Gonna Fly Now

Gonna Fly Now (whose lyrics are only 30 words long) was nominated for Best Original Song at the 49th Academy Awards. The version of the song from the movie, performed by Conti with an orchestra, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977, while a version by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson hit the top 30. Disco versions by Rhythm Heritage{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |author-link= Joel Whitburn |year= 1993 |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 |publisher= Record Research |page= 199}} and Current were on the chart at the same time (Conti's own version reveals some early disco influence in the orchestration). Billboard ranked Conti's version as the No. 21 song of 1977.Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1976 Conti's single was certified Gold by the RIAA, for shipments exceeding one million in the United States. The American Film Institute placed it 58th on its AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs list.

New York Times critic John Rockwell called it "a classic bit of movie-music pomposity" but said it had a "cheesy inspirational appeal."{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|access-date=2022-06-21|newspaper=Charlotte Observer|author=Rockwell, John|date=June 17, 1977|page=10D|title=Top 10 Singles Are All Eclectic|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104153570/the-charlotte-observer/}}

In Rocky II, an alternative version of the song was used, with a children's choir singing the chorus. Rocky III included an updated disco influenced arrangement during the training montage on the beach. This recording is however missing from the soundtrack album, the sleeve notes of which say "All music on this album selected by Sylvester Stallone", who instead opted to reprise the original versions of "Reflections" from the first film, and "Gonna Fly Now" and "Conquest" from the second installment.

Rocky IV was scored by Vince DiCola who mainly introduced new themes of his own but "Gonna Fly Now" returned with its composer for later installments. In Rocky V, two different versions of the song are played: an instrumental horn version and a different orchestral version. In Rocky Balboa, a slightly different version of the song used more trumpets and different vocal tones. The soundtrack for that film also includes a vocal remix performed by Natalie Wilde. Creed samples the first few notes of the track during the film's last fight, as does its sequel, Creed II.

Bill Conti's iconic dual introductory trumpet piece for the Rocky character (and the opening of Gonna Fly Now) was directly transferred from an anonymous 17th century sonatina written for use in the Italian royal dinner court. Conti's Rocky trumpet pieces are easily identifiable from the 17th century Three Sonatinas for 2 Clarini released by Warner Records' Nonesuch label, on the 1966 album The Art of the Baroque Trumpet (see track 1).{{citation|url=https://archive.org/details/lp_the-art-of-the-baroque-trumpet_edward-h-tarr-robert-bodenrder-consortium|title=The Art of the Baroque Trumpet|publisher=Internet Archive |date=16 August 2021 |access-date=5 August 2024}}

• Writing – Bill Conti, Carol Connors, Ayn Robbins
• Producer – Bill Conti
• Recording engineer – Ami Hadani
• Vocals – DeEtta Little and Nelson Pigford
• Drums – Johnny Guerin{{Cite web|url=http://www.gigslutz.co.uk/interview-bill-conti-always-wanted-play-big-loud-stuff/|title=INTERVIEW: Bill Conti "I always wanted to play the big loud stuff"|date=2016-11-07|website=Gigslutz|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-05}}
• Bass – Max Bennett
• Guitar – Dennis Budimir
• Piano – Mike Melvoin

Rhythm Heritage

Bill Conti

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;Maynard Ferguson

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Bill Conti|title=Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)|award=Silver|relyear=2006|certyear=2023|id=18887-6312-1|access-date=April 14, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Bill Conti|title=Gonna Fly Now (Theme from|award=Gold|relyear=1977|certyear=1977|access-date=April 14, 2023}}

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The daily French radio program Les Grosses Têtes, on the RTL French radio network, uses an arrangement by Gaya Bécaud from "Gonna Fly Now".{{Cite web |url=http://mapage.noos.fr/lesgrossestetes/ |title=Référence à Bill Conti et Gaya Bécaud sur le site des fans des Grosses Têtes |access-date=2018-11-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925104857/http://mapage.noos.fr/lesgrossestetes/ |archive-date=2016-09-25 |url-status=dead}}

American businessman Donald Trump used "Gonna Fly Now" at his 2016 presidential campaign rallies. When composer Bill Conti was asked what he thought of Trump's use of the song, Conti stated: “I think it's great. I’m an equal opportunity kind of guy. The song is my creation. And anytime something I create is used, I am happy about that. Music has no politics attached to it."{{cite news|last=Fiorillo|first=Victor|title=We Asked Rocky Composer Bill Conti About Donald Trump Using His Music|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/09/27/donald-trump-song-rocky-theme-bill-conti/|work=Philadelphia Magazine|date=27 September 2016}} The Finnish ice hockey team Jokerit uses "Gonna Fly Now" as its goal song.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|title=Gonna Fly Now|work=Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) - Super '70s|url=http://www.superseventies.com/sw_gonnaflynow.html|access-date=February 12, 2005 }}
• {{YouTube|LOyHMftfbGA|Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now}}

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Category:1976 songs

Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles

Category:Boxing music

Category:Cashbox number-one singles

Category:Film theme songs

Category:Songs about Philadelphia

Category:Songs from Rocky (franchise)

Category:Songs written by Bill Conti

Category:Songs written by Carol Connors (singer)

Category:United Artists Records singles

Category:Presidential campaign songs