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"Eye Of The Tiger" Co-Writer Disagrees With Gingrich Lawsuit

By Samantha Abernethy in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 1, 2012 10:40PM

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While former Survivor guitarist Frank Sullivan doesn't want Newt Gingrich to use the band's hit "Eye of the Tiger," as a campaign theme and is suing Gingrich for using the song at campaign rallies without permission, co-writer and Survivor bandmate Jim Peterik appeared on Fox News Chicago to say he disagrees with the lawsuit.

“This is not for any one political candidate," said Peterik. "This is for the world!”

Sullivan spoke with WGN radio yesterday and said he isn't trying to make a political statement. "It's a musician thing," Sullivan said, as he discussed copyright laws. "There's a process you go through."

It sounds like Sullivan never talked to Peterik about the lawsuit beforehand. "I found out about it when everybody else did, and I was very surprised," Peterik told Fox. "I haven't talked to Frank in a long time."

Peterik said he and his publisher think Gingrich's use is not a violation of copyright laws. He also said he has received $1 million for a commercial that featured "Eye of the Tiger."

"My stance is that, you know, we wrote this song as a motivational anthem, right?" said Peterik. "And music is supposed to do a job and if it can motivate people to get out and vote and shake them out of their doldrums and, you know, get out to the polls, then it's doing its job."

WGN asked Sullivan whether he wanted money or a cease-and-desist order, but Sullivan declined to specify, saying he doesn't want to make a political statement. Sullivan says Newt has been using "Eye of the Tiger" on and off for a long time.

Both Sullivan and Peterik tell the story of how the song came to be, which is pretty interesting, too. Sylvester Stallone asked Survivor to write a song to replace Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" on the Rocky III soundtrack, and as Sullivan said, who could've guess that "30 years later, it's going to get more play than in '82."

Co-Writer Disagrees with ‘Eye of Tiger’ Lawsuit Against Newt Gingrich: MyFoxCHICAGO.com