One song from The Karate Kid was originally written for Rocky III, but it was replaced by the boxing franchise’s biggest hit. Rocky III debuted in 1982 and saw a slightly more weary Italian Stallion (Sylvester Stallone) begrudgingly get in the ring with the younger, more antagonistic Clubber Yang (Mr. T) at the same time that his friend and mentor Mickey suffers a fatal heart attack. The Karate Kid, which would be released in 1984 and introduced the world to Ralph Macchio’s plucky karate student Daniel and his sensei Mr. Miyagi’s wise quotes, was in the early stages of development and didn’t yet have a hook song to grab the audience.
At the time, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for songs to be written by composers whose entire career consisted of optioning them to film studios during production without specifying how they would be used. Songs that might not have fit the tone or plot of one movie could be perfect for another, and so they were interchangeable. In the case of Rocky III, this song wouldn’t have been appropriate, but it was perfect for The Karate Kid, and it was replaced by one that would eventually be arguably the biggest hit of the entire Rocky franchise, showing just how big a role chance plays in the process.
The Karate Kid’s “You’re The Best” Was Written For Rocky 3
The signature song “You’re The Best” by Joe Esposito was originally written for Rocky III prior to becoming attached to The Karate Kid. Sylvester Stallone passed on the song at the same time that The Karate Kid was in development, and it ended up fitting the tone of the film much better. While both films are about persevering in the face of obstacles and training hard to overtake adversaries, “You’re The Best” doesn’t really have the same bite as the song that Stallone eventually chose as the standout track on the Rocky III soundtrack.
Rocky 3 Used The Hugely Successful “Eye Of The Tiger” Instead
Instead of “You’re The Best,” Stallone chose “Eye Of The Tiger” by Scorpion instead, which went on to become a huge hit. With its relentless guitar rifts and marching time signature, it was the perfect song to help Rocky “go the distance” and get in the ring with Mr. T’s Clubber Yang. The film version of “Eye of the Tiger” is the demo, while the completely finished version appears on the soundtrack. While the theme song for Rocky 3 is technically “Gonna Fly Now” by Bill Conti, “Eye Of The Tiger” is definitely the song fans associate with not only the film, but the entire Rocky franchise.
Rocky 4 Later Rejected A Song That Ended Up In The Karate Kid 2
Something similar happened again when Karate Kid 2’s song was a Rocky IV reject. Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love” was originally going to be included in the film that saw the Italian Stallion go up against Ivan Drago, but it was passed over because it didn’t fit Rocky triumphing against insurmountable odds. The soundtrack included James Brown’s “Living in America”, as well as “Burning Heart”, and particularly John Caffery’s “Hearts on Fire,” which provided the rousing anthem that played during Rocky’s training sessions prior to the greatest fight of his career. “Glory of Love” became one of the biggest hits of The Karate Kid franchise.
