10. Shawn Michaels - Rhapsody In Blue (George Gershwin)
From the opening bass guitar riff to the off-key vocals, Shawn Michaels' 'Sexy Boy' is one of the most iconic pieces of entrance music in wrestling. Unchanged for over twenty years, save a switch of vocalist from Sensational Sherri's strained shrieks to Shawn's, the theme is an instantly recognisable, reassuring familiar sound whenever 'HBK' makes a rare appearance on WWE television. Yet there was the briefest of periods when the post-Rockers 'Heartbreak Kid' came out to a very different tune indeed. With his new cocky, narcissistic persona, the heel Michaels needed a similarly conceited piece of theme music. George Gerswhin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', a jazz suite designed to exude the "kaleidoscope of America", was precisely the opposite. Luckily, it was a short-term arrangement; just a month later, Jim Johnston penned 'The Showstopper's trademark tune, and Gershwin's unlikely involvement in the squared circle was over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9W1A8fuqo
Benjamin Richardson
Editorial Team
Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know).
He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.
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