Five Unforgettable Olympic Songs

Aug 15, 2016

In time for the opening of the Rio Olympics 2016, pop diva Katy Perry has released her newest single, “Rise.” The inspiring track is used by the NBC for its broadcast of the world-watched sporting event.

And just as the different sport stories written during every Olympic games garnered much attention, so did the anthems used for the occasion.

Here, we have listed five of the most memorable songs from masters of craft like Freddie Mercury and Andrew Lloyd Webber that will help you get into that Olympic spirit and feel at your most invincible self:

 

Barcelona – Freddie Mercury and Monserrat Caballé

“Barcelona, it was the first time that we met. Barcelona, how can I forget?”

Queen Vocalist Freddie Mercury and operatic soprano Caballe’s single “Barcelona” is a surprisingly epic blend of the worlds of opera, rock and pop. The song, telling the tale of a lover in the beautiful Spanish City, was performed at the opening ceremonies of 1992 Barcelona games.

 

One Moment in Time – Whitney Houston

When Olympics has become an avenue to showcase its participants’ stirring stories — more than simply being a showdown of athletic skills — the 1998 Summer Olympics and Summer Paralympics had “One Moment in Time” as its official anthem.

Written by veteran composers John Bettis and Albert Hammond and recorded by Whitney Houston, the song went on to become a worldwide hit, reaching the top spot in the UK, US and German music charts.

 

Amigos Para Siempre(Friends for Life) – Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras

Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by the music luminary Don Black, the classical crossover and operatic pop served as one of the two musical themes of the 1992 Barcelona games.

“Amigos Para Siempre” was performed by Phantom of the Opera star Sarah Brightman and Spanish tenor Jose Carreras during the closing ceremonies of the 1992 sport games.

 

Bang The Drum – Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado

“Aim big, aim high, even believe you can fly,” highlights the song written to uplift the human spirit and celebrate camaraderie.

“Bang in the Drum,” which sounds like two different runes combined, was performed at the opening of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games by two of the world’s best selling artists, Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado.

 

Oceania – Björk

Oceania, a track from Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk’s Medulla album was particularly composed for the 2004 Athens Games. The song touts an unusual lyrics for a sporting event, with lines accounting human evolution from the point of view of the ocean.

(Image from Pixabay)

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