DDP Explains Why Nirvana Never Sued Over His WCW Theme

Jimmy Hart managed to copy just enough of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to keep WCW from getting sued

By Connor Casey

Diamond Dallas Page's WCW entrance theme, "Self High Five," was notorious for sounding just like Nirvana's iconic song "Smells Like Teen Spirit." However, despite the inspiration being a horribly-kept secret, neither Page nor WCW were ever taken to court by the band over attempted copyright infringement. Page explained in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet how Jimmy Hart, who composed the track, was able to avoid legal issues by changing up the song just enough. 

"First let's go back to where it comes from. Jimmy Hart is a musical genius...I went down to Florida, he said, 'So what music do you like?' I said, 'Right now I'm listening to Nirvana, I really like them. I think they're the sound of the 90s.' He goes, 'Which song do you like,' and it was between 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' and I can't remember the name of the other one," Page explained.

Page then described how Hart was able to "flip the beat" and leave the song otherwise untouched — "So if you play them both at the same time, you hear a difference." He then said he was bummed out when he realized WWE had dubbed over all of Page's entrances in its tape library for fear of a lawsuit. 

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Diamond Dallas Page Endorses LA Knight

Elsewhere in the same interview, Page endorsed LA Knight. The former NWA and Impact Wrestling star has finally found his footing on WWE's main roster, but much like Page, his success at a significantly older age compared to other wrestlers who first break out in their 20s.

"That guy, he ain't too old for nothing," Page said (h/t Fightful). "He is at the right time at the right place and I pray for him that they see it, because he deserves it. I remember walking up to him, I wanna say it was Mania this year, and I said, 'Dude, I just want you to know, I personally love what you're doing and watching you from NXT coming up.' [He has worked] with Bronson, who's one of my boys, he's worked out in that gym with me 50 times. I was like, 'I love what you're doing' and I said the same thing to Sami, that it's your time dude, these people are gonna get with you, it's gonna get bigger and bigger and it did. Both of those guys are top guys to me, but they aren't top of the top. Just give them that little push and they both will deliver."

WWE SummerSlam 2023 Results

  • Logan Paul def. Ricochet
  • Cody Rhodes def. Brock Lesnar
  • LA Knight wins the SummerSlam Battle Royal
  • Shayna Baszler def. Ronda Rousey (MMA Rules)
  • Intercontinental Championship: Gunther def. Drew McIntyre
  • World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins def. Finn Balor
  • WWE Women's Championship: Bianca Belair def. Asuka & Charlotte Flair
  • WWE Women's Championship: Iyo Sky def. Bianca Belair
  • Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns def. Jey Uso (Tribal Combat Rules)

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