WWE: 25 Greatest Entrance Theme Songs of All Time
By Bryan Heaton
Honky Tonk Man
Before diving too far into this one, I want to point out that corny and cheesy does not automatically disqualify something from being “great.”
That said, everything about the Honky Tonk Man is corny and cheesy. Despite a lengthy record-setting reign as Intercontinental Champion, he was never really seen as a serious threat to anyone. The Elvis impersonator gimmick was one that, even for the cartoony 1980s, seemed rather silly.
But when it comes to a theme song perfectly matching up with a performer’s character, gimmick, personality, and what have you, “Cool, Cocky, Bad” does so better than possibly any other.
The rockabilly piano intro sounds like it could have come straight from the mind of Carl Perkins. The lyrics just ooze with smarminess, much like the Honky Tonk Man himself. And what better way to connect yourself with Elvis Presley than by referencing all the things people associate with the King? Pink Cadillac, blue suede shoes, long sideburns with hair slicked back – it’s all there.
When Greg Valentine joined up with Honky Tonk Man to form Rhythm and Blues, the music stayed mostly the same. Even the few changes to the act did little to alter the perception of the character, but the music was always great.