10 Incredible Stories Behind Famous Wrestling Themes

1. ‘Real American’ Wasn’t Written For Hulk Hogan

Nothing sums up the era of Hulkamania better than Rick Derringer’s timeless classic, ‘Real American’ – anywhere Hulk Hogan traversed in the world, fans had this well-produced rock staple playing in their heads. It’s pretty accurate to imagine Hogan’s red and yellow, All-American character would have been successful even if different music had been chosen for his entrance, but Derringer’s song really added to the overall appeal.

‘Real American’ was the perfect fit for Hulk Hogan, but it wasn’t even written for him originally. Instead, the song was penned for a tag-team called the US Express, comprised of Mike ‘I.R.S’ Rotunda and Barry Windham. Instead of staying in the then-WWF to see the team through, both Rotunda and Windham elected to move sideways to the NWA, meaning the music was available for someone else to use.