In 1982, the Chicago-based band Survivor released their blockbuster hit “Eye of the Tiger”. The song was written by band members Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik and was famously used in Sylvester Stallone’s movie Rocky III. In this article, we will dive into the story and legacy behind Survivor’s smash hit “Eye of the Tiger”.
The Story Behind the Song
The story of “Eye of the Tiger” started with Sylvester Stallone. He was finishing up Rocky III and searching for original music after Queen denied the usage of “Another One Bites the Dust” in the film. Stallone decided to meet up for dinner with good friend Tony Scotti, the co-founder of Scotti Brothers Records (Survivor’s label).
“He and Tony were having dinner at this Italian restaurant, eating pasta, and Sly goes, ‘I don’t like the music they are gonna put in the film,” co-writer Frankie Sullivan told Billboard. “Then he told him about this one spot in the movie where he wants the right song. Now Tony Scotti’s sharp, and he told him, ‘Well, I got this band if you wanna give them a shot and submit some music for it.’ And Stallone goes, ‘Yeah, why not.”
The band was, of course, Survivor. Before “Eye of the Tiger”, the band released 2 studio albums with little commercial success. Therefore, co-writer Jim Peterik was very surprised when he received a call from Sylvester Stallone.
“One day I came home, pressed play on the answering machine and I heard: “Yo Jim, give me a call, it’s Sylvester Stallone.” I went: “Yeah, right,” Peterik reflected to The Guardian.
“So I’m talking to Stallone on the telephone. He said: “I want something for the kids. Something street, something with a pulse. Can you help me out?” I told him: “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this since I started my career in music.”
Stallone sent a tape of the opening scene of the movie to Sullivan and Peterik to write a song to. Not knowing Queen declined the usage of “Another One Bites the Dust”, they surprisingly heard the opening scene was accompanied by the song. “Every day I thank god to Queen that they wouldn’t give him the publishing [rights],” Peterik later funnily remarked.
“We’re watching the movie and then it ends after 10 minutes,” Sullivan remembered. “So I called Sly up on the phone and told him that I’m not going to make bootleg copies in my garage. I need to see the whole film.”
After receiving the whole movie, Sullivan and Peterik wrote the song in a matter of a few days. Peterik stated he came up with the riff and iconic chord changes of the song while driving in his car. The song’s title was inspired by a scene in the movie where antagonist Apollo Creed tells Rocky he has lost the ‘eye of the tiger’.
After recording the song, Sullivan and Peterik sent a demo to Sylvester Stallone. Stallone liked the song, but felt it needed to be louder. “All I did was push the faders up a single decibel and, boom, you could feel the difference,” Sullivan reflected. “It was kicking and he loved it.” The demo version of the song was eventually used in the movie, and Survivor re-recorded the track for the single and album release.
The Legacy of “Eye of the Tiger“
Rocky III was released on May 28, 1982. 3 days later – on May 31, 1982 – Survivor released “Eye of the Tiger” as a single. Both the movie and the song were a massive success. “Eye of the Tiger” topped the charts worldwide, including the US, where it held the top position for 6 weeks. The song also won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
Frankie Sullivan remembered the first time he saw the movie. “When I went to see the movie in the theaters, it sounded slammin’. That was the best music video you could ever ask for, the Rocky movie. They used all four minutes and 58 seconds of our song, and in the beginning of the movie! Think about that. MTV was cool and all, but it wasn’t Rocky.”
It’s undeniable that “Eye of the Tiger” changed the lives of Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik, and many more. Despite the fact Survivor had many other hits, they will always be best remembered for their empowering and motivating 1982 smash hit.
“The Grammy is still sitting on my recording console. The money doesn’t suck, but the best royalty is that I’ll be in the supermarket and meet random people who tell me the song has affected their lives in a positive way,” Jim Peterik reflected proudly.
Interested in more stories behind iconic songs? Click here
