"I must break you." No truer words have come from Rocky IV while reviewing the original motion picture soundtrack. Why re-release a 20-year-old record? However, as I listened to it again, it took me back to my teenage years and remembered that these songs were cool. Anchoring the CD are the Survivor cuts of "Burning Heart" and "Eye of the Tiger." Well, "Eye of the Tiger" was on the Rocky III soundtrack, too, but it's one of those songs that has forever been burned into high school lore.
The only added song is "Man against the World" by Survivor, a snappy little tune. The song was supposed to be in the movie, but it was cut. So it's a good add-on. "Sweetest Victory" was also cut from the movie, but it appeared on the original album.
I tapped along to the other standards on the Soundtrack, like "Heart's On Fire" by John Cafferty, the montages by Vince DiCola, and one-hit wonder Robert Tepper with "No Easy Way Out." We're not done yet. There's Mr. James Brown's "Living in America" that makes you want get up and dance and say, "I FEEL GOOD!"
While the relevance of the movie has gone the way of the Cold War, the soundtrack stands on its own as a solid part of the '80s music scene. However, I would've liked to hear the full score.
Songs on the album:
1. "Burning Heart" - Survivor
2. "Hearts on Fire" - John Cafferty
3. "Double or Nothing" - Gladys Knight, Kenny Loggins
4. "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor
5. "War" - Vince Dicola
6. "Living in America" - James Brown
7. "No Easy Way Out" - Robert Tepper
8. "One Way Street" - Go West
9. "Sweetest Victory"
10. "Training Montage" - Vince Dicola
11. "Man against the World" - Survivor [not on original album]
Bottom line: Another good replacement for the cassette tape you originally bought, but if you already have the original album on CD/DVD, you're not missing out.
Article comments
1 - Steve
Yeah, I bought this cassette when it came out 20 years ago, it was pretty good at the time, but can't say I yearn to hear it all again (though I did include the James Brown track on a homemade dance CD I burned for my sis recently).
I hear Sly is doing Rocky 6!!! Not sure why, but anyway...thanks for the article about the album, sure does bring back memories.