NO SONG IS a guaranteed smash, but when it serves as the theme for a hit movie, its odds increase dramatically. That’s what Survivor learned when they were asked to write the signature tune for Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky III sequel in 1982. The result was “The Eye of the Tiger,” which went on to become a worldwide chart topper.
But the song’s co-writers — Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan and guitarist/keyboardist Jim Peterik — faced a daunting task. Stallone had already
