''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981
musical score by Greek electronic composer
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...
(credited as Vangelis Papathanassiou) for the British film ''
Chariots of Fire
''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a de ...
'', which won four Academy Awards including
Best Picture
This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards.
Best Actor/Best Actress
*See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
and
Original Music Score.
The album topped the
''Billboard'' 200 for 4 weeks. It reached #2 in Canada, #5 in the UK, #5 in Australia, and #6 in New Zealand.
The
opening theme of the film, called "Titles" on the album track listing but widely known as "Chariots of Fire", was released as a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
; on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 it reached #1 and stayed there for one week.
A new style
The film's director,
Hugh Hudson
Hugh Hudson (born 25 August 1936) is an English film director. He was among a generation of British directors who would begin their career making documentaries and television commercials before going on to have success in films. He directed the ...
, chose Vangelis to compose the film's music, after becoming impressed with his albums ''
Opera Sauvage
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...
'' and ''
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
'' and having worked with Vangelis on commercials in Paris during the 1970s.
[''Daily Telegraph'' newspaper, November 21, 1982](_blank)
/ref> A Yamaha CS-80
The Yamaha CS-80 is an analog synthesizer released in 1977. It supports true 8-voice polyphony, with two independent synthesizer layers per voice each with its own set of front panel controls, in addition to a number of hardwired preset voice set ...
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
was used on the recording. Vangelis played all the instruments, including synthesizers, acoustic piano, drums and percussion, and recorded the score in his Nemo studio in London, which he had set up in 1975.[Dennis Lodewijks' Elsewhere](_blank)
/ref> The music that he came up with, mostly electronic for a period film, initiated a new style in film scoring. The use of synthesizers in film scores beyond mere textures, and their convenience in allowing directors, producers, and studios to hear preliminary versions of full scores found its roots in ''Chariots of Fire''.
:"He angelis
Angelis was a British classical singing group created by Simon Cowell. It was initially formed in early 2006 and was made up of six children, who were then aged between 11 and 14. The children were discovered during nationwide auditions led by ...
tells us about the way he set about producing the music for ''Chariots of Fire''. About the low budget it really had. About the way in which he endlessly exchanged thoughts with the author about the story. Only when the movie was completely finished did he actually start working on the music for it. Saw it only three times for that purpose and then started work." — Vangelis interview to ''Music Maker'' magazine, September 1982 [Vangelis interview to ''Music Maker'' magazine, September 1982](_blank)
/ref>
:"I didn't want to do period music. I tried to compose a score which was contemporary and still compatible with the time of the film. But I also didn't want to go for a completely electronic sound." — Vangelis interview in ''American Film'' magazine, September 1982
/ref>
The score album, however, is almost all re-recorded, and sounds different from the music heard on film, with often richer arrangements, particularly in the "Titles" track. The second part of the album is a one-track suite including music from and inspired by the score. On the other hand, some original themes from the film did not make it to the album.
:"A record is something other than a film. There have to be changes - not least of all for artistic reasons." — Vangelis interview to ''Neumusik'' magazine, issue 5, August 1981
/ref>
Although Vangelis had already done a number of film scores, including those for animal documentaries by Frédéric Rossif, ''Chariots of Fire'' was his first major film score, and it immediately gave him his big breakthrough as a composer, as "Titles" was an international hit and changed the whole course of his career.
:"It occurs very rarely that a composer thinks of his most successful work as his best. I am no exception to that rule. I think of my soundtrack for ... ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' as endlessly more interesting than ''Chariots of Fire''." — Vangelis interview to ''De Telegraaf'' newspaper, June 15, 1991
/ref>
Additional information
In addition to Vangelis' original music, the album includes an arrangement of "Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
", sung by the Ambrosian Singers
The Ambrosian Singers are an English choral group based in London.
History
They were founded after World War II in England. One of their co-founders was Denis Stevens (1922–2004), a British musicologist and viola player who joined the BBC Mu ...
, as performed at the 1978 funeral of Harold Abrahams
Harold Maurice Abrahams (15 December 1899 – 14 January 1978) was an English track and field athlete. He was Olympic champion in 1924 in the 100 metres sprint, a feat depicted in the 1981 film ''Chariots of Fire''.
Biography
Early life
A ...
, the event which bookends the film and inspired its title. This famous choral work is a 1916 setting by Sir Hubert Parry
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 18487 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill in Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is b ...
of William Blake
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. ...
's poem.
Vangelis dedicated the score to his father Ulysses Papathanassiou who had been a sprinter.
Despite Vangelis public performances being rare, he has played "Chariots of Fire" live in Los Angeles, U.S. (November 7, 1986), Rome, Italy (July 17, 1989, as encore), Rotterdam, Netherlands (June 18, 1991), and Athens, Greece (''Mythodea
''Mythodea — Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey'' is a choral symphony by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis. It premiered as a single concert in Athens, Greece, in 19931993 concert program. but a recording was only releas ...
'' concerts of July 13, 1993 and June 28, 2001, as encore, and August 1, 1997)[Dennis Lodewijks' Elsewhere](_blank)
/ref>
In 2000, and again in 2006, the album was relaunched on CD, on both occasions remastered by Vangelis.
Tracks from the album have been included in several official Vangelis compilations, namely ''Themes'' (1989), ''Best Of Vangelis'' (1992), ''Portraits '' (1996), and ''Odyssey - The Definitive Collection'' (2003).
