Customer Reviews

Rocky 4

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4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Out of all the Rocky movies, the third sequel to the Oscar winning original movie Rocky (1976) has the best soundtrack. Rocky IV came out in 1985 in the midst of the 80's synch pop and hair bands. But there is little or no indication that Stallone or whoever put these songs together was highly appreciative of that dreadful music scene.

Survivor returns to the soundtrack of yet another Rocky sequel after their successful 1982 Rocky III theme song Eye Of The Tiger. This time they contribute Burning Heart, an even more ambitious and powerful song about the east and west clash (america and the soviet union). James Brown offers Living In America. John Cafferty's adrenaline fueled Hearts On Fire shows up twice in the movie and that only indicates that it's the highlight on the soundtrack. Kenny Loggins, the king of 80's soundtrack hits such as Footloose and Danger Zone, makes a modest appearance on Rocky IV with Gladys Knight on the bluesy Double Or Nothing. Go West's One Way Street is another bluesy pop song that fits the soundtrack quite well. Finally, there's the instrumental tracks: War and Training Montage that are memorable as the movie itself. Of course, I'm not forgetting Robert Tepper's No Easy Way Out which comes on in the most engaging scene in the movie, when Rocky is remembering his past, Apollo Creed, and the frightful face of Drago coming to end his life.

Rocky IV is one of the most bankable movies of the 80's. It also is one of the best soundtrack albums of that decade.

A

When I was a little kid in like second grade around 86-87, I heard this album (on cassette, of course) via my older cousin. I was addicted to it immediately, borrowed it and crudely made a copy of it (putting two tape-recorders next to each other and using the built in mic to pick up the sound). I later got a real copy of the cassette as a Christmas present. I've often forgot about it since then, but I've never been sick of it. I finally bought the CD version 2 years ago.

This soundtrack is the one I remember most from any movie from the 80's. The only let-downs are the out of place laid-back adult contemporary track (the robot plays it while bringing Paulie his ice cream and beer) and the crappy 80's pop song (the robot is also guilty of this one, plays it while Rocky is washing his car...someone needs to shoot that f'ing robot). By all means stay away from tracks 3 and 8, they'll make you feel embarassed to be listening, even if you're alone. Everything else here is memorable. The James Brown track is also a little out of place, but it's acceptable since it was so heavily featured in the movie. Plus while listening to it I live out my fantasies of Drago punching James Brown. Hard.

Vince DiCola replacing what was mostly a Bill Conti score for the previous movies (and making a big transition from mostly orchestra to mostly synth) sounds very "80's" during the two instrumentals, but it doesn't matter since they are so outstanding.

Two Survivor songs and a few other great tracks from groups/artists we'd never heard of then and haven't heard from since top off an outstanding movie soundtrack.

So jump into your Lamborghini after dark, throw this sucker in your CD player, and drive really fast around town while reliving moments from your past films. Then go beat the crap out of some commies! And impatiently wait for Rocky VI.

Hi, I am trying to find out who is the LEAD SINGER in "THE SWEETEST VICTORY" of TOUCH. I can't find anything on the internet about it. I am searching for more song of this singer,
please help me. Thanx!

I have been listening to Rocky IV for years. I have used it to motivate myself physically at the gym, especialyy Training Montage (great for doing abdominals crunches), The Sweetest Victory, hearts on Fire, Eye of the Tiger, Burning Heart. Yes, it is 80's but who cares, we still listen to music for centuries ago so what's wrong with 80's? Nothing. I recommend you buy it as the music and lyrics are very uplifting and very well produced. It is one of the best albums I have.

There is one thing that bugs me and that is the lyrics to The Sweetest Victory by Touch. I have trouble deciphering them. ...

"Burning Heart" is a mighty martial anthem--"in the warrior's code there's no surrender/though his body says stop, his spirit cries never"-- pounding with power chords but also a Cold War anthem--"two world collide, rival nations" "is it east vs west, or man against man." Only Survivor could do something like this. Their theme song from Rocky III, "Eye Of The Tiger" reprised here, and it's a welcome addition, with those snarling guitars and familiar rhythm guitar. It's also a good opportunity to compare Dave Bickler with Jimi Jameson.

John Cafferty seems synonymous with Eddie And The Cruisers or being a Springsteen clone, but he manages to bring the energetic but heavily produced keyboards/guitar number "Heart's On Fire" some credibility. I will say that this is very 80's, which is good.

