That year saw the Beastie Boys unleash Licensed to Ill. Elvis Costello hired some of Mr. Presley's musicians and dubbed himself King of America. Metallica broke through with Master Of Puppets, Paul Simon took a trip to Graceland, Robert Cray used a smoking gun to become a Strong Persuader, Prince salvaged an excellent album from a dreadful movie with Parade, and scruffy Steve Earle got noticed with Guitar Town. All of this along with the debut of a funny looking guy from Texas named Lyle Lovett.
 
       "Gettin' tough
       Just my luck
       I was born in the land of plenty now there ain't enough
       Gettin' cold
       I've been told
       Nowadays it just don't pay to be a good ol' boy.

       I hit the beer joints every Friday night
       Spend a little money lookin' for a fight
       It don't matter if I lose or win
       'Cause Monday I'm back on the losin' end again."

"Getting Tough" by Steve Earle.

Melding music with pro wrestling was hardly a new thing. My dad heard Gorgeous George use it during the '50s to augment his persona. Houston Wrestling used a rocking adaptation of a classical musical piece as its theme for many years. The WWF took the step of recording original songs for its top stars.

For me, the UWF had the best use of music. Much of the credit must go to Joel Watts, the stepson of Cowboy Bill and the person most responsible for the promotion's top-notch production values. Unlike the WWF music, which was too cartoonish and had too much of a silicon sheen layered on for my tastes, the UWF's songs sounded if they were straight from some rock and roll station deejayed by, say, Michael Hayes. The UWF had the real rock and wrestling thang going on.

The music was everywhere during a typical UWF television program. I remember Eric Clapton's "Motherless Children" and "Mainline Florida" being using as commercial segues. ZZ Top's "Just Got Paid" accompanied a video montage of Bill Watts walking tall and taking care of business, Cowboy style. Back in the Mid South days, ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" was used as the entrance theme for the Fantastics as well as the soundtrack for the memorable "best dressed" angle involved Ted DiBiase and Hacksaw Jim Duggan. And, to this day, a friend and coworker who also followed Mid South associates Queen's "Another Bites the Dust" with the Junkyard Dog. He believes that Freddie Mercury and Co. actually recorded the song for the Dog!

It's impossible to write this without crediting the Freebirds as THE prime example of the UWF's rock 'n' roll heart. Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts actually were a rock and roll band-remember those "Badstreet USA" and "Boys are Back in Town" videos, with Hayes coming off like a cross between Jim Dandy, Ronnie Van Zant, Ric Flair and David Lee Roth? The Freebirds arguably started the whole rock identified wrestler image with their use of "Freebird" as an entrance theme going back to their first Mid South stint in the late '70s.  Lynyrd Skynyrd's classic tune lyrically invoked old-fashioned Southern self-reliance and the price of personal freedom and fit the 'Birds perfectly. The whirlwind solos at the song's conclusion also signified the furious energy the Freebirds brought to the matches they were involved in.

The Freebirds entrance into the UWF had a total rock star aura. After being announced as the recipients of wrestling's first $1,000,000 contract, the 'Birds showed up in a limousine to the strains of the Isley Brothers relentless funk classic "Fight the Power." They came equipped with their own bodyguard-the Angel of Death-and a groupie, er, valet in the mysterious, beautiful Sunshine. MTV had nothing as cool as the Freebirds going on at that time. The guys lived the rock and roll lifestyle without a hint of posing or insincerity.

The Freebirds were not content with simply raising hell with any wrestler or turning up the music as loud as they pleased. As part of their contract, the 'Birds were entitled to a record deal. Michael Hayes recorded the Off the Streets album, which featured the original "Badstreet USA" and the "Boys are Back in Town" cover along with other songs delivered in his tuneful growl. The aforementioned accompanying videos were played on UWF television. It was funny to see Terry Gordy miming guitar playing, though I would never have had the nerve to tell him to his face.

Well, that's it for this time. Thanks again for taking time to stop by.  It’s good to see that business has picked up quite a bit at the KM UWF Message Board. And, as usual,  please feel free to e-mail any comments to me at CL11@swt.edu. Until the next time… 

NEXT MONTH: 

More UWF music. All request lines are open!