"Macho Man" Randy Savage died this morning, killed in a car accident after he suffered a heart attack on the road.
Savage started his career as a mid-card wrestler brought in to spice up matches but eventually ascended to the top as WWF champion.
He became fellow wrestler Hulk Hogan's best friend, both in televised storylines and real life, but their relationship fell apart onscreen when Savage accused Hogan of trying to seduce his wife, "the first lady of wrestling," Miss Elizabeth. The two fought it out at Wrestlemania V in a match billed as "The Superpowers Explode!" Savage lost.
Known for his clashes with Hogan, Steamboat, Ric Flair, the Ultimate Warrior and others, Savage's sense of the theatrical extended beyond the ring into the realm of music.Underneath the shimmering leather jackets, top-rope elbow drops, and famously raspy voice lay a velvet tongue. He released the classic Speaking from the Heart in early '90s and, in 2000, took aim at Hogan via his rap album, Be a Man, which featured such lyrics as "Hollywood Hulkster, you're at the end of your rope / And I'ma kick ya in the butt and wash your mouth out with soap."
More pomp and circumstance after the jump.
Savage developed real-life problems with Hogan, which ultimately inspired him to record Be a Man.
The diss track disses Hogan for refusing to fight Savage in real life ("I called him out but the punk was scared to go / It was a charity event but the Hulk didn't show"), attacks his failed acting career ("They call you Hollywood? / Don't make me laugh! / 'Cause your movies and your acting skills are both trash! / Your movie went straight to video / Box office can't stand / While I got myself a future role in Spider-Man!") and provides endless entertainment to wrestling fans and critics alike.
Words can't do it justice, so check it out below.
Of course, the Macho Man wasn't always so angry. In the early '90s he recorded an inspirational track called Speaking from the Heart beginning, "The tower of power / Too sweet to be sour / Funky like a monkey / Oooooh yeah," and ending, "He's got everybody saying / He's really quite amazing. He's the Macho Man."
The gist of it is that he can get your heart pumping and your body jumping.
No, really.
It's not as famous as his Slim Jim commercials -- but it's fun.
We guess it's probably for the best that he be remembered for his wrestling matches.
Rest in peace, Macho Man.
