Non-"Rock the Dragon" English Opening

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:45 pm

The first time I heard Cha-La-Head-Cha-La was on a Movie 9 fansub and I thought it was funny only because of how shitty and random it was. Every time I watch the DBZ opening with Cha-La-Head-Cha-La at home, my mom or my brother will say something like, "What the hell are you watching?!"

With Faulconer's theme song, I didn't really think much of it, didn't like it nor did I dislike it, but as I became more of a fan, that was the song that became synonymous with DBZ for me. Whenever I hear that guitar riff and the melody, the first thing I think of is Dragon Ball Z.

Kunzait_83 · Post by **Kunzait_83** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:18 pm

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:28 pm

I don't know...the Saiyan, Frieza, and Cell sagas don't resemble a Kung-Fu show at all. More like a sci-fi show, but definitely nowhere CLOSE to anything Kung-Fu related outside of Goku's clothes.

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:29 pm

omegacwa wrote:That song in the original post is pretty annoying. I prefer the Falcouner opening used for Season 3 over that.

The worst intro song is definitely the one used on history of Trunks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxkwweZy_w

Sorry if someone already posted this, but it is so awful it warrants a re post.

Wow, I literally forgot about this one ever since I sold off my VHS and DVD of the FUNi Trunks special.

As terrible as this "DBZ Hardcore" theme is, I prefer it over the "DBZ 90210" theme from the orange bricks.

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:33 pm

Castor Troy wrote:
omegacwa wrote:That song in the original post is pretty annoying. I prefer the Falcouner opening used for Season 3 over that.

The worst intro song is definitely the one used on history of Trunks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxkwweZy_w

Sorry if someone already posted this, but it is so awful it warrants a re post.
Wow, I literally forgot about this one ever since I sold off my VHS and DVD of the FUNi Trunks special.

As terrible as this "DBZ Hardcore" theme is, I prefer it over the "DBZ 90210" theme from the orange bricks.

Woah, woah, are you talking about Mark Menza's theme?! That's far and away the BEST DBZ intro song there is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqrv1gf3 ... re=related

Taku128 · Post by **Taku128** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:38 pm

jjgp1112 wrote:
Castor Troy wrote:
omegacwa wrote:That song in the original post is pretty annoying. I prefer the Falcouner opening used for Season 3 over that.

The worst intro song is definitely the one used on history of Trunks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxkwweZy_w

Sorry if someone already posted this, but it is so awful it warrants a re post.
Wow, I literally forgot about this one ever since I sold off my VHS and DVD of the FUNi Trunks special.

As terrible as this "DBZ Hardcore" theme is, I prefer it over the "DBZ 90210" theme from the orange bricks.
Woah, woah, are you talking about Mark Menza's theme?! That's far and away the BEST DBZ intro song there is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqrv1gf3 ... re=related

I always felt like that one came the closest to being the happy upbeat song Head-Cha-La was. I prefer Rock the Dragon as far as English DBZ openings go though.

XanatosVanBadass · Post by **XanatosVanBadass** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:40 pm

To me, Rock the Dragon is the only english theme song that sounds like it should be the theme to a TV show.

Just not Dragon Ball Z. Never in a million years.

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:41 pm

I'm curious. What makes Dragon Ball Z "above" those types of theme songs?

Dr. Casey · Post by **Dr. Casey** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:41 pm

Kunzait_83 wrote:the various BGM instrumentals of it I'm a lot more fond of than I am the actual song, were I to compare the two.

Anyone that disagrees about the instrumental versions being good is a terrible person. Every scene I can think of with instrumental Cha La (Gohan's nightmare where Freeza returns as Goku in disguise, the end of the Cell Saga with Gohan, Yamcha, Krillin, and Trunks flying down Karin Tower, and... that's about all that come to mind) are instant classics simply because they're playing that song. It's energetic and vitalizing like few songs are.

Instrumental We Gotta Power is pretty good, too. From what I remember it was played a lot more frequently, very synonymous with the Buu arc.

Kunzait_83 · Post by **Kunzait_83** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:44 pm

Onikage725 · Post by **Onikage725** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:48 pm

jjgp1112 wrote:I don't know...the Saiyan, Freeza, and Cell sagas don't resemble a Kung-Fu show at all. More like a sci-fi show, but definitely nowhere CLOSE to anything Kung-Fu related outside of Goku's clothes.

I disagree. It was a kung fu show with Sci Fi (and superhero) dressing. Just like Star Wars was fantasy with a Sci Fi skin. Y'know, the hero was the dude with magical powers and a sword on a mission to save the princess from a tyrant's right-hand knight in black armor?

Well, at least for the Saiyan and Freeza arcs, I think there were many themes one could link to old kung fu flicks. Z starting off with the two strongest martial arts rivals around having to unite against an even more badass fighter, for one. This kick starts a massive training mini-arc as everyone prepares for a big 'ol throwdown. The Freeza arc was basically a Dragon Ball hunt, except everyone had to keep it low key while dealing with various flashy lackies and eventually the big boss himself.

The Cell Saga possesses similar elements, but a much heftier dose of Sci Fi than the others (or should I say SyFy).

Just my thoughts, anyway.

Big Momma · Post by **Big Momma** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:49 pm

omegacwa wrote:That song in the original post is pretty annoying. I prefer the Falcouner opening used for Season 3 over that.

