Gonna Fly Now
Encyclopedia
"Gonna Fly Now", also known as "Theme from Rocky", is the theme song from the movie Rocky
, composed by Bill Conti
with lyrics by Carol Connors
and Ayn Robbins
, and performed by DeEtta Little (the sister of actor Cleavon Little
) and Nelson Pigford. Released in February 1977 with the movie Rocky, the song became part of American popular culture
after main character Rocky Balboa
completed his daily training regimen while the song played. The song finishes as Rocky completes his famous run up the "Rocky Steps
" of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
and raises his arms in a victory pose. The song is also often played at sporting events, especially at sporting events in the city of Philadelphia or featuring sports teams from there.
. The version of the song from the movie, performed by Conti with an orchestra, hit number one on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart in 1977, while a version by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson
hit the top 30. Disco
versions by Rhythm Heritage
and Current were on the chart at the same time (Conti's own version reveals some early disco influence in the orchestration). Conti's single was certified Gold by the RIAA, for shipments exceeding one million in the United States. The American Film Institute
placed it 58th on its AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs
list.
, an alternate version of the song was used, with a children's choir singing the chorus. Rocky III
included an updated disco influenced arrangement during the training montage on the beach. This recording is however missing from the soundtrack album, the sleeve notes of which say "All music on this album selected by Sylvester Stallone
", who instead opted to reprise the original versions of "Gonna Fly Now" and "Reflections" from the first film and "Conquest" from the second installment. Thus the album fails to present the actual score recorded for Rocky III.
Rocky IV was scored by Vince DiCola who mainly introduced new themes of his own but "Gonna Fly Now" returned with its composer for later installments. In Rocky Balboa
, a slightly alternate version of the song used more trumpets and different vocal tones. The soundtrack for that film
also includes a vocal remix performed by Natalie Wilde.
Rocky
Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but kind-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, composed by Bill Conti
Bill Conti
William "Bill" Conti is an American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:...
with lyrics by Carol Connors
Carol Connors (singer)
Carol Connors is a retired American singer-songwriter. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on The Teddy Bears' single, "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which was written by her bandmate Phil Spector.-Biography:She was the lead singer of the pop vocal trio known as The Teddy Bears, which...
and Ayn Robbins
Ayn Robbins
Ayn Robbins is a lyricist, poet, and painter. She is best known for co-writing with Carol Connors the lyrics for two Academy Award and Grammy nominated songs, "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky and "Someone's Waiting for You" from The Rescuers .- References :...
, and performed by DeEtta Little (the sister of actor Cleavon Little
Cleavon Little
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor.Little was widely known for his lead role as Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles. He also was the irreverent Dr...
) and Nelson Pigford. Released in February 1977 with the movie Rocky, the song became part of American popular culture
Culture of the United States
The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...
after main character Rocky Balboa
Rocky Balboa (character)
Robert "Rocky" Balboa, Sr. is a fictional character and the main protagonist portrayed by Sylvester Stallone who has appeared in the Rocky series from 1976 to 2006. During the series, he wins the Heavyweight Championship of the World twice....
completed his daily training regimen while the song played. The song finishes as Rocky completes his famous run up the "Rocky Steps
Rocky Steps
The 72 stone steps before the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have become known as the "Rocky Steps" as a result of their appearance in the triple-Oscar-winning film Rocky and four of its sequels, Rocky II, III, V and Rocky Balboa, in which the eponymous...
" of the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
and raises his arms in a victory pose. The song is also often played at sporting events, especially at sporting events in the city of Philadelphia or featuring sports teams from there.
Reception
The song (whose lyrics have a total count of 30 words) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in the 49th Academy Awards49th Academy Awards
The 49th Academy Awards were presented March 28, 1977, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Richard Pryor, Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, and Warren Beatty....
. The version of the song from the movie, performed by Conti with an orchestra, hit number one on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 chart in 1977, while a version by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
hit the top 30. Disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
versions by Rhythm Heritage
Rhythm Heritage
Rhythm Heritage was a 1970s American disco-funk band, best known for their 1976 US #1 single "Theme from "S.W.A.T.". It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 1976...
and Current were on the chart at the same time (Conti's own version reveals some early disco influence in the orchestration). Conti's single was certified Gold by the RIAA, for shipments exceeding one million in the United States. The American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
placed it 58th on its AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs
Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's 100 Years…100 Songs is a list of the top 100 songs in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute June 22, 2004 in a CBS special hosted by John Travolta, who appeared in two films honored by the list, Saturday Night Fever and...
list.
