Customer Reviews

Eye of the Tiger

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ah, Survivor, the sound of the early '80's, when Def Leppard was king, and disco was fading fast. I was but a young lad, but I do recall it a bit. I have been a fan of this band since the late '80's or early '90's (or, since I was about 7 years old!), and even now I still think they're great. They are, of course, best known for their song "Eye of the Tiger", but songs like "Feels Like Love" and "I'm Not That Man Anymore" prove that they're far from one-hit wonders. No matter how old you are, or what kind of rock you're into, this album will surely not let you down. Oh, and don't get this band confused with the TV show, because one is a great rock band, and the other is a show featuring a bunch of old people running around naked on the beach, and well, there's quite a difference!

This band has all great albums, including this one which brought them into the limelight some 20 years ago. The title track is one of the most energetic, rocking singles in popular music history (in my opinion); but as the lead track on this album it is only a foretaste of what is to come. This entire album is high quality melodic rock.

"Feels Like Love" is a catchy, passionate rocker with impossibly good harmonies. "I'm Not That Man Anymore" is a dramatic power ballad that rocks in spots. "Ever Since The World Began" should have been a huge hit--a spine-tingling, heartfelt ballad that touches the soul. (Interesting side note: Tommy Shaw of Styx fame remade this song on a solo album he put out five years later; that version is good enough to have been a hit, too!) "American Heartbeat" is a top 20 single heavy on the keyboards that is a prototype Survivor anthem of that time. I could rave about all of the other tracks on this album as well; they are all fantastic.

Survivor was truly a band for the ages. To this day, they rank as one of the best ever melodic rock bands. While one song on this one album is what brought them into the limelight, I must emphasize (again) that all of their albums and most of their songs are well worth a listen. The "other 8 tracks" on this album are no exception.

There is so much more to this band than the title track. Every song on this album is fantastic. . ."I'm Not That Man Anymore" (Dave Bickler's vocal work is some of the best I have ever heard. . .by anyone). As far as I'm concerned, he is the greatest singer that has ever lived!

Survivor is a pure Rock'n'Roll band. All these songs convey a variety of emotions and vibes which reinforce that fact. There's happy, sad, soft, hard, slow, fast. . . .THIS IS A GREAT ALBUM. Bands like Journey, Styx, Foreigner, Heart, etc. . .They're only a shadow of SURVIVOR.

1982. The year I fell in love with Rock n Roll. Thank you Mr. Stallone. I can vividly remember the first time I saw ROCKY III.
Sitting in the biggest theatre I had ever seen at 12 years old, I was already a big fan of ROCKY II, and there was no way I was ready for what I was about to hear.
When I heard the opening riff of "EYE OF THE TIGER" I was hooked. This was the greatest song I had ever heard! As soon as the movie was over, I made my dad take me to the record store. And I still have that Vinyl copy.
Looking beyond the title track, this album is a guitar driven road trip for the regular guy. These guys look like they could have been bullies in school. No pretty boy rock here.
Of the two sentimental tracks, "EVER SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN" is the best. Call it a rough boy wedding song. "I'M NOT THAT MAN ANYMORE" with it's assalt on cheating girlfriends and wives everywhere, has a stiring guitar solo to close out the first side of the album. There is also "FEELS LIKE LOVE" which in case you didn't know, was the song SURVIVOR opened with on the VITAL SIGNS tour. If the biggest coffee chain in the world thinks SURVIVOR is still cool, then I say.... GLEN! GLEN,GLEN,GLEN!

THese guy were talented, and had the benefit of possessing the amazing voice of Dave Bickler among their ranks! THis guy can sing, I assure you!!

Skiping the cheesy lyrics, this is a solid hard rock album, where even the ballads sound great. It's obviously the work of gifted musicians.

However, like thousands of other bands, SURVIVOR somehow dissapeared along the way. This album is their best record.

"Eye Of The Tiger" was the first tune I heard from this CD. I was a junior in high school, Rocky III was coming out, and this song was played all the time. This was the first that most people had ever heard of Survivor, even though this was their third album (following "Survivor" and "Premonition"). "Eye Of The Tiger" was also their first video for MTV, which I watched all the time back then. This song and album put them on the map, even though it would take a few years before they really made it big.

Everyone has heard "Eye Of The Tiger", as well as the hits from "Vital Signs" and "When Seconds Count", so why should you buy this CD when you can get the songs you are familiar with on the greatest hits CD? Well, if you like the rawer sound of the song "Eye Of The Tiger", the whole CD has that same feel. And there are some great songs on here. Every song is good, especially "I'm Not That Man Anymore" and "Ever Since The World Began".

If you were in middle school or high school in the 80's, and you liked Survivor, then chances are you have heard this CD at some point. If you are new to Survivor, keep in mind that this CD is one of the four with Dave Bickler on lead vocals, and his voice is not as polished as Jimi Jamison's. So it has a more raw sound than "Vital Signs" and the CDs that follow it. But all the Survivor CDs are excellent and are worth purchasing.

After hearing At Vance's Eye of the Tiger I just wanted hear the original then I ended up with listening to the whole album.

Eye Of The Tiger is a mega hit representing 80's great rock band Survivor. This song was revolutionary in the history of rock. Before that to gain attention in pop field many rock bands have to make the single more ballad style like what Kiss did in Beth and Styx in Babe. But if heavy staff like Eye Of The Tiger can become such a hit, it is no wonder Metal Bands like Quiet Riot and Def Leppard serged right after that.

But Eye of the Tiger is a part of the stories there's a lot more great stuff such as Feel Like Love an uptempo pop rock, Hesitation Dance ,tight heavy track ,may be the remake of Heavy Metal which Jim Peterik rewrote with Sammy Hager. Children Of The Night is a dramatic, melodic rock track which will impress you. It is my one of my favorite Survivor tracks. Ever Since The World Began should have become hit. Later this track was used for Stallone Movie Lock Up sung by Jimi Jamison. Silver Girl is also a fine track with excellent guitar solo by Frankie Sullivan.

To put it short this album slashed off any unnecessary parts and reminds me of Japanese bonsai trees or Stone garden in Kyoto. So perfect that Frankie had to recreate their style in Caught In The Game which unfortunately became a commercial blunder. It is an essential rock album for wide variety of rock fans around the world.

This is my fav. hard edge rock record of '82. From the title track, people may have forgotten how "beautiful" the other tunes are. Bickler possibly the greatest vocalist Ive ever heard was, is in top form here.

What more can I say but just try it out and LOUD! You might even shed a tear or two (for missing this 80's gem), not to mention the ballads, Ever Since the World Began (a precursor to Vital Signs "The Search is Over" (But I think ESTWB is superior),and the immaculate Silver Girl. "just one golden memory, my Silver Girl".

Don't forget the rockers, Hesitation Dance (funkish rocker, IMO), Children of the Night (play that guitar Frankie!) and "Feels like Love" and get your andrenaline going!, and American Heartbeat.

For mid tempo try the brilliant Peterik written "The one that really matters" which I think should have been a top tenner in the charts if not of lack of promotion by the record co. (which is another matter).

Have a great day!

This album takes me right back to 1982. Before Madonna, Michael and all of those wonderful '80's songs, there was this gem. Aside from the overplayed title track, every song on this album is strong in my memory to this day. Give a listen to "Ever Since the World Began" and try to get it out of your head. Survivor is "Journey on Steroids" with both powerful Rock hooks (Hesitation Dance)and melodic Power Ballads (Silver Girl). 5 Stars also for lead vocals by Dave Bickler. Most important reasons to buy this album right now...Well worth the money and you'll want to play it over and over again.

"Eye of the Tiger",REALLY,brings a(rare)smile to my(oft-sullen)face!! This occurs,when I APPLY,its' inspiring lyrics to my life.."Went the distance"(In my"bout"with the"Grim Reaper",following a MASSIVE stroke,and ensuing brain surgeries!!)"now I'm BACK on my feet"(Defying the Neurosurgeons who said,I'd NEVER walk again,even IF,I(somehow)managed to avoid existing in a vegative state,for the rest of my life)"just a man,and his WILL,to survive"(My INDOMITABLE will(coupled with the AWESOME,"healing virtue" of JESUS)enabled me to(twice)walk 18 MILES,clear through Detroit(while legally BLIND)into surrounding communities,with NO problems whatsoever,less than two years after awakening in the O.R.to the bleak prognosis,that I'd never be able to take a single STEP again!!Yet,I walked(at a speed of 3 m.p.h)for(slightly over)an INCREDIBLE,TWENTY-THREE consecutive HOURS,when the SuperBowl came to Detroit,some years back!! "Rising up,to the challenge,of our rivals"(As a "child"of the"MOST-HIGH GOD"my "rivals" are doubt,fear and bad-reports from the worlds'"experts")I've already ROUTED,the(feeble)"challenges"of two of my rivals:"Fear"(by getting out of my bed,heading out the front door and taking my first(post-stroke)walk through my neighborhood..)and"Bad Report"(when I,after being told that my days of lifting weights,were FINISHED,bench pressed 90 pounds:ONE HUNDRED consecutive times(with partial paralysis on my left side!!)and I'm STEELING my mind,to rise up,and meet the challenge that"Doubt"presents!! This encouraging song,helps me out IMMENSELY!! I can't believe that I'd just about,totally forgotten this song(with my decimated memory)but when I heard it again,I was OVERWHELMED,with JOY and INSPIRATION!! This ENTIRE albun,is both,Timeless AND Priceless!!Admitedly,I had no idea that Survivor made so MANY,other quality songs!! However"Eye" transcends,merely being a"song" to me...It's been my lifes' THEME,for the last 5 years!! And buying this album,was the BEST purchase,that I've made in the last TEN years!!!