1976 Oscar-Nominated Hit Has Just 30 Words-But Became an Iconic Movie Song
It may only run 30 words long, but this 1976 Oscar-nominated hit became one of the most iconic pieces of film music ever recorded.
"Gonna Fly Now," the theme from the 1976 motion picture Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire, became an instant symbol of triumph and determination. Its soaring music and unforgettable chorus helped cement the film as a defining classic and turned the song into a pop culture anthem.
The song was written by composer Bill Conti, with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins. The composition helped capture the underdog spirit that defined Rocky.
"Gonna Fly Now" became synonymous with underdogs worldwide. It quickly became a go-to song for workouts, sporting events, and moments when people needed a little extra motivation.
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The song epitomizes the spirit of beating adversity. It played as Rocky Balboa trained for his first boxing match with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and ended as he ran triumphantly up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
According to the website Total Rocky, Conti wasn't the film's first choice for a composer. Reportedly, Shire's husband, composer David Shire, was asked prior, but he turned the job down due to the film's small budget.
Forbes reported that the film's entire budget was $1M. Stallone, who wrote and starred in the film, came in under that amount by keeping the length of filming under one month and using family and friends as extras.
Conti was offered $25K to do film's seminal theme song. He accepted, compsing, orchestrating, conducting and playing piano on the soundtrack.
"It's a movie about a loser," Conti declared. "He has a big fight, and we want to manipulate the audience into believing he can win."
Stallone said of Conti's composition, "It seemed very Roman Coliseum. It seemed very gladiatorial."
"He wrote from inside the character. It was epic, it really was," the actor and film star concluded.
Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins worked with Conti to craft the song's powerful lyrics, which were performed by a trio of singers: DeEtta Little West, Nelson Pigford, and Bob's wife, Shelby Conti. Their vocals were layered, so the three performers sounded like a large group.
At the time, choosing to build the sequence entirely around music instead of dialogue felt like a bold creative risk. However, this angle lets the score do the storytelling, carrying the emotion from start to finish.
"Gonna Fly Now" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 49th Academy Awards in 1977. It was beaten by "Evergreen" from the film A Star is Born. Other nominees in the same category included The Omen's "Ave Satini," The Pink Panther Strikes Again's "Come to Me," and "A World That Never Was" from Half a House.
Related: Sylvester Stallone Admits He Was 'Lonely' Before 'Rocky' Stardom
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 11:01 AM.