The instrumental theme associated with Rocky Balboa’s training scenes is “Gonna Fly Now.”
The song was composed by Bill Conti, with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins. Although the recording includes vocals, the recurring instrumental arrangement is especially identified with Rocky’s running and training montage in the 1976 film. Its brass-led sound became one of the most recognizable musical signatures in sports cinema.
“Gonna Fly Now” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in 1977. It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and won the award. The song’s triumphant style helped turn a short training sequence into a lasting piece of popular culture.
It is often confused with “Eye of the Tiger,” Survivor’s song from Rocky III. “Gonna Fly Now” belongs primarily to the original Rocky film, while “Eye of the Tiger” was introduced in the third installment.