Soundtrack (Film)
Rocky IV Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Release Date: 1985 | Tracklist

Everyone possesses certain pieces of nostalgia that are so impactful, so all encompassing that the memories forged from these experiences are almost certain to never die. Whether the concept is summoned from music, sports, your first lay, or anything important to an individual, commonly the most highly revered, irreplaceable portents of nostalgia in humans are derived from childhood. It makes sense that the raw innocence of childhood is a central breeding ground for revered memories; it is after all a blank canvas awaiting layers of new experiences and influences. Life altering, memorable experiences are obviously first conceived at this stage in life, and to a kid, everything is more impactful. I have this conversation frequently, and when I am asked what concept, object, thing, experience, etc fits the definition of nostalgia for me, the answer is always the epic Sly Stallone vehicle Rocky IV.

I was five years old when the greatest sports themed movie of all time first graced theaters. I was roughly three years old when my Dad started forcing Beatles records and Celtics/Lakers games on me. In short, I was baptized by fire at the altars of sports and music, two arenas that to this day are probably my two greatest passions. At this stage in life, the fusion of these two concepts in Rocky IV was completely overpowering, beyond vexing, entirely transcendent. The movie itself is near perfect, with its central theme of continuity overcoming vengeance, legit action sequences, enough cheesy one liners to satiate Ahnold in his glory days, and without retort personifies the classiest usage of the quintessential 80’s action movie weapon; the montage.

Fittingly, for a movie high on intellectual reaches of human capacity and a knowing lean towards unrelenting bombast, it is natural that the soundtrack mirrors the sequences and central themes of the film. Simply put, the Rocky IV soundtrack is the ultimate clinic on aligning music to film, and everything about it, each note and lyric of each song melds absolutely famously with on screen events, moreover encapsulating every ironic, bombastic, overdone, yet deliciously effective aspect of 80s music and the cultural nature of the decade itself. Not only is Rocky IV the most fitting soundtrack of all time, it is arguably one of the top five albums of the decade.

Sonically, the soundtrack is bristling with over the top, enormously catchy, synth laden 80’s rock bombast. The methods of delivery are diverse, as the record touches on gloriously cheese laden 80’s synth pop (Double or Nothing, One Way Street, The Sweetest Victory,) blood rousing, energetic rockers (Burning Heart, There’s No Easy Way Out, Eye of the Tiger, Heart’s On Fire), transcendent, chilling ambience (Training Montage, War), even exaggerated Mo-Town arrogance (Living in America). Each track is above average in and of itself, and aligns perfectly to it’s on-screen presence.

The greatest redeeming aspect of the album is not simply the quality of music, but how it is a personification for on-screen events, which in turn provide lasting nostalgia and translate well to real life moments. When Rocky drives 100 mph aimlessly while envisioning a sickening array of flashbacks after Apollo Creed’s death, “There’s No Easy Way Out,” is the perfect accompaniment, with its infectious bass line, dreary synth, and overall morose yet energetic mood that transcends the feeling of driving angry, of trying to get demons out through unadulterated road-based reckless abandon. The lesson of course, is everyone has done something like this at one point or another. The foreboding “Burning Heart” plays when Rocky touches down in Russia for the first time, and the warrior-code based lyrics are the perfect summation of what a man may feel when he is about to take on an almost insurmountable task. When the movie enters its two training montages, the accompanying music, (Training Montage, Heart’s On Fire) are perfect manifestations of the pain and glory that comes from pushing oneself to the edge. This is the sound of unadulterated will, and the overpowering energy from both was directly responsible for millions of kids to immediately set up a mock training regimen, don boxing gloves, and pretend they were Rocky. The final montage, “War,” provides an enthralling backdrop to the final fight, as the overall themes of overcoming fear, enduring punishment, picking yourself up, and ultimately finding redemption are perfectly encapsulated by the changing moods of the song.

Simplistically stated, the majority of the album is directly responsible for adding legitimacy to the “chill” scenes in the movie, and the strength of the works as a whole prescribe the same feeling in real life, whether one is driving recklessly to ponder their lives, facing impossible tasks, or simply going for a kick-a$$ work out. Rocky IV itself breeds nostalgia as it is a perfect representation of its time, of the sports movie genre, and the redemptive ability of the human will. People have always related to it, despite the fact they will never have to endure wretched punishment from a 300 pound killing machine. Nostalgia may be the primary reason the movie is one of the most highly syndicated in cable TV history, yet its lasting power would be diminished greatly without the transcendent music behind it.

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3.8 excellent