

The Bad

With the great songs that came out of those three years, there were others that weren't so great.

Who Am I was Chyna's first solo entrance music after splitting up with Triple H during the storylines, and soon there after in real life. It starts out with, "Don't treat me like a woman, don't treat my like a man." When you're a female bodybuilder who prided her look, with some artificial help, on looking as manly as possible, you shouldn't put light on the fact that in the beginning of your career, people couldn't tell if you were male or female. If it wasn't for implants and cosmetic surgery, Chyna would've looked more manly than Triple H himself. Ho Train was an example of Vince McMahon trying to raise the bar another level by having a pimp character calling women hoes. The music tries to be funky, but everytime I hear "Ho Train" (think Soul Train), I cringe because Vince just doesn't care about images of women. I Don't Suck is Kurt Angle's theme music. It's not all that bad, but the creativity is bad. The song was first used by The Patriot and simply lifted to become Kurt Angle's song. This version is a little bit harder hitting, but still, it's the same song.

The Celmatic

Sexual Chocolate is just an awful wannabe Barry White take on Mark Henry's character. It has the spoken word vocals on top of the background vocals. He changed the gimmick, but much too late to kill his career. As* Man used by Billy Gunn is probably the worst theme song for a wrestler ever. He did go by the moniker of Bad As* Billy Gunn, but what's the first thing that comes to your mind if hear a song called As* Man. It was either a rib on Billy, or just the most embarrassing theme song ever. Real Man's Man had to be the worst theme song for a debuting character in history. Steven Regal is an Englishman, not Paul Bunyan. He's a legit strong dude and not one to mess with, but he's a wrestler, not a brawler. The gimmick was all wrong, and the barbershop quartet singers are all wrong for this. Just awful. Bangin' It is for Scotty Too Hotty. It's a remix of sorts to the song Too Cool came out to. But when the Grandmaster Sexay got busted for drugs, Scotty was left by himself. And the gimmick was way beyond played out. This song doesn't have the effectiveness of the original and is just a sad remake.

What's Missing?

The first Dudley Boyz song when they showed up from ECW. That song was a great introduction to those damn Dudleys.

Now Disc 3

This disc captures the WWE generation which has really just begun. And it's off to a disappointing start, trying to capture lightning in a bottle again with their product.

The Good

Brock Lesnar's Next Big Thing is a great song for the young champion. It's heavy and hard hitting just like Lesnar. Great start to his career. I'm a Christian (the WWE character who used to tag team with Edge) mark to preface. Some don't like his new theme song, but I love it. I like the dramatic beginning where an opera singer chants, "Christian, Christian, at last, you're on your way!" At Last is a great entrance for him, but I wish they'd give him a more prominent and less goofy role in the company. Eye Of The Hurricane starts out with Shane Helms in his throatiest of voices saying, "Stand back, there's a hurricane coming through." The song reaks of superhero and that's why the song is so perfect for his character. He has one of the least serious gimmicks in the company and although it will get him no where, he's also one of the most entertaining guys, and his song does him justice. King Of My World is Saliva's new song for Chris Jericho. It was awesome at this past weekend's Survivor Series as Saliva was at The World which is a WWE sportsbar/club and played the song live there, while Jericho was walking down the aisle in Madison Square Garden. It's a little slow for my taste, but it exudes Jericho, and he is by the way, the king of the world.

The Bad

The Undertaker has two theme songs on disc 3. Basically, he was a bad guy and used one of the songs, and then as a good guy used the other. But these songs are so similar, there's really no reason to have both of them on the same album. They start exactly the same too. Dead Man doesn't have lyrics, but You're Gonna Pay does. Either way, both aren't great. I'm Back is Eric Bischoff's theme. He's back in WWE where he never worked in the first place. Actually, it's a take on his actual job as the shot caller in WCW and Vince McMahon brought him into WWE after the ratings were in trouble. Bischoff now runs the RAW side of the WWE brand in character only and yes, the ratings still suck. Not his fault though as his character is decent and he plays it way over the top better than Vince plays his over the top. The song is bad because it's rather blah and the echo is annoying. Time To Rock and Roll is Trish Stratus' theme with an added rap by Lil' Kim. The song isn't all that hip and Lil' Kim doesn't bring anything to the table. Trish my love, you could've done so much better.

The Celmatic

Stephanie McMahon is one of the least hip people on television today. At her young age of 23, she still seems awkward to me on television and doesn't understand what the kids see as hip and cool. So she decided to use a "rap" song as her entrance music. And it's so not her. When she walks out to that music, I cringe because I have a feeling she'd fall down trying to dance to it. Steph, back to the drawing board. Yet she doesn't even have the worst theme song for a McMahon. Shane McMahon, who hasn't been on TV of late uses Here Comes The Money which is the worst bling bling song of all time. You think Cash Money is bad? This is below Cash Money. And if you've seen Shane come out dancing to this song, you'd wonder who he thought he was. Just awful. You Look So Good To Me was fun while it lasted. It was the theme song for Billy and Chucky, the gay even though they didn't know it, duo. The gimmick was fun until it was destroyed in an angle that was designed to get publicity for having the first same sex marriage on TV in a show, of course. And the joke was on us as it turned out they weren't gay, and they were only in it for the publicity. Don't you just hate it when they slap their audience in the face like that? Now, this song means absolutely nothing even though, for a short time, it was a fun "love" song.

What's Missing?

Where in the heck is Booker T's theme song. I was so waiting to hear, "Can you dig it? Sucka!" I know Johnston didn't produce it, but still, it's such a classic.

There you go. All three CD's reviewed for your pleasure. Some of the songs released had to be released as jokes, but most of the stuff that was great is on here.








Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising