| "Chariots of Fire" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 One of side-A labels of US single | ||||
| Single byVangelis | ||||
| from the albumChariots of Fire | ||||
| B-side | "Eric's Theme" | |||
| Released | April 1981 (UK) December 1981 (US)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1980 | |||
| Genre | Orchestral pop,film score,symphonic | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Songwriter | Vangelis | |||
| Producer | Vangelis | |||
| Vangelis singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative release | ||||
 Side A of New Zealand single | ||||
"Chariots of Fire" is aninstrumentaltheme written and recorded byVangelis for the soundtrack of the 1981film of the same name. The theme was released as a single and reached number one on the USBillboard Hot 100 in 1982. It was also a top-20 hit in the UK, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand. It has been covered by numerous performers and used for various television programs and sporting events.
On the film'ssoundtrack album, the piece is called "Titles" because of its use in the movie'sopening titles sequence, but it widely became known as "Chariots of Fire".
When the single debuted at #94 on theBillboard Hot 100 during the week ending 12 December 1981, it was known as "Titles". Seven weeks later, when it moved to #68 on the Hot 100 chart dated 30 January 1982, the single was listed as "Chariots of Fire"; it stayed with that name for the remainder of its chart run. The new name made it easier for both listeners and radio DJs to identify the piece.
According toAllMusic, the track was listed as "Chariots of Fire – Titles" on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 chart, and simply as "Chariots of Fire" on theAdult Contemporary chart.[2] A 1989CD single release also gave the name of the piece as "Chariots of Fire".[3]
In a retrospective review of the theme, Tom Breihan fromStereogum wrote, "The melody itself is warm and pretty and instantly identifiable. With those six notes, Vangelis gets across a combination of exhilaration and contemplation."[4]
Vangelis was accused ofplagiarising "Chariots of Fire" from a piece by fellow Greek composer Stavros Logaridis called "The City of Violets". Vangelis won in court by persuading the judge that he had had no opportunity to hear Logaridis' piece before he composed "Chariots of Fire" and by demonstrating to the judge's satisfaction that the key musical sequence described as "the turn" (which consisted of the four notes F-G-A-G) – the only sequence where the judge noted a clear similarity between the two compositions – was already common in music, and had previously been used by Vangelis in the piece "Wake Up" byAphrodite's Child that predated "City of Violets".[5][dead link][better source needed]
"Chariots of Fire" stayed for one week at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 in May 1982, after climbing steadily for five months (it made #1 in its 22nd[6] week on the chart), and to date remains the only piece by a Greek artist to top the U.S. charts.[7]
The single spent 64 weeks on theAustralian charts, although it peaked at only #21. InJapan, "Chariots of Fire" was the best-selling single of 1981.[citation needed] The track proved moderately successful in theUK, where it reached #12, but its parent album peaked at #5 and spent 107 weeks on the album chart.
The single reached #3 (2012), #18 (2014), and #16 (2015) on theBillboardClassical Digital Songs chart.[8]
Weekly charts[edit]
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The music video for "Chariots of Fire" shows Vangelis playing apiano and percussion instruments in a concert hall, Vangelis playing a synthesizer in a recording studio, and scenes from the film.[24]
Many cover versions of "Chariots of Fire" have been recorded in all styles by various artists, including the orchestral sounds ofJohn Williams and theBoston Pops, the electric guitars ofThe Shadows, the soft piano ofRichard Clayderman, thepan flute ofZamfir, and the jazz ofThe Bad Plus.
Vocal recordings of "Chariots of Fire" have been made byMelissa Manchester,Jane Olivor,Mireille Mathieu,Demis Roussos, and various others, all with the lyrics from "Race to the End" provided byJon Anderson.[25][26][27]
In light of its original use, the piece is often used for comedic effect in numerous slow-motion sequences and/orparodies of the sports genre in various films, television episodes, and commercials.[citation needed]
It was played when Apple Inc.'s co-founder and chairmanSteve Jobs introduced thefirst Macintosh computer on 24 January 1984 at a technology demonstration event, and at another press conference celebrating the 100-day anniversary of the release of the first Macintosh.[28][non-primary source needed]
Owing both to its sweeping tune and the content of the movie in which it first appeared, "Chariots of Fire" has become widely associated with the Olympic Games. TheBBC used the piece as the theme music for its coverage of the1984 Summer Olympics held inLos Angeles and also the1988 Summer Olympics inSeoul. It was also used as a theme for the1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo,[29] and it was played prior to the start of the men's 100m race final at the1996 Summer Olympics inAtlanta.
It became prominent leading up to and during the2012 Summer Olympics inLondon. Runners in a test event atOlympic Park, whose route ended at the grand opening of London'sOlympic Stadium, were greeted by the piece as they finished their route into the new stadium.[30] The piece was also used to fanfare the carriers of theOlympic flame on parts of its route through the UK. The piece, and remixes of it, was also used during each medal ceremony of the games.[31][32]
The piece was also performed by theLondon Symphony Orchestra under the conductor of SirSimon Rattle during theopening ceremony of the games, as part of a skit starring comedianRowan Atkinson reprising his role asMr. Bean, seen playing a repeated note on asynthesizer whilst using a cellphone, and later an umbrella to play the note while trying to grab atissue to blow his nose, and then falling into a daydream parodying the opening "beach run" scene from theChariots of Fire film itself.[33]
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