Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan is not happy about Nikki Haley using “Eye of the Tiger” at an event launching her bid to become the Republican nominee for U.S. president.
Sullivan, 68, co-wrote the song with bandmate Jim Peterik for the 1982 movie Rocky III.
“No, she did not have clearance,” he wrote in a reply to a tweet from someone asking if Haley had permission to use the song.
Sullivan told Billboard his phone blew up with messages after “Eye of the Tiger” was played at Haley’s campaign launch on Wednesday. “That song belongs with the Rocky franchise and they don’t ask because they’d get a no. Absolutely,” he said.
Sullivan’s message for Haley? “Stop using my f**king song!” (Peterik has not weighed in publicly.)
Over the year’s several Republicans have been hit with legal notices over their usage of the song, including Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. Gingrich and Huckabee settled out of court and the Romney campaign agreed to stop playing the song. Sullivan said Donald Trump’s team stopped playing “Eye of the Tiger” at his rallies after getting a call from his lawyer.
Sullivan told Billboard he does not plan to launch legal action against Haley.
Nikki Haley’s walk-on music at her Charleston rally is Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” Very Gen-X on brand. pic.twitter.com/Hf9Ibd00M2
— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) February 15, 2023
As a lifelong 'Rocky' fan, I am deeply depressed to see Nikki Haley using 'Eye of the Tiger' as her entrance song at her presidential campaign announcement right now.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 15, 2023
Nikki Haley is launching her presidential bid in Charleston and walking out to "Eye of the Tiger" because there's nothing youth voters connect with more than 1982 wuss rock by Survivor.
— Jarrett Bellini (@JarrettBellini) February 15, 2023
