First Blood (soundtrack)

Jerry Goldsmith composed the score for *First Blood*, the 1982 war action film that launched the Rambo series. Directed by Ted Kotcheff and based on David Morrell’s 1972 novel, the movie stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character. Goldsmith’s main theme, “It’s a Long Road,” appears in both instrumental and vocal forms, and it was reused in the first three sequels.

The original soundtrack album came out in 1982 on Regency Records, released on LP and cassette at the same time as the film. It contained eleven tracks, including both versions of “It’s a Long Road” and a selection of short cues from the score. In 1988, Intrada Records issued the album on CD, adding a previously omitted track called “No Power.” Varèse Sarabande later reissued it in the 2000s.

An expanded double-disc edition arrived from Intrada on November 23, 2010. The first disc holds the complete score across 19 tracks, while the second disc repeats the original 1982 release and adds a demo of “It’s a Long Road,” music for the production company logo, and the trailer music. Intrada remastered and re-released this edition in May 2025.

Critics have noted the score’s emotional range. Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks observed that despite the franchise’s reputation for action music, *First Blood* is grounded in “melancholy beauty.” Ben Sherlock of Screen Rant wrote that Goldsmith used Bernard Herrmann-style orchestrations to heighten tension, and that the somber main theme helped humanize Rambo. Jake Dee of JoBlo.com described “It’s a Long Road” as proud and patriotic at first, then shifting to a wistful tone that mirrors Rambo’s troubled mind without being heavy-handed.

The music was composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith, with production by David Paich, Jerry Goldsmith, Marty Paich, and Bruce Botnick. Arrangements were by David Paich, Marty Paich, and Arthur Norton, who also handled orchestrations. The National Philharmonic Orchestra performed the score. Greg Ladanyi engineered, with assistant engineer Judy Clapp, recording by Alan Snelling, and mixing by Randy Tominaga.