/ref>
Of the pieces of Vangelis's music that did not end up on the film's soundtrack album is the background music to the race Eric Liddell runs in the Scottish highlands. The title of this piece is "Hymne", and it is from Vangelis' 1979 album, ''Opéra sauvage
''Opéra Sauvage'' is a soundtrack album by the Greek electronic composer Vangelis, released in 1979. It is the score for the nature documentary of the same title by French filmmaker Frédéric Rossif. It is considered one of Vangelis' best albums ...
''. It is also included on Vangelis's compilation albums '' Themes'', ''Portraits
A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this re ...
'', and '' Odyssey: The Definitive Collection''.
Director Hugh Hudson
Hugh Hudson (born 25 August 1936) is an English film director. He was among a generation of British directors who would begin their career making documentaries and television commercials before going on to have success in films. He directed the ...
's original choice for the famous slow-motion running sequences on the beach was the track "L'Enfant" from ''Opéra sauvage
''Opéra Sauvage'' is a soundtrack album by the Greek electronic composer Vangelis, released in 1979. It is the score for the nature documentary of the same title by French filmmaker Frédéric Rossif. It is considered one of Vangelis' best albums ...
''. Vangelis had to persuade Hudson to let him create something original for the scene, using the same tempo as "L'Enfant." The result was the "Chariots of Fire" title track, "Titles".
Court case
In 1985 Greek composer Stavros Logaridis sued Vangelis for plagiarism
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...
(EMI vs Warner Brothers), alleging the title track had plagiarised Logaridis' song "City of Violets" (1977), which does feature similar instrumentation and chord progressions. Vangelis demonstrated his first-take improvisational composition style live on his synthesizers in court and was acquitted of the complaint. The case reached the London High Courts in 1987 and was referred to as a test case
In software engineering, a test case is a specification of the inputs, execution conditions, testing procedure, and expected results that define a single test to be executed to achieve a particular software testing objective, such as to exercise ...
numerous times in the following years in matters relating, but not limited, to music sampling
In sound and music, sampling is the reuse of a portion (or sample) of a sound recording in another recording. Samples may comprise elements such as rhythm, melody, speech, sounds or entire bars of music, and may be layered, equalized, sped up or ...
and copyright infringement
Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...
.
Uses in other media
The "Titles" track of ''Chariots of Fire'' has been used in Track & Field (video game)
''Track & Field'', also known as in Japan and Europe, is a 1983 Olympic-themed sports video game developed by Konami for arcades. The Japanese release sported an official license for the 1984 Summer Olympics. In Europe, the game was initially ...
, in innumerable parodies in films and television shows, especially in slow-motion sequences.
The piece has also been used in numerous venues as inspirational music for athletes. At the opening ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly-constructed location or the start of an event. of the 2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
, the piece was used in a parody London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
performance featuring Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–201 ...
, in character as Mr. Bean
''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...
. The piece was played during every victory ceremony at the 2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
It has been used during celebratory occasions for organizations. For one notable example, it was played when Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...
's chairman Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; a ...
introduced the first Macintosh on January 24, 1984, at a technology demonstration event.
Track listing
The album was released in 1981 on LP, compact cassette
The Compact Cassette or Musicassette (MC), also commonly called the tape cassette, cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog magnetic tape recording format for audio recording and playback. Invented by Lou Ottens ...
and on 8-track cartridge
The 8-track tape (formally Stereo 8; commonly called eight-track cartridge, eight-track tape, and eight-track) is a magnetic tape sound recording technology that was popular from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, when the compact cassette, whi ...
in the U.S. The version on CD was released in 1984 in Germany. The track list below corresponds to LP and cassette variants.
''All tracks written by Vangelis Papathanassiou, except where noted.''
;Side one
# "Chariots of Fire
''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a de ...
" ("Titles") – 3:33
# "Five Circles" – 5:20
# "Abraham's Theme" – 3:20
# "Eric's Theme" – 4:18
# "100 Metres" – 2:04
# "Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
" – 2:47 (Hubert Parry
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 18487 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music. Born in Richmond Hill in Bournemouth, Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is b ...
; arranged by Harry Rabinowitz
Harry Rabinowitz MBE (26 March 1916 – 22 June 2016) was a South African-British conductor and composer of film and television music. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he was the son of Israel and Eva Rabinowitz. He was educated at the Univ ...
)
;Side two
# "Chariots of Fire" – 20:41
Personnel
* Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...
— all instruments
* Ambrosian Singers
The Ambrosian Singers are an English choral group based in London.
History
They were founded after World War II in England. One of their co-founders was Denis Stevens (1922–2004), a British musicologist and viola player who joined the BBC Mu ...
— choir (track 6)
* John McCarthy — choir director (track 6)
* Raphael Preston — engineer
* Raine Shine — engineer
* John Walker — engineer
Charts
The album reached number-one in the sales charts of various countries, including four weeks at number-one in the United States. In total, the album stayed 97 weeks in the ''Billboard'' 200, selling three million copies in the first year alone. The album reached number five in the UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
and stayed in the listing for 107 weeks.
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
1981 soundtrack albums
Vangelis soundtracks
Instrumental soundtracks
Polydor Records soundtracks
Drama film soundtracks