Eye of the Tiger

Infobox Single
Name = Eye of the Tiger


Artist = Survivor
from Album = Eye of the Tiger
Released = 1982
Format = 7"
Recorded = 1981
Genre = Hard rock
Length = 4:06
Label = Scotti Brothers Records EMI
Writer = Frankie Sullivan & Jim Peterik
Producer = Foreigner
Certification =
Chart position = * #1 (US, UK, Ireland, Finland, Australia, Norway)
Last single = "Summer Nights" (1982)
This single = "Eye of the Tiger" (1982)
Next single = "American Heartbeat" (1982)

"Eye of the Tiger" is a song performed by the American rock group Survivor, and is taken from the album of the same name. It was released on January 1 1982, and was written at the request of Sylvester Stallone for the film "Rocky III". The original mix of the song, heard in the film, features tiger growls, though the single omits them.

The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks from July 24 1982. It was preceded by "Don't You Want Me" by Human League and followed by "Abracadabra" by the Steve Miller Band. It also topped the Mainstream Rock Tracks. "Eye of the Tiger" also reached number one in the UK, Irish and Australian charts. The song won a Grammy Award, an Academy Award nomination, and was voted "Best New Song" by the People's Choice Awards.

The song was listed at #21 on "Billboard's All Time Top 100." [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-30.shtml]

Cover versions

* In 1995, the year of his world championship, Boxer Frank Bruno released a cover version. It reached #28 in the UK charts.
* In 1999, German power metal/neoclassical metal band At Vance included a cover of the song for their debut album "No Escape".
* American indie artist Josh Joplin recorded an acoustic folk cover of the song.
* In 2006, the song was covered by Amel Bent where it reached #2 in France, #13 in Belgium and #32 in Switzerland. ["Eye of the Tiger", by Amel Bent, in various singles charts [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=210650&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved May 16, 2008)]
* Alt rock band Green Day performed the intro of the song on several occasions.
* Rappers DMX and Ice Cube covered the song.
* In 2006, Australian pop artist Lee Harding included a cover of the song on his debut album "What's Wrong with This Picture?"

Parodies, appearances in other media

* A parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic entitled, "Theme from Rocky XIII (The Rye or the Kaiser)", was included on his "In 3-D" album from 1984.
* An altered version of the song was featured on a Starbucks commercial for canned coffee.
* The song is the official theme of the National Rugby League Team The Wests Tigers. It is played when they come out onto the field in every rugby league game.
* A version of the song is featured in the 2007 film Persepolis, performed by Chiara Mastroianni.
* An episode of the Canadian show is named after this song.
* Featured as a track in "Rock Band 2" and "Guitar Hero World Tour".
* Played in Family Guy when Quagmire and Cleveland parody Rocky.
* Hulk Hogan once used it as a theme song.fact|date=September 2008
* Was played in an episode of The Boondocks.
* Is used during a comedy montage in the episode entitled 'Fat' of series five of the BBC comedy 'Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'.
* John McCain used this song to open and close campaign rallies during the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign.
* Conservative talk show host Sean Hannity uses the introduction as background music for his radio show's third hour (which is referred to as the "world-famous final hour free-for-all".)
* In 2001, A Song by DMX & Ice Cube was Remixed with Eye of the tiger, named "We Be Clubbin' (Eye of the Tiger Remix) for "The 24th Letter" by DMX.
* The song is sung in the movie Asterix and the Vikings.

References