WWE Originals
Soundtrack album by
World Wrestling Entertainment
ReleasedJanuary 13, 2004 (2004-01-13)
Recorded2003
Genre
Length50:55
LabelColumbia
Producer
World Wrestling Entertainment chronology
WWE Anthology
(2002) 		WWE Originals
(2004) 		ThemeAddict: WWE The Music, Vol. 6
(2004)

WWE Originals is a soundtrack album by WWE. Released on January 13, 2004 by Columbia Records, it features original songs recorded by various WWE wrestlers. The album was a commercial success, reaching number 12 on the US Billboard 200.

Composition

Music website AllMusic categorised WWE Originals as "contemporary pop/rock" and rap rock, with writer Johnny Loftus identifying styles such as "soft-focus piano pop", dance-pop and hip hop on the album.[1] Slam! Wrestling's John Powell also identified the genres of electronic and power ballad on the collection,[2] while Billboard magazine noted a dominance of "in-your-face rap".[3]

Release

WWE Originals was released by Columbia Records on January 13, 2004.[4] Initial pressings of the album also featured a bonus DVD, which featured behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the album and more.[4]

Reception

Commercial

In the United States, WWE Originals reached number 12 on the Billboard 200.[5][6]

Critical

Music website AllMusic awarded WWE Originals three out of five stars.[1] Reviewer Johnny Loftus criticised tracks such as Stacy Keibler's "Why Can't We Just Dance?" and Kurt Angle's "I Don't Suck (Really)", identifying them as proof of some performers' musical inability.[1] However, Loftus praised the "amusing" skits performed by Stone Cold Steve Austin, as well as a number of tracks including "I Just Want You" by Trish Stratus and "Put a Little A** on It" by Rikishi.[1]

John Powell of Slam! Wrestling was more critical, describing the compositions on the album as "generic, cookie-cutter productions without any soul, character or style" and criticising the performances in general.[2] In particular, Powell criticised songs such as The Dudley Boyz' "We've Had Enough", Trish Stratus' "I Just Want You", Lita's "When I Get You Alone" and Stacy Keibler's "Why Can't We Just Dance?"; however, he did praise the performances of John Cena and Lilian Garcia.[2]

Michael Paoletta of Billboard magazine described WWE Originals as "mixed, very mixed".[3] Paoletta noted a dominance of hip hop music on the album, claiming that the pop and rock songs were of higher quality, particularly those performed by divas Keibler, Stratus and Lita.[3]

Track listing

No.TitleArtistLength
1."Where's the Beer?" (segment 1)Stone Cold Steve Austin2:36
2."We've Had Enough"The Dudley Boyz3:06
3."I Just Want You"Trish Stratus3:35
4."Crossing Borders"Rey Mysterio2:51
5."Did You Feel It?" (segment 2)Stone Cold Steve Austin2:00
6."Can You Dig It?"Booker T3:33
7."I Don't Suck (Really)"Kurt Angle3:05
8."When I Get You Alone"Lita3:27
9."You Changed the Lyrics" (segment 3)Stone Cold Steve Austin1:30
10."You Just Don't Know Me at All"Lilian Garcia4:08
11."We Lie, We Cheat, We Steal"Eddie and Chavo Guerrero3:43
12."Don't You Wish You Were Me?"Chris Jericho3:31
13."Drink Your Beer" (segment 4)Stone Cold Steve Austin1:50
14."Put a Little A** on It"Rikishi4:44
15."Why Can't We Just Dance?"Stacy Keibler3:17
16."Basic Thugonomics"John Cena and Tha Trademarc3:14
17."Don't That Taste Good?" (segment 5)Stone Cold Steve Austin0:45
Total length:50:55

Samples

Bonus DVD contents
No.TitleLength
1."Coach's Mission" 
2."Trish's Studio Session" 
3."Kurt Angle Mouths Off" 
4."Rey Mysterio – Escuche!" 
5."Stacy Keibler's Got the Moves" 
6."The Dudley Boyz Have Had It" 
7."Booker T's Studio Session" 
8."Coach Shows Off His Musical Skills" 
9."Lita Rocks" 
10."Rikishi Lays Down a Track" 
11."Stone Cold Sings?" 
12."Eddie & Chavo Guerrero – They Lie, Cheat, Steal & Sing!" 
13."Chris Jericho Gets Vocal" 
14."Coach Meets Jim Johnston" 

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Loftus, Johnny. "WWE Originals - Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Powell, John (January 27, 2004). "'WWE Originals' is just noise pollution". Slam! Wrestling. Canoe.ca. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Paoletta, Michael (January 17, 2004). "Billboard Picks: Albums". Billboard. New York City, New York: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Columbia Records & World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Join Forces to Unleash WWE(TM) Originals". PR Newswire. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "WWE Originals - Various Artists: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "WWE Originals Chart History". Billboard. January 31, 2004. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
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