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“Eye of the Tiger”
Single by Survivor from the album Eye of the Tiger
Released	January 1, 1982
Format	7"
Recorded	1981
Genre	Hard rock
Length	4:06
Label	Scotti Brothers Records EMI
Writer(s)	Frank Stallone & Jim Peterik
Producer	Foreigner
Survivor singles chronology
"Summer Nights" (1982) "Eye of the Tiger" (1982) "American Heartbeat" (1982)

"Eye of the Tiger" is a song performed by the American rock band Survivor 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.[1]

[edit] 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.
• In 2001, American metal band Bloodfist recorded a metal version as a B-Side to the single "The Death of Charlie Brown". It has since become a regular staple of their live shows. Their version also appears on the cover and B-Side album "Stoneballin' and Other Forgotten Classics".
• In 2003, Finland melodic death metal band Withering recorded cover version of the song.
• 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.^[1]
• Alternative 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?"
• Judith Owen recorded a jazz version for her album Here, also released in 2006.
• In 2007, Serbian singer Ognjen Vuletić has sung this song and won the contest.
• In 2008, Lorena covered the song on her second studio album De Pelicula.

[edit] Parodies, appearances in other media

• The song appeared in the fourth season of the TV show Supernatural, and as an extra to the same episode, where Jensen Ackles lip-synched and danced to the song.
• Jason Lee sings it to his father on the second episode of the fourth season ("Monkeys Take A Bath") of My Name is Earl.
• An altered version of the song by the band themselves was featured on a Starbucks Doubleshot commercial.^[2]
• 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.
• 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.
• The instrumental at the beginning of the song was often used as Baltimore Orioles Cal Ripken, Jr.'s batter introductory music.
• A version of the song is featured in the 2007 film Persepolis, performed by Chiara Mastroianni.
• An episode of the Canadian show Degrassi: The Next Generation is named after this song.
• Featured as a track in Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour, and the European version of Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades.
• The song is played at the end of the Family Guy episode "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire," when Cleveland and Quagmire reconcile their differences as the shot fades to a watercolor-like painting.
• Hulk Hogan once used it as a theme song.^{[citation needed]}
• 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.
• The song is currently being used as the theme song for Konnan in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración
• A remix of this song is located as a track in the game We Cheer (for Wii)
• The song is frequently played at sporting events for the Clemson University Clemson Tigers.
• It is also one of the fight songs for the University of Memphis Athletic Department.
• Ben Stiller sings the song in the film Night at the Museum over the loudspeaker at the American Museum of Natural History at night.
• Reed College plays the song on the hour, every hour, in the library lobby during finals week.

• Many high schools that use a tiger as their mascot may use the song.
• "Eye of The Tiger" is the title of episode one in the third season of The Bernie Mac Show. The character Jordan uses the song for his routine.
• The television series "Las Vegas" episode "Fake the Money and Run" (first aired 9/26/2005) played a slow jazz version in the background during a poker game.

[edit] References