The week of Feb. 1, 1986, found Dionne Warwick & Friends hanging on to the #1 spot for the third straight week with ‘That’s What Friends are For.’
Behind it at #2, where it would spend two weeks, is one of the most glaring examples of trying to make lightning strike twice — Survivor’s ‘Burning Heart.’
The song was commissioned for Rocky IV by Sylvester Stallone, who had seen Survivor’s Rocky III song, ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ become a worldwide smash and stay at #1 for six weeks.
Now #2 ain’t bad, but it ain’t ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ and there’s a reason ‘Burning Heart’ is largely forgotten while its predecessor remains an 80s classic.
It might be because the backing track is quite similar, but nowhere as good, or because ‘Tiger”s lead singer was replaced after developing nodules on his vocal cords. Or maybe because the Cold War lyrics aren’t as compelling as “a man and his will to survive.”
At any rate, Rocky IV did give us John Cafferty’s ‘Hearts On Fire’ and James Brown’s ‘Living in America.’ The latter wasn’t written for the film but it was the most memorable musical moment in it.
(That, by the way, is a perfect segue into next week’s posts, in which I’ll be looking back on musical moments in the movies of 2025.)
Two worlds collide, rival nations
It’s a primitive clash venting years of frustrations
Bravely we hope against all hope
There is so much at stake
Seems our freedom’s up against the ropes
Does the crowd understand?
Is it East versus West or man against man?
Can any nation stand alone?
[Chorus]
In the burning heart just about to burst
There’s a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night rising like a spire
In the burning heart, the unmistakable fire
In the burning heart
[Verse 2]
In the warriors code there’s no surrender
Though his body says “stop!”, his spirit cries “never!”
Deep in our soul a quiet ember knows it’s you against you
It’s the paradox that drives us on
It’s a battle of wills
In the heat of attack it’s the passion that kills
The victory is yours alone
[Chorus]
In the burning heart just about to burst
There’s a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night rising like a spire
In the burning heart, the unmistakable fire
In the burning heart just about to burst
There’s a quest for answers, an unquenchable thirst
In the darkest night rising like a spire
In the burning heart, the unmistakable fire
[Outro]
In the burning heart
Meet Me In Montauk 
Or maybe it’s because both the song and movie from which it came were awful.
Meanwhile, I could be wrong, but isn’t this the first time you have revealed the next week’s theme, or perhaps that secrecy only applies when you are doing rankings?
I have too much affection for the Rocky franchise to call Rocky IV awful, but it has been a very long time since I’ve seen it!
I’ve teased the upcoming theme week before, but not very often.
looking forward to next week’s blogs!