Thank God for MetaFilter, which turned me on to the magic that is Hulk Hogan’s tear-jerking cancer ballad, “Hulkster in Heaven.”

Some background on the song from SydLexia.com:

During his heyday, Hogan did a lot of work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visiting children with life-threatening illnesses. His devotion to the cause was so deep that in 1994, the organization presented him with their Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year award which is given to public figures who “have displayed a heart for the children of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and a commitment beyond what could have ever been expected of them”. According to Hogan, the inspiration for the album originally rose out of this work. Apparently, a sick boy who Hogan had previously visited had been given ringside seats to an event, but when Hulk looked out into the crowd, the spot was empty. He later learned that the fan had died. This inspired Hulk to write a power ballad in honor of his fallen friend and eventually Hogan and Jimmy Hart decided to turn the project into a whole album.

I-Mockery.com posts an mp3 of the song, complete with liner notes:

I guess I should feel bad for laughing at a song about a young kid dying, but I simply don’t. The fact that Hogan has to keep referring to the kid as a Hulkamaniac throughout the song while constantly making references to wrestling just takes away from the “poignant” message he was apparently trying to make. Forget about the kid dying, the fact is I’m sure this song has killed many more people as they died from uncontrollable laughter. “I used to tear my shirt… but now you tore my heart… I knew you were a Hulkamaniac right from the very start.” The Joker didn’t need to make Smilex to get people laughing, he needed to play “Hulkster in Heaven”. If there’s one song on this album you need to hear, it’s this one. Trust me.

Enjoy.