Untrained ears will find it hard to tell Kenny Loggins and Gladys Knight apart on the middling rocker-R&B hybrid "Double Or Nothing" a song with pronounced drums.

Two of Vince DiCola's music scores are included, one being the majestic "War" heavy on dramatic keyboards. There is definitely an air of apprehension. I don't recall what part of the movie this was used--the prelude to or during one of the bouts?

The funky and horn-heavy "Living In America" a kind of commentary on the American life, is the first time I heard the Godfather of Soul, and he lets loose with his trademark "OWWW" This song later ended up on Brown's Gravity album and was parodied by Weird Al as "Living With A Hernia." He reprises a part of one of his songs at the end: "I feel good!" While I love this song, I hate the way it was used in the movie as prancing and jeering propaganda against the Soviet boxer Drago.

The sobering rocker "No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper rivals the Survivor songs as my favorite here. I love that way the frantic keyboards is accompanied by bass, before roaring into the climactic theme used in the chorus. There's a sense of cruel desperation in the chorus theme, especially when he sings, "giving in can't be wrong." and "I don't wanna pacify you/I don't want to drag you down/but I'm feeling like a prisoner/like a strange rin a no-name town/I see only angry faces/afraid that could be you and me." Tepper sounds like a sturdy rock version of Michael Bolton, without the annoying shrillness of the latter.

Years before they became the kings of wishful thinking, Go West did "One Way Street" which is a more languid, relaxing affair, complete with heavily produced female backup singers. Not one of the better tracks.

Touch's "The Sweetest Victory" is another energetic anthem laced with keyboards. The lead singer sounds like a clone of Steve Perry and the sound is clearly influenced by Journey. There's a nice harmony chorus included.

The album ends with another Vince DiCola instrumental, "Training Montage," which I remember being used as Rocky jogs in the snow in the Soviet Union for his upcoming bout with Drago. The quick-paced pulsing bass synthesizer, drums, and accompanying piano really mimics someone jogging or striking a punching bag, with horn-like synthesizers sounding like Europe's "The Final Countdown."

Despite the two filler tracks, the Rocky IV soundtrack is memorable for its high energy rockers from Survivor and Vince DiCola's upbeat synthesizer scores.

So many great songs on this one, all it's missing is the origianl theme. But well worth the purchase for eye of the tiger and burning heart. Go Rocky!

The only problem I have with the CD is that they tampered with 3 of the main songs, the Training Montage, if you know from the movie, it changes in the begginning. In Heart's on Fire, the didn't to the instrumental at the end and finally in the song war, which was great in the movie, was not that great on the soundtrack. They did about 45 seconds of just a piano in it and the movie was just better. If anyone has the exact movie version of those 3 songs, please e-mail me ...[and]I will be forever greatful. Other than that, the soundtrack, like the movie....rocked. No Easy Way Out, great, great song, and if you notice, that most of the Rocky 4 soundtrack is on the Rock Story.

Rocky IV is one of the finest soundtrack albums of the 80's though it sold barely above one million copies. It refeatures "Eye Of The Tiger", the Rocky III theme and Survivior's biggest hit in summer of 1982. And the dead of winter '86 hit "Burning Heart" also by Survivor. Furthermore it has full of surprises such as the return of rock'n soul legend James Brown with "Living In America" written by Dan Hartman known by the Streets Of Fire theme "I Can Dream About You". King of soundtrack Kenny Loggins of Footloose and Top Gun fame offers great ballad "Double or Nothing" dueted with soul legend Gladys Night(one of the superstars who sing with Dionne Warwick's "That's What Friends Are For". It highlights newer stars such as John Caffety known by "Eddie and the Cruisers" soundtrack, Robert Tepper with "No Easy Way Out" and UK pop star Go West with "One Way Street". For melodic rock fans, Touch's "Sweetest Victory" is just unbelievable! Essential for 80's music fans and soundtrack collectors.

The songs on this CD are awesome. I have at one time or another used every single one of them as a workout song. No Easy Way out is probably one of my all time favorites: It is the perfect mix of 80s synth with 80s rock singing, timeless. Eye of the Tiger is probably the best known song on this album but the Training Montage and others make the CD far more valuable than just as a single for Eye of the Tiger. If you need something to pump you up and get you motivated this CD will do it.

I tend to listen to this CD when I feel down and need an injection of motivation for going on (not that I am suicidal or anything...). The lyrics to most of these songs are incredible, powerful stuff... I have trouble understanding the whole "Sweetest victory" song...