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Real American was written and performed by Rick Derringer and became famous in 1985 as Hulk Hogan's entrance theme in the World Wrestling Federation. Its chorus and swaggering guitar riff were heard in arenas, on television and later in wrestling video games, making the song inseparable from Hogan's red-and-yellow hero persona. As clips spread online, editors began using the theme outside wrestling too, for ironic entrances, victories and patriotic jokes. Its staying power comes from instant recognition: a few seconds are enough to signal a hero arriving.
About this sound
The Real American wrestling theme, made famous as Hulk Hogan's entrance music, in a punchy excerpt for entrances, victories and patriotic meme edits.
This is the instantly recognisable guitar-driven opening of Real American, the upbeat rock anthem long associated with Hulk Hogan's wrestling entrances. Bright electric guitars, a driving beat and a confident, crowd-ready vocal hook build a feeling of swagger and triumph from the first seconds, before the chorus lifts into full hero-mode energy. It sounds less like background music and more like a spotlight cue, designed to announce that someone important has arrived. That bold, all-American confidence is exactly why editors use it to turn an ordinary entrance, comeback or reveal into a larger-than-life moment.
