Lyric discussion by rochey 

Cover art for Eye of the Tiger lyrics by Survivor

This is a fantastic song. It really pumps you up and inspires.

If you know the Rocky saga, you'll know that this song is about Rocky Balboa. Survivor wrote this after being asked by Stallone. They looked at some Rocky clips and wrote the song based on what they saw. That bum bum bum drum sound throughout the song is the punches that Survivor were watching as part of the fight clips they were sent.

This song was for Rocky 3 where Rocky is now rich and a famous knockout champ, But he gets comfortable and starts resting on his laurels and living the easy life. Meanwhile he doesn't see Clubber Lang studying him and coming up behind him to take his title. Clubber is now the Rocky of the first Rocky, and Rocky has essentially become the cocky Apollo - Money, fur, endorsements, the celeb lifestyle etc.

He loses his 'eye of the tiger' his hunger, ambition, and he has to find it again to beat Clubber. He has to go back to what he was, cause there was an honesty and rawness there. He's lost his edge, his danger, because he got too comfortable which is exactly what happened to Apollo both with Rocky, and then fatally with Drago in Rocky 4.

The 'eye of the tiger' is that dangerous glint before the kill (the knockout).

if you listen to the lyrics, the song is Rocky. He rises from a bum on the streets with hunger and fire to win, and he does, goes straight to the top - goes the distance.

"You change your passion for glory" exactly what Rocky does in the movie. Becomes a celeb rather than a real fighter.

"Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past You must fight just to keep them alive"

He has to become the bum Rocky again to win back his title and defeat Clubber. He has to go back to what he knows, like keeping your feet squarely on the ground. He loses the fight and Micky, reevaluates his life, and with Apollo's help and his original training he gets his hunger and edge back = his eye of the tiger.

Song Meaning