The worst intro song is definitely the one used on history of Trunks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzxkwweZy_w

Honestly...I completely love that song. Granted...it is horrible for DBZ and, heck, ANY kind of show you could put it to. But when I heard that....for some reason I got really nostalgic....and I liked it. I can see that being the kind of opening they'd have if DBZ ever made it to Adult Swim.

jjgp1112 wrote:
Castor Troy wrote: Sorry if someone already posted this, but it is so awful it warrants a re post.
Wow, I literally forgot about this one ever since I sold off my VHS and DVD of the FUNi Trunks special.

As terrible as this "DBZ Hardcore" theme is, I prefer it over the "DBZ 90210" theme from the orange bricks.

Woah, woah, are you talking about Mark Menza's theme?! That's far and away the BEST DBZ intro song there is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqrv1gf3 ... re=related[/quote][/quote]

I like this opening, too. While I completely agree with recent posts saying that DBZ doesn't have that "whimsical adventure" feel to it that DB did, I will say that Cha-La (though a bad choice for DBZ) does get successfully get that feel across, albeit for the wrong series.

But...I also think that this theme gets that feeling across, too. I think the sense of "Whimsical Adventure" differs between America and Japan. I can't really explain it in words...but this video came to my mind (Despite it being a parody).

It's all about the differences in thought between America and Japan. America had their view of what "Adventure" is, and Japan has theirs.

Kunzait_83 · Post by **Kunzait_83** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:54 pm

Big Momma · Post by **Big Momma** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:57 pm

Kunzait_83 wrote:
jjgp1112 wrote:I'm curious. What makes Dragon Ball Z "above" those types of theme songs?
The American DBZ theme songs a directly suited to general 90's U.S. action cartoons ala pretty much anything that ripped off TMNT back in those days. DBZ is not anywhere close to being one of those kinds of shows. The style of music is entirely mismatched to the nature of what the show actually is and where its roots lie.

I'm gonna have to agree on this one, just listen to this BGM from the Trunks special:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TyhMdku ... ature=fvwp

Let it be known that I love this particular piece of music, but I do get an extreme "TMNT" vibe from it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg5w7rYT3pM (Go to 2:35 and listen through that section)

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:00 pm

Kunzait_83 wrote: The Faulconer theme and pretty much any of the English dub DBZ opening themes, are all actually trying to be “badass”. They’re trying really, REALLY hard… and they all fail spectacularly at it, to the point of it just being painful to listen to. Just like almost every other 90’s American action cartoon theme.

If you don't mind my asking, what 90s action cartoons were trying to be badass and failed? Only real badass sounding one I can think of was this but wouldn't call it failing. And its sister shows, along with with X-Men, and Johnny Quest's themes as I mentioned earlier were pretty well liked.

penguintruth · Post by **penguintruth** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:00 pm

I still insist there is that element of fresh new adventure to DBZ, albeit not to the degree that the opening theme exaggerates. It's basically a song celebrating Gohan coming into his own adventures, or that's what I get from it. A very optimistic, "hey kid, grab that rainbow" type of dream building tune.

Yes, the realities of the show are often in stark contrast with that feeling, but it's an optimism that carries over from the original series that still rears itself now and then, and sets the viewer on their path to the rest of the program. It's a very energetic song, without resorting to too much cutsieness (like Zenkai Power) or just outlining the feeling of action. Even in the dangers they face, the characters are still living in a magical, whimsical world.

But, yeah, maybe I'm projecting too much of my own beliefs onto it. At least it's not the generic rock riff we got for the dubs that pretty much tells you, "Yeah, there's some fighting in this show, cool, huh?"

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:04 pm

Super Sonic wrote:
Kunzait_83 wrote: The Faulconer theme and pretty much any of the English dub DBZ opening themes, are all actually trying to be “badass”. They’re trying really, REALLY hard… and they all fail spectacularly at it, to the point of it just being painful to listen to. Just like almost every other 90’s American action cartoon theme.
If you don't mind my asking, what 90s action cartoons were trying to be badass and failed? Only real badass sounding one I can think of was this but wouldn't call it failing. And its sister shows, along with with X-Men, and Johnny Quest's themes as I mentioned earlier were pretty well liked.

I'm going to have to agree with this. Most 90s cartoons seem to be the most fondly remembered of cartoon shows.

Velasa · Post by **Velasa** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:08 pm

Well that's because of the people you're talking to- we remember them fondly because we're the ones who grew up on them. You ask earlier generations they'll remember the stuff they grew up on more fondly.

And Kunzait just really, really dislikes the entire genre, so it's gonna be an ugly answer.

verto · Post by **verto** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:09 pm

penguintruth wrote:But, yeah, maybe I'm projecting too much of my own beliefs onto it. At least it's not the generic rock riff we got for the dubs that pretty much tells you, "Yeah, there's some fighting in this show, cool, huh?"

And I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't watch Z for adventure, I like it for the fighting mostly, thats why I prefer it to the original Dragonball.

Even Head-Cha-La is too much for me. I don't think it fits Dragonball Z in the slightest, but apparently others like it for the same reasons I don't. I never once got Gohan's coming into his own adventures from it. Maybe if this theme came on when Gohan first entered the Cell Games it would seem like that to me. But I find that before that its always about Goku. "Goku will save us, we have to survive until Goku gets here, etc.".

Kunzait_83 · Post by **Kunzait_83** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:10 pm