Chariots of Fire

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to swift or the battle to the strong, nor does the food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes (or The Preacher) 9:10

This will be one of Vangelis' (no matter what he may say about it) most well-known and well-received achievements. Chariots of Fire (directed by Hugh Hudson) tells the true story of two runners wanting to run for the British track team at the 1924 Olympic Games. Vangelis' soundtrack turned (among others) the world of soundtrack composing upside down. Not only is Vangelis' score is based on more emotion and spontaneity and psychological impression but also it is electronic. Vangelis won the Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Original Score in 1982 and it will forever be associated with running or the Olympics.

(This soundtrack was dedicated to Vangelis' father, Ulysses Papathanassiou, who died before the soundtrack was released. Ulysses was a runner and Vangelis remembers seeing a lot of medals at home)

[1] TITLES
What can I say? It obviously begins with the famous trumpet sound (from his Yamaha CS-80). Then, the pulsing rhythm in the background and the piano and trumpet merge. It is the simplicity and yet the power of that three minute theme that made it so great and so memorable. This is often called "Britain's second national hymn." It is played during Olympic events and is recognized the world over.

[2] FIVE CIRCLES
I remember in P.E. class having to run every now and then. People think that running is hard and overdoing. Personally, running can be something relaxing and very meditative. One time, I was running the mile for P.E. and I had this instinct to move forward and never hold back for anyone or anything. It was a great feeling. Five circles could mean anything. If you use a 400 yard (about 365.76 meters) track, five laps would be 1600 yards or close a mile 1828.8 metres and way pass a kilometer). Five circles is also a reference to the five-ring symbol of the Olympics, which is what it could represent (the idea of the Olympics being so great and awe inspiring)

[3] ABRAHAM'S THEME
Abraham is a Jew and one of the people running for the British track team. Because of what the Jews had gone through, the only way he feels he could make his people stand on the good side is to run for them. This theme suggests eternal sadness and pity, but there is a calmness to it. It is almost a lullaby. The theme has a little hint of the Jewish folk sound.

[4] ERIC'S THEME
Eric was a Scottish minister and a role model. Eric wants to run, not for fame and glory, but to discover and please his God. When one hears this theme, it gives the impression of might, power and pride. However, instead of the selfish pride, it is actually the pride of being alive, humble and one with God. While "Abraham's Theme" deals with God in a doubting way, "Eric's Theme" makes God more accepting and more loving. The bagpipe sound naturally suggests his Scottish background and some of the melody might suggest that James Horner listened to it and liked it.

[5] 100 METRES
I like this theme because it shows the feeling that runners have. The worst feeling in the world one can receive is anxiety (or how I like to phrase it... being in a state of limbo). Listening to this very short little piece, you feel like "O.K. They are going to lose." Then, later on, you feel "Maybe they have a chance." Then you are confused and say "Forget it!"

[6] JERUSALEM
This is the only non-Vangelis track on this album. I talk about it anyway because I like the ELP (Emerson, Lake and Palmer) version. "Jerusalem," for those who live outside England, is a song written by H. Parry. It is not so much as the music that makes it weird but it is more of it's words. The words were based on the William Blake poem (the introduction to the poem, "Milton"). It is very Christian, very Anglo-centered and very appealing to the lovers of England.

[7] CHARIOTS OF FIRE
This piece is highly by both the Direct Mailing List and Vangelis. The first side (on the album version at least), you hear all of the familiar tunes from the movie. The second side however, you hear this symphonic sytle, very varied piece of music that could easily go with the movie. Vangelis even called this "the kind of piece that I always wanted to do." In other words, if he had sole control over the whole project, how would he do it. It is an excellent piece which demonstrates his piano techniques and ability to make a bunch of synthesizers into an orchestra!