Uses
In Rocky IIRocky II
Rocky II is a 1979 American film that is the sequel to Rocky, a motion picture in which an unknown boxer had been given a chance to go the distance with the World Heavyweight Champion. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young and Talia Shire reprised their...
, an alternate version of the song was used, with a children's choir singing the chorus. Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
included an updated disco influenced arrangement during the training montage on the beach. This recording is however missing from the soundtrack album, the sleeve notes of which say "All music on this album selected by Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
", who instead opted to reprise the original versions of "Gonna Fly Now" and "Reflections" from the first film and "Conquest" from the second installment. Thus the album fails to present the actual score recorded for Rocky III.
Rocky IV was scored by Vince DiCola who mainly introduced new themes of his own but "Gonna Fly Now" returned with its composer for later installments. In Rocky Balboa
Rocky Balboa (film)
Rocky Balboa is the sixth and final film in the Rocky franchise, directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film, which was also written by Stallone who plays underdog boxer Rocky Balboa, is the sixth film in the Rocky series that began with the Academy Award-winning Rocky thirty years...
, a slightly alternate version of the song used more trumpets and different vocal tones. The soundtrack for that film
Rocky Balboa: The Best of Rocky
Rocky Balboa: The Best of Rocky is a compilation album of music from all six films, named after the sixth Rocky film, Rocky Balboa. It was released on December 26, 2006 by Capitol Records, the same day as the 30th anniversary re-release of the original Rocky soundtrack.-Track listing:All songs by...
also includes a vocal remix performed by Natalie Wilde.
Chart performance
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 8 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 22 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
In popular culture
Due to its original use, the song is used frequently in various forms of popular media where a main character is forced to train hard in order to defeat an opponent, often during a montage sequence.- American politician and former Vice President Walter MondaleWalter MondaleWalter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 42nd Vice President of the United States , under President Jimmy Carter, and as a United States Senator for Minnesota...
used this as his campaign songCampaign songCampaign songs are partisan ditties used in American political canvasses and more especially in presidential contests. The words were commonly set to established melodies like "Yankee Doodle," "Hail, Columbia," "Rosin the Bow," "Hail to the Chief" "John Brown's Body," "Dixie" and "O Tannenbaum" ;...
in 1984. - TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's CitytvCITY-TVCITY-DT, Channel 57 , is a television station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned and operated by Rogers Media...
used CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Maynard FergusonMaynard FergusonMaynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
's version of the theme for its CityPulseCityNewsCityNews is the title of local television newscasts currently seen on CITY-TV Toronto, Canada. It premiered on September 12, 1977 under the name CityPulse, then spread to Citytv stations in other cities across Canada. Due to severe financial issues, as of January 19, 2010, the only station that...
newscasts throughout the 1980s, but had phased out "Gonna Fly Now" entirely by the 2000s. A few other local television stations in the United States had also used Ferguson's arrangement of the theme on their newscasts in the past. - In one of the episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air captioned "The Philadephia Story", the theme song is played while Will Smith trains for a supposed fight with a local bully in his hometown of Philadephia. The scene culminates in Will Smith runningup the steps of what appears to be the Philadephia Museum
- A variation of this theme was featured in the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
release of SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's dancing rhythm game, Samba de AmigoSamba de AmigoSamba de Amigo is a rhythm game originally developed by Sonic Team and released in 1999 by Sega in arcades, 2000 for the Dreamcast video game console, and developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studios in 2008 for the Wii. The player uses controllers shaped like maracas with the goal of...
. - The opening trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
fanfareFanfareA Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
is sampled by The MurderersThe Inc. RecordsThe Inc. Records , is an American record label, owned by Irv Gotti.In 1999, Murder Inc. released its first album, Venni Vetti Vecci by Ja Rule. The album featured the hit single "Holla Holla". The album was executively produced by Irv Gotti and moved on to go platinum, which rose Ja Rule and...
, ft. Ja RuleJa RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
, Black Child, Tah Murdah and Vita for their 1999 rap singleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
which is also featured on the 2000 compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Irv Gotti Presents: The MurderersIrv Gotti Presents: The MurderersIrv Gotti Presents: The Murderers is an compilation album released by Def Jam Recordings featuring the labelmates of Irv Gotti's imprint "Murder Inc. Records" . The compilation boasts features from DMX, Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z...
. - UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos SantosJunior dos SantosJunior dos Santos Almeida, also known as Junior Cigano , is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. Dos Santos fights in the Heavyweight division, under the tutelage of former UFC and Pride Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and UFC...
walks out to the theme.