Hear triumphant tracks from John Williams, Whitney Houston and, of course, Celine Dion.
Dear listeners,
I just got out my thermometer to confirm and, yep, it’s official: I have Olympic Fever.
Like much of the world, I have been glued to my TV watching the Paris Olympics for the past few days. I confess that I am, at best, a fair-weather fan of most of the sports that take place during the Summer Games, but one symptom of Olympic Fever is suddenly caring deeply about things you recently knew next to nothing about. Several days ago, if you asked me to name a male gymnast who is currently competing at the elite level, I would have stared at you blankly. But after Monday, when the U.S. men’s gymnastics team won its first medal in 16 years thanks in part to the bespectacled pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik, everything has changed. Don’t even get me started on the U.S. women’s rugby team.
Today’s playlist, naturally, is a soundtrack for Olympic Fever: A collection of past Summer Olympic songs from the likes of Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan and Björk, among others — plus a certain Èdith Piaf song that took on new resonance at this year’s opening ceremony.
Subtlety is not exactly a virtue when it comes to an Olympic song, so be warned that this playlist contains grandiosity, majesty and even a little schmaltz. But it also has the power to transform whatever you’re doing into an Olympic event, whether that’s running a 100-meter sprint, successfully flipping a pancake or — like Nedoroscik, man of many talents — trying to solve a Rubik’s cube in under 10 seconds. Use it wisely.
I want one moment in time,
Lindsay
Listen along while you read.
1. John Williams and the Berlin Philharmonic: “Olympic Fanfare and Theme”
Let’s begin with some fanfare. The prolific composer John Williams — best known for his film scores — has written four different Olympic themes over the years. But his first, composed for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, is still probably the most widely recognizable. “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” is guaranteed to bring a sense of triumphant grandeur to whatever you’re doing. Put this on at the end of a run and you will be physically unable to slow down.
▶ Listen on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
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Source: Music - nytimes.com
