Typographic rebusPremium cottonHeather greyS to 4XL
The essentials: the artwork is a rebus — EYE OF THE written out, and the missing word replaced by a roaring tiger's head. The song, written for Rocky III in 1982, spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Premium cotton 180 gsm, crew neck, heat transfer print. Heather grey, 7 sizes S to 4XL, €24, free shipping.
The last word is not written. It is drawn, and everyone reads it anyway.
A track born out of a refusal
For Rocky III, Stallone wanted Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", which he had already cut the footage to. Permission was refused.
He turned instead to Survivor, a Chicago band who had just released two albums without success and feared being dropped by their label. He sent them the film and asked for an original track.
The title comes from a line in the film. And the riff was built with chord changes timed to the rhythm of the punches landing on screen — it is not a song laid over boxing footage, it is a song written to its cadence.
What the track became
- Six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1982, and fifteen consecutive weeks in the top 10
- Second best-selling single of 1982 in the United States
- A Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 1983, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song
- The version heard in the film is the demo, recorded on 1 February 1982 — Stallone kept it as it was
Forty years on, it is the track gyms around the world still play.
What it looks like on
A single-ink black print, centred on the chest, in two blocks.
At the top, EYE OF THE in large slightly arched capitals, in textured lettering eaten away by gaps.
Beneath, a tiger's head head on, jaws open, fangs showing, ears up. The drawing is worked in line and hatching, in an old engraving style: the stripes of the coat are drawn one by one.
The word tiger appears nowhere: the animal stands in for it.
Premium cotton, crew neck, short sleeves, straight cut. Plain back.
Your size
European cut — take your usual size, with no adjustment. Seven sizes, S to 4XL, all at the same price. Chest runs from about 96 cm / 38 in on a S to 132 cm / 52 in on a 4XL.
Technical specification
Technical specifications
Also worth a look
Frequently asked questions
Who sings Eye of the Tiger?
The American band Survivor, from Chicago. The track was written by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan at Sylvester Stallone's request, for Rocky III.
Which film was Eye of the Tiger written for?
For Rocky III, released in 1982. Stallone originally wanted Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", which he had already cut the footage to, but permission was refused. He turned to Survivor instead.
How successful was the song?
Six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1982, fifteen consecutive weeks in the top 10, and second best-selling single of the year in the United States. It won a Grammy in 1983 and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Why is the word tiger not written?
It is a rebus: the artwork writes EYE OF THE and replaces the last word with a tiger's head. The phrase completes itself in the eye of whoever is looking.
Does it come in big sizes?
Yes, up to 4XL: S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL and 4XL, all at the same price. Most boxing tees on the market stop at XXL.
Which size should I take?
Standard European cut: take your usual size. Chest runs from about 96 cm / 38 in on a S to 132 cm / 52 in on a 4XL.
