This Week's Playlist #134 - The Olympic Spirit edition
5 songs inspired by the 2024 Olympic games
Hello everyone!
This Week's Playlist - Season 3, Episode 30.
Like many of you, I watched the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games on Friday evening. I started watching it out of curiosity and became mesmerised by the following five-and-a-half hours.
A lot has been said about this (rain-soaked) opening ceremony, so I won't go into details. Still, the opportunity was too big not to use it for a weekly playlist about the Olympic spirit.
I hope you enjoy it and see you next week.
There is a YouTube link for each of the songs on the cover, and here are the playlists for each streaming platform:
1. Vangelis - Chariots of Fire
To start, a homage to the Paris 1024 Olympics games, with the theme of Chariots of Fire: The anthem from Vangelis (cf my other hommage playlist) composed for the historical movie about two British athletes competing for Gold during the previous Olympic Games in Paris a century ago.
2. Selekta T Mega - Balang
I had to dig for this one.
You all know I'm a huge basketball nerd. And one of the highlights of the Olympic games is usually the basketball tournament (Remember the Dream Team in Barcelona 92). This year's tournament is going to be one of the most disputed.
One of the underdogs is South Sudan. This year, their basketball team qualified for their first olympic tournament, is playing Team USA later this week (after an epic warm-up game in London).
So, an hommage to the underdogs with one song from the most prominent South Sudanese hip hop artist I could find (made famouse in the Blood Diamond soundtrack, featuring a Sudanese guitar player).
3. Tori Amos - Heart of Gold
Neil Young's classic "Heart of Gold" captures themes of perseverance, authenticity, and pursuing dreams, making it fitting for the Olympic Games.
And this cover from Tori Amos has a lovely 90s alternative rock spirit.
4. Woodkid - Prologue
The oh-so-recognisable Woodkid composed the prologue theme for Paris 2024. The electronic / neo-classical French composer, for a very catchy and chilling theme, was used multiple times during the opening ceremony (I believe).
5. Gojira - Silvera
Gojira stole the show of the opening ceremony with their in-your-face show with an opera singer in front of the concierge in fire and flames. It was breathtaking.
I've been a huge Gojira fan since their early years, and seeing them playing on the biggest stage with so much energy and flames made me emotional. Revolutionary songs, heavy metal music, flames, and energy—what could we ask for more?
So, to close this week's playlist, here is a song from their Magma album.
Until the next time, Godspeed!
Thomas
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