Glory Of Love

Album: Solitude/Solitaire (1986)
Charted: 3 1
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Songfacts®:

  • 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.

Comments: 13

  • Steveazo from San Mateo, CaIt's funny that you say "He [Peter Cetera] has claimed that the song was destined to be a hit whether it was used for the film or not." In Fred Bronson's book "The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits," Fred writes "If 'Glory of Love' hadn't been chosen for the soundtrack of The Karate Kid II, it probably would not have been a single." This is supported by a Peter Cetera quote from a discussion he had with Dick Clark on Countdown America: "I would never have picked 'Glory of Love'...because I did not want to come out with a ballad first." (The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition, page 643)
  • David from AtlantaThis might be the worst song ever written!
  • Cathy Viviano from 21770Holy......cow! This song has swoonworthy written all over it LOL
    Especially the "like a knight in shining armor from a long time ago, just in time I'll save the day take you to my castle far away" part. OMG
  • Jamie King from MassachusettsHas Glory of Love ever been performed as a duet?
  • Cathy Viviano from UsaOne of the most powerful "love ballads" of the 80s. Kudos to you Peter Cetera :)
    Love the lyrics, especially the "knight in shining armor from a long time ago, just in time I'll save the day and take you to my castle far away". Swoonworthy!
  • Siahara Shyne Carter from United StatesKarate Kid Theme Song

    Video Link;
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bfrEzMZBhUY
  • Siahara Shyne Carter from United States"I am a man who would fight for your honor,
    I'll be the hero you're dreaming of."

    "Just 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."


    Because Its really hard to find a man Who will fight for your honor!
    I also dreamed a Superman type of Hero lmao ALL for GLORY of love ;-)


    I also heared this on Karate Kid (it can be searched on google)


    I keep playing this on my Speaker the beat is so good!

    His voice is powerful
  • Lisa from HoustonThe day after my brother passed away, my sister was listening to the radio and the channel went to static and switched to another station playing this song. She felt our brother wanted us to get a message. There are portions of this song that make us think of him and where he is now..."Gonna live forever" "We did it all for the glory of love" "Take you to my castle far away", these phrases definitely make us think of him in heaven. Thank you for this beautiful song Peter Cetera.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyWas nominated for Best Song at the 1986 Academy Awards {Lost to "Take My Breathe Away" from the movie "Top Gun"}!!!
  • Mark from Seattle, WaIn conversation Peter once told me this song was orginally created for one of the ROCKY movies but that producers didn't want to pay the fee...Cetera walked out and down the hall when approached by producers of Karate Kid II who were in need of a song for the movie...what luck and what a better situation too! Nice work Cetera!
  • Jimmy Hughes from Frostburg, MdThis was also used in an episode of Yes Dear.
  • Michelle from Manchester, NhThis is one of my absolute favorite songs. It's so romantic and could only wish to have someone feel this way about me.
  • Ahmed Kakembo from Kampala, Ugandai love peter cetera that wonderful song that was composed by him i think all my life is dedicated to his songs wonderful wisdom from GOD but what inspiring is that whether this song was destined to film shown in it ahmed kakembo
see more comments

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