ROCKY II (1979)
The Rematch of the CenturyROCKY II SOUNDTRACK
Shelby Conti, Bill Conti’s wife, is the talented co-writer of the ballad “All of My Life” which is used as Rocky and Adrian’s love theme in Rocky 2. In developing the song, the Contis pooled their creative efforts in shaping and reshaping each line of the ballad which was recorded by DeEtta Little and Nelson Pigford, who also lent their vocals to the original Rocky soundtrack. In our exclusive interview with DeEtta Little, the singer expressed surprise and disappointment that the vocal version of “All of My Life” never made it into the movie.
Why this particular track was never heard in the film itself is unknown, although a romantic instrumental version of it was used for Rocky and Adrian’s wedding night. It combines their original love theme, “You Take My Heart Away”, and their new one, “All of My Life”, and is the only time this melody is used.
Bill Conti added a new piece for this film, an extremely dramatic theme used for the climactic last-half of Super Fight II. Titled “Conquest”, it proves to be one of the most impressive songs on the album. Conti also added a lengthy, emotional melody, “Vigil”, which is used for the poignant period during Adrian’s coma in the hospital.
The songwriting team of Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins, nicknamed “George and Ira”, were the first major female songwriting team to emerge on the music scene in the 1970s. Connors and Robbins penned the love song “You Take My Heart Away” (vocalized in Rocky), as well as Rocky’s theme, “Gonna Fly Now”. The two songs have been recorded by over twenty major artists including Steve Lawrence, Shirley Bassey, James Darren and Ferrante and Teicher.
Connors and Robins’ “Gonna Fly Now” got an updated treatment in Rocky II – as did most of the tracks from the original Rocky, which were recycled here but tinged with an faint disco flair which was so popular in the late 1970’s. “Gonna Fly Now” on this soundtrack features a vocalization by a chorus of children representing those who run with Rocky during his training in the streets.
Frank Stallone’s musical talents can be heard in “Street Scat” and “Two Kinds of Love”, the song he serenades Rocky and Adrian with on their wedding night. Stallone wrote both the words and music to both songs.
