Glory Of Love (Theme From The Karate Kid Part II)

Album

Solitude/Solitaire

Label

Warner Bros. Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Peter Cetera;David Foster;Diane Nini

Entered Chart

Jun 7, 1986

Peak Date

Aug 2, 1986

Released

June 4, 1986

Recorded

1985

Catalog #

Full Moon 7-28662

This ballad was Peter Cetera's first solo single after leaving Chicago the previous year. The theme song for the film The Karate Kid: Part II, it fit the movie perfectly. The song quickly became a favorite at weddings and proms across America. This is a rather steadfast love song with some bold promises: I am a man who will fight for your honor I'll be the hero you're dreamin' of Cetera is certainly laying it on the line, willing to do whatever it takes for the glory of love. This song was written by Peter Cetera, his wife (at the time) Diane Nini, and David Foster, who produced Chicago's highly successful albums Chicago 16 (1982) and Chicago 17 (1984) when Cetera was with the group. Cetera was asked by a friend to write the love song for the Karate Kid: Part II film, and was shown part of the movie. He has claimed that the song was destined to be a hit whether it was used for the film or not. Michael Omartian produced the album and added keyboards. He and Foster bring a smooth melodic pop sound to their songs, which makes them pleasing to the ear. Jay Graydon, who has worked with them on many sessions, told Songfacts: "David's a genius. Same with Michael Omartian. These guys are just incredible musicians. You bring good guys in, then it gets really masterful." Omartian's other credits include co-producing "We Are The World" and co-writing "Sailing." This won an ASCAP Award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture and a BMI Film & TV Award for Most Performed Song from a Film. This isn't the first hit called "Glory Of Love." A 1961 song with that title written by Billy Hill carted in versions by The Roommates, Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford, and Otis Redding. Chicago marginalized their exalted horn section on the mellow '80s hits Cetera helmed. There are horns on this track though, which Chicago's trombone player James Pankow noted in a 2000 interview with Goldmine. "Peter hated horns," said Pankow. "And then, Peter went out and made records with horns on them. Look at 'The Glory of Love,' the first single he made after he left the band. It's a Chicago production. I mean, come on. Michael Omartian put a Chicago horn section on there. I might as well have written it myself and played it." A 2019 episode of the Netflix series Cobra Kai, which picks up the Karate Kid story, is titled "Glory Of Love." The song doesn't appear in the episode, but the Chicago song "You're The Inspiration" does.

Tonight it's very clear as we're both lyin' here
There's so many things I want to say
I will always love you
I would never leave you alone

Sometimes I just forget, say things I might regret
It breaks my heart to see you cryin'
I don't want to lose you
I could never make it alone

I am a man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you're dreamin' of
We'll live forever, knowin' together
That we did it all for the glory of love

You keep me standing tall, you help me through it all
I'm always strong when you're beside me
I have always needed you
I could never make it alone

I am a man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero you've been dreamin' of
We'll live forever, knowin' together
That we did it all for the glory of love

It's like a knight in shining armor from a long time ago
Just in time I will save the day
Take you to my castle far away

I am a man who will fight for your honor
I'll be the hero that you're dreamin' of
We're gonna live forever, knowin' together
That we did it all for the glory of love

We'll live forever (we'll live forever), knowin' together (knowin' together)
That we did it all for the glory of love

Ooh
We did it all for love
We did it all for love
We did it all for love
We did it all for love