Burning Heart (song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Burning Heart

| cover = Burning_heart.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| B-side = Feels Like Love

| released = {{start date|1985|10|21}}{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1985/FMQB-1985-10-11.pdf|title=FMQB|page=38}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Hard rock

| length = 3:51

| label = Scotti Bros

| writer =

| producer =

Jim Peterik
Frankie Sullivan

| prev_title = First Night

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Is This Love

| next_year = 1986

}}

"Burning Heart" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It appeared in the 1985 film Rocky IV and on its soundtrack album; the film's star Sylvester Stallone personally commissioned the song.{{cite book |first=Alex P. |last=King |title=Hit-parade — 20 ans de tubes |publisher=Pascal |year=2004 |place=Paris |page=342 |language=fr |isbn=2-35019-009-9}} The single peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks; it was the biggest hit the band had with Jimi Jamison on lead vocals. It was also a hit internationally, topping the charts of Belgium and Switzerland and entering the top 10 in several other European countries.

Content

"Burning Heart", which is about an "all or nothing" battle, was inspired by the Cold War,Billboard, 2 November 1985, S. 72 [https://books.google.com/books?id=RyQEAAAAMBAJ&q=survivor&pg=PA72 "burning heart" cold war&f=false Google Books] as shown by lyrics such as "Is it East versus West?"Daniel S. Papp: "Contemporary international relations: frameworks for understanding", Macmillan, 1988, S. 15 [https://archive.org/details/contemporaryinte00dani Internet Archive] and "Can any nation stand alone?" The Communist East versus Capitalist West conflict is reflected in the film by the fight in the boxing ring between Rocky and Ivan Drago.

Music video

The music video for "Burning Heart" features Survivor giving a concert, mixed with scenes from the film Rocky IV.[http://www.myvideo.de/watch/5471752/Survivor_Burning_Heart Music video in Myvideo.de] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229080115/http://www.myvideo.de/watch/5471752/Survivor_Burning_Heart |date=December 29, 2010 }} A version with only the band (no movie footage) also exists, available on YouTube.

Track listings

7-inch single

"Burning Heart" – 3:51
"Feels Like Love" – 3:20

12-inch maxi

"Burning Heart" – 3:51
"Eye of the Tiger" – 3:46
"Feels Like Love" – 3:20

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=301}} \|55
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1986) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|6\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|1\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|14\|chartid=0628\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
scope="row"\|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine\|title=European Hot 100 Singles\|magazine=Eurotipsheet\|volume=3\|issue=8\|page=12\|date=March 1, 1986}} \|1
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book\|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=251\|first=Timo\|last=Pennanen\|year=2021\|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021\|section=Survivor\|page=251\|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava\|location=Helsinki\|access-date=June 18, 2022}} \|2
{{single chart\|France\|2\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|2\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|2\|year=1986\|week=9\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|2\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{Cite web\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_charts_1969_1989_songs_(A-B).html\|title=SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs A–B\|website=rock.co.za\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|27
{{single chart\|Sweden\|5\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|UK\|5\|date=19860301\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|2\|artist=Survivor\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Billboardadultcontemporary\|35\|artist=Survivor\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Billboardmainstreamrock\|11\|artist=Survivor\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}
{{single chart\|West Germany\|6\|artist=Survivor\|song=Burning Heart\|songid=1379\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1986) !Position
scope="row"\|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986\|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986\|publisher=Ultratop\|language=nl\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|19
scope="row"\|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine\|title=European Hot 100 Singles: Hot 100 of the Year 1986\|magazine=Music & Media\|volume=3\|issue=51/52\|page=28\|date=December 27, 1986}} \|4
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web\|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986\|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1986\|publisher=Dutch Top 40\|language=nl\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|17
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web\|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=s\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986\|publisher=MegaCharts\|language=nl\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|12
scope="row"\|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|url=http://swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1986\|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986\|language=de\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|15
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine\|title=Number One Awards: Top Pop Singles\|magazine=Billboard\|volume=98\|issue=52\|page=Y-21\|date=December 27, 1986}} \|8
scope="row"\|West Germany (Media Control){{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1986\|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1986\|publisher=GfK Entertainment\|language=de\|access-date=April 21, 2025}} \|30

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1986)

!Position

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

|19

scope="row"|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite magazine|title=European Hot 100 Singles: Hot 100 of the Year 1986|magazine=Music & Media|volume=3|issue=51/52|page=28|date=December 27, 1986}}

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1986|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

|17

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

|12

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=http://swisscharts.com/charts/jahreshitparade/1986|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986|language=de|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

|15

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|title=Number One Awards: Top Pop Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=98|issue=52|page=Y-21|date=December 27, 1986}}

scope="row"|West Germany (Media Control){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1986|title=Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1986|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=April 21, 2025}}

|30

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=Survivor|title=Burning Heart|award=Gold|source=infodisc|relyear=1986|certyear=1986|access-date=November 19, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|artist=Survivor|title=Burning Heart|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=2024|access-date=July 3, 2024|id=12724}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Survivor|title=Burning Heart|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2024|access-date=May 25, 2024|id=16040-685-1}}

Cover versions

1999: Jimi Jamison released a live version of "Burning Heart" on his album Empires.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Empires-Jimi-Jamison/dp/B0000SZLKQ |title=Empires: Jimi Jamison: Music |website=Amazon |access-date=2012-02-09}}
2003: Seventh Avenue{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

References

Category:1985 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:Boxing music

Category:Cold War in popular culture

Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles

Category:Number-one singles in Switzerland

Category:Scotti Brothers Records singles

Category:Songs from Rocky (franchise)

Category:Songs written by Frankie Sullivan

Category:Songs written by Jim Peterik

Category:Survivor (band) songs

Category:Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles