“Real American”: the intro of Hulk Hogan became a hit

In the panorama of professional wrestling, few songs have left an imprint as deep as “Real American”, “The unmistakable hymn” by Hulk Hogan, who died at the age of 71. Composed in 1984 by Rick Derringerthe song was initially a generic “patriotic song” to be included in the WWF record project, “The Wrestling Album”. Nobody would probably have imagined could become a theme song symbol of pop culture. Originally intended for the Tag Team US Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), “Real American” remained orphaned when the two athletes left the federation. Shortly afterwards he became the official entry theme of Hulk Hogan, and from that moment he changed everything. The piece started every time Hogan headed towards the ring, it was a real soundtrack of all his apparitions.

The energetic guitar riff, the decisive voice and the proud and idealist message They transformed the song into something more than a simple scenic entry: it became the soundtrack of Hulkamania, the phenomenon that accompanied the figure of Hulk. With verses like “I am a real American / fight for the rights of Every Man”, the song perfectly embodied the character of Hogan: the defender of the good, the indestructible patriot, the symbol of a right and winning America. Each of his entry with that music was an adrenaline discharge that made the arenas explode and inflamed the imagination of the fans. Hogan had previously had Other entry music such as the famous “Eye of the Tiger” of the Survivor, a song used thanks to its appearance in the film Rocky IIIbut without collecting particular consensus.

The official video clip, which has now become cult, He shows Hogan, with his mustache, who plays a stars and stripes guitar and symbolically faces the enemies of Americaamong which references to the Cold War also appear. The Trash video It is a perfect example of that mix of show, pop propaganda and American idealism that marked the 80s. Over time, “Real American” continued to grind consensus. It was used by other wrestler, it appeared in TV programs, political events and even electoral campaigns. For many, it has become a sort of American “alternative anthem”, capable of arousing a wave of nostalgia and pride. Even when Hulk Hogan moved to the WCW and was forced to use other songs for legal reasons, no music really managed to replace “Real American” in the heart of the fans. When the WWE is reinforced years later, the first note of its theme was enough to bring everything back, as if nothing had ever changed.