From the liner notes to the Rocky Soundtrack – by Sylvester Stallone – 1976
When I wrote the script for Rocky,I wanted passion music. I wanted a symphony of powerful men, of lonely women, of thick-necked losers, of human ships that crash in the night. Of love. Of courage. Of dignity cast in bronze.
I only wished the music could come from inside me, but I was born with ears of stone. Bill Conti shook everyone’s hand [at the initial consultation] and walked out the door. Three weeks later, Conti walked in the door with music under his arm.
The music began.
I was sweating.
I am impossible to satisfy, I thought.
I was cheering!
How did this thin man with an Afghan dog, seize the soul of every character and set it to music?! Then it dawned on me. Simple. How could I have not known at our first meeting that he was brilliant: Bill Conti is Italian.
