Real American is one of the theme songs/entrance songs used by Hulk Hogan.
The song is one of the 10 tracks included on the WWF's wrestling album, The Wrestling Album, released in 1985 by Epic Records. The song's music and lyrics were composed by Rick Derringer, a rock artist best known for his work with the McCoys (singing lead on their 1965 No. 1 hit "Hang On, Sloopy"), his 1974 solo release "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Coo," and his work with rock bands the Edgar Winter Group and Steely Dan.
History[]
"Real American" was originally the entrance theme for the U.S. Express, a tag team comprised of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo, and was first used during the October 1, 1985, television tapings of WWF Championship Wrestling (and aired during the October 12 program). On the album's liner notes, Vince McMahon stated "Real American" was dedicated to Windham and Rotundo.
But shortly after the album's release, both Rotundo and Windham left the WWF for the National Wrestling Alliance. Hogan -- who was using a different song from The Wrestling Album, "Hulk's Theme," as his entrance music -- was given "Real American," and began using it sometime in December 1985 as his entrance theme. The song was immediately a huge success, both from a fan and critical standpoint ... most notably as it illustrated Hogan's character as a man who fought for what was right, stood up against the bad guys and always came up victorious. Hogan would use the song for the remainder of his original WWF run and -- except for the brief period of his New World Order gimmick in 2001-2002 -- all subsequent returns. "Real American" is most closely associated with Hogan to this day.
Other uses[]
Other wrestlers have used "Real American" as their theme, most notably:
- "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, who used it during his 1986 feud with Hogan. The use of the music was to upstage Hogan and play up Orndorff's bitter view of Hogan as a neglectful, uncaring, arrogant man who uses his friends. Orndorff repeatedly insisted that he, not Hogan, was the "real American" and that the music was meant for him. Hogan continued to use "Real American" during this time.
- Pat Patterson and Jerry Brisco, during their tag team run in 1999-2000 as part of The Corporation and Corporate Ministry.
- Curtis Axel, during his tag team association with Macho Mandow in 2015.
Theme Lyrics[]
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man.
I am a real American.
fight for what's right, fight for your life!
When it comes crashing down, and it hurts inside.
You gotta take a stand, it don't help to hide.
Well, you hurt my friends, and you hurt my pride,
I gotta be a man; I can't let it slide.
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man.
I am a real American.
fight for what's right, fight for your life!
I feel strong about right and wrong,
And I don't take trouble for very long,
I got something deep inside of me.
Courage is the thing that keeps us free.
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man.
I am a real American.
fight for what's right, fight for your life!
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man.
I am a real American.
fight for what's right, fight for your life!
Well you hurt my friends, and you hurt my pride,
I gotta be a man; I can't let it slide,
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man,
I am a real American.
Fight for what's right, fight for your life!
I am a real American.
Fight for the rights of every man,
I am a real American.
Fight for what's right, fight for your life!
| Curtis Axel entrance themes |
|---|
| All About the Power • And The Horse He Rode In On • Death Blow • Meat On the Perfect Table • Real American • Reborn • S.O.S. • We Are One |
| Hulk Hogan entrance themes |
|---|
|
American Made • Eye of the Tiger • Immortals • Kevin Nash/Wolfpac Theme • Real American • Rockhouse • Stars and Stripes Forever • Voodoo Child (Slight Return) |
| The Wrestling Album |
|---|
| Land of a Thousand Dances • Grab Them Cakes • Real American • Eat Your Heart Out, Rick Springfield • Captain Lou's History of Music/Captain Lou • Hulk Hogan's Theme • For Everybody • Tutti Frutti • Don't Go Messin' with a Country Boy • Cara Mia |
| WWE Anthology |
|---|
| The Federation Years |
| World Wrestling Federation Signature • Real American • Hitman • Walkabout • Together • It's All About the Money • Snake Bit • Bad Boy • No Holds Barred • Unstable • I Love You • Cool Cocky Bad • One Two Three • Sweet Lovin' Arms • Can't Get Enough • I Know You Want Me • I'll Be Your Hero • Sexy Boy • Los Boricuas • Schizophrenic • Smokin' • Sumo Snapped • Tell Me a Lie • Enough Is Enough • With My Baby Tonight • Wild Cat • You Start the Fire • Diesel Blues • Dude's Shack • Power • Corporate Ministry • The Dudester |
| The Attitude Era |
| Attitude Signature • Break It Down • I Won't Do What You Tell Me • Ass Man • Brawl for All • Gold-Lust • California • Who I Am •The Real Deal • Deadly Game • The Ultimate • You Think You Know Me • Blood • The Ho Train • Fist • Oh, You Didn't Know? • Burned • Hello Ladies • Real Man's Man • I Don't Suck • Latino Heat • It Just Feels Right • Sexual Chocolate • No Chance in Hell • Oh Hell Yeah • If You Smell... • Bad Man • Bangin' It • 13 • We're Comin' Down • My Time • Rabid • How Do You Like Me Now? • Dark Side • Break Down the Walls |
| Now! |
| WWE Signature • Next Big Thing • Dead Man • At Last • I'm Back • Eyes of Righteousness • Fight • 619 • Time to Rock & Roll • Eye of the Hurricane • King of My World • All Grown Up • Need a Little Time • The Game • You're Gonna Pay • You Look So Good to Me • The End • Here Comes the Money |