Nothing compares to being in an arena and hearing the opening bars of your favourite wrestler’s theme song.
The importance of a great entrance theme cannot be understated. Arguably, the opening line and bars of Metalingus playing at the Royal Rumble added that extra element to an already hot return. When professional wrestlers perform their theme this adds an extra layer of personality to the character. Would we look at HBK the same way if he didn’t come out to ‘Sexy Boy’ (probably but let’s not address that here)? What if The Rock didn’t have the cockiness to ask everyone what he was cooking to introduce his entrance?
Then we have Joe Hendry. The Ring of Honor man has made a career out of creating custom songs depending on his rivalry at the time. Back in 2018, while talking to Wrestling Epiccenter, Hendry spoke about the fact that he had to come up with original songs for his runs in Impact Wrestling in fear over being sued for parody. Be it in ICW, WCPW or ROH, Hendry keeps on producing custom themes based upon his foes. Here, we’ll look at a few that has stuck in the heads of fans.
Joe Hendry – Will Ospreay Can Fly
We’ve all been there. Being the flavour of the month in your workplace is great. You feel as if you’re on top of the world. However, there’s a worry though that someone will come along who is more popular than yourself. That is the sentiment that Hendry conveys to his listeners with the cover of I Believe I Can Fly. Playing upon the fact that Ospreay is the more popular and well-renowned performer out of the two, Hendry’s pain and disappointment are easy to feel. With the title playing upon Will Ospreay’s acrobatic approach in-ring, this gets over the feeling that he will come into the promotion (WCPW) and embarrass everyone else. It even closes with the line ‘Stop making everyone else look bad’. It might not be one of the more popular options in this article but the message behind it feels slightly stronger than others.
Joe Hendry’s Mr Anderson Pokemon Entrance
There are many things present in this parody that I find particularly intriguing. Firstly, Pokemon is one of the most popular, well known and beloved theme songs of all time, so for it to be mixed with the world of professional wrestling is always a winner. Secondly, the no-selling of Mr Anderson is top-notch. There are plenty of instances where the opposing wrestler has corpsed worse than Travis Banks in any match ever. Mr Anderson doesn’t crack once, with an honest air of annoyance radiating from the ring. Lastly, it is clearly insinuated that murder shall take place during the match. Murder in a Pokemon based song… I can live with that.
Joe Hendry’s “Eiffel 65 – Blue” Entrance for Drew Galloway
From someone who played along, to our current WWE Champion who obviously loved every single second. What becomes apparent through most of these themes is the ICW fans can unquestionably make an average entrance into a classic, and they did not disappoint. Playing on the fact that Drew Galloway’s popularity was again exploding on the independent scene, that he would be returning to WWE sooner rather than later and that his cockiness was growing out of control, the reworked lyrics play on the fact that he has luxuries other wrestlers cannot afford. Seeing Drew trying his hardest not to laugh in the ring truly helps to convey the comedic value of the entrance. It’s truly made when Hendry along with Davey Boy make their way onto the entrance ramp and lead the crowd in a dance break. This one will have you singing along very quickly.
Joe Hendry’s Venga Boys Entrance for Jack Jester
One of the most popular custom entrances in the history of ICW, we have Hendry reworking the classic summer party anthem ‘Boom Boom Boom Boom!’ This gets the party started in The Garage. I won’t pretend to understand the background of the song, or even if there is a story behind why Jack Jester would be in his room, but let’s try and break down the story. Jack Jester is back in town and you’re stuck in your house when you hear a noise. You walk into your living room and low and behold, there’s Jack Jester, doing his best David Brent dance impression. Along with this, the police don’t seem to care that much. One thing I’ve picked up from my time listening to these themes is that the fan interaction helps to elevate their impact to a different level. The opportunity to sing along can never be underestimated and yet again, here is no exception.
Joe Hendry ft. Davey Boy – Seven Nation Army (Lionheart is a Fanny)
There are no better chants than those that are created off the cuff and are original. Once in a while though, a wrestler can create something so catchy that the crowd will grab onto it with two hands and this is exactly what the ICW crowd did that night. Along with the famous riff from the White Stripes, the simple but brilliant ‘Lionheart is a fanny’ was born. After hearing this once, one second later the crowd audience was chanting along. There’s not much else to say about this one, but the live audience truly makes this an unforgettable moment.
Making this list is probably the hardest task I’ve had. There are so many classics that Joe Hendry has made that I’ve had to leave off. It would be easy to dissect and create a 15,000 word dissertation on the subject, but alas, not even quarantine has blessed me with that sort of free time or patience. If you want to look for more themes, entrances, including his original piece of work, then check out this playlist. Until then, I think it’s only fitting to leave you with a classic that needs no introduction.
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