Winter Olympics Theme Songs

For some reason, the summer Olympics often have spectacular theme songs. John Williams penned one of the most glorious - and most well-recognized - Olympic themes in his "Olympic Fanfare and Theme," written for the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

In the pop music realm, Gloria Estefan's beautiful "Reach" was a memorable theme for the 1996 Atlanta Games, sung at the closing ceremony.

And who could forget Whitney Houston's moving "One Moment in Time" at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul?

But for some reason, the Winter Games seem to be devoid of such memorable music. They do still have music, but for some reason the Winter Olympics have never produced the enduring hits that the Summer Games have. Let's look back over some of the Winter Olympics themes that just, for whatever reason, never became well known.

2018 PyeongChang, Torch Relay Theme Song, "Let Everyone Shine"
Written by Sookyung Kim and Kyungjin Ahn
Performed by Insooni

This year's theme song, which was sung in both Korean and English during the final legs of the Olympic torch relay, was lovely and meaningful. The lyrics evoked not only the symbolism of the Olympic torch, but spoke of the Olympics' greater purpose of uniting the world (with a clear implication of hope for peace between the Koreas), stating in part:

All of us gathered here, share one dream
It is the moment to rise again, and follow the flame
With a shining dream deep inside of you
Together we can move forward one step at a time
When all our dreams come together
And shine as one bright flame
Let everyone shine
Let everyone shine and shine
Lighting up every corner of the world

Time will tell if this song sticks around, but at least here in the US, I don't expect it to become popular.


2014 Sochi Official Theme Song, "Reach for the Top"
Performed by Dima Bilan and Julia Savicheva

This song has a very dated feel to it, with its pulsing beat and rapping. Peppy rather than dramatic, as most pop singers seem to aim for when chosen to write music for the Olympics, it probably created a great feeling in the arena when performed live, but the recording lost something when the energy of the moment was gone.


2010 Vancouver Opening Ceremony, "Bang the Drum"
Written by Bryan Adams
Performed by Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado

The song had a good beat but not a particularly memorable melody, and the lyrics were pretty insipid:

You and I
Together we reach for the sky
It's not about winning
It's all about playing the game
From the east
From the west
Each of us trying our best
Chasing a dream
Burning to follow the flame

Like the Sochi theme, it was probably great when performed live but didn't have the same oomph in a recording.


2006 Torino Closing Theme, "Because We Believe"
Written by Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, and Amy Foster
Performed by Andrea Bocelli

Performed in both Italian and English at the Games, Bocelli also recorded an Italian-only version, entitled "Ama Credi E Vai". He also later recorded several duet versions, including a version in Dutch, English, and Italian with Dutch pop singer Marco Borsato, and an all-Italian version with Italian rocker Gianna Nannini. The song spent only 1 week on the pop charts in the US (at #39), although the Dutch and Italian versions spent time on their respective country's pop charts, topping out at #1 and #9, respectively.


2002 Salt Lake City Opening Theme, "Call of the Champions"
Written by John Williams
Performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Utah Symphony Orchestra

Sweeping and majestic as are most Williams themes, for some reason this piece was less successful than his other Olympic music. (Incidentally, it is the only piece he wrote for a Winter Olympics. Coincidence? I think not.) Its lyrics are the Latin Olympic motto, "Citius, Altius, Fortius," which translates as, "Faster, Higher, Stronger." Despite a melodic brass fanfare after the opening vocals, it sounds more like background music than something meant to be listened to for its own value. It would be great as a soundtrack for a documentary on the Olympics (preferably narrated by Morgan Freeman, who should always have the Mormon Tabernacle choir singing "ahs" in the background when he speaks), but it's kind of boring on its own.

1998 Nagano Games, "Ode to Joy"
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by the Winter Olympic Orchestra with six choral ensembles

Although obviously not a piece written specifically for the Olympics, this rendition of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" was groundbreaking in that it involved not only an orchestra (composed of musicians from 27 orchestras all over the world), a chorus, and 8 soloists under the baton of Seiji Ozawa inside the stadium, but five additional choruses throughout the world (Australia, China, Germany, South Africa, and the United States) joining in via satellite link. Musically and technologically stunning.


1994 Lillehammer Olympic Hymn, "Hymne Olympique"
Written by Spyridon Samaras, original Greek lyrics by Kostis Palamas
Performed by Sissel Kyrkjebo and Children's Chorus

Like Nagano, Lillehammer didn't seem to have much for original music or a specific theme. But this lovely rendition of the Olympic Hymn, translated into Norwegian and performed by Norwegian opera and pop crossover artist Sissel Kyrkjebo with a children's choir, was a memorable part of very memorable Opening and Closing Ceremonies.


1988 Calgary Winter Games Official Theme, "Winter Games/Can't You Feel It"
Written by David Foster
Performed by David Foster

Foster actually wrote two pieces for the Olympics: the above instrumental, entitled "Winter Games," which Foster performed himself, and a vocal counterpoint entitled, "Can't You Feel It" which was sung at the Games by multiple vocalists including Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson. I bet you recognized this music from the very first chords!


1984 Sarajevo Opening Ceremony, "Just a Dream Away"
Written by Michael Miller and Monica Riordan
Performed by John Denver

The lyrical ballad is not typical John Denver style, but his simple delivery and clear voice bring out all the poignancy of the lyrics. Had it been written a few years later, it would likely have turned into a power ballad with some pop star belting out glory notes all over the place, but Denver lets the song be the star. It's a shame this one didn't make it.


1980 Lake Placid Olympics, ABC's Official Olympic Theme Song, "Give It All You Got"
Written and Performed by Chuck Mangione

ABC used Mangione's music for their broadcast of the 1976 summer games and asked him to write a song specifically for the 1980 Winter Games. Mangione performed the song live at the Closing Ceremony. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1981, but lost out to John Williams' score to "The Empire Strikes Back." I would say this song qualifies as one of the few lasting hits on this list.


It's quite difficult to find records of music used for the Winter Olympics prior to 1980, but I did find this song from the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Games, along with some other interesting information on why the 1960 Games marked a real turning point in how the ceremonies were designed from that time forward.

1960 Squaw Valley Opening Ceremony, "The Parade of the Olympians"
Performed by the United States Marine Band

The story of how the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1960 Squaw Valley Games were designed and executed is a fascinating one, which you can read about here. The short version is that Walt Disney served as the "Pageantry Chairman" for the Games - in fact, this was the beginning of the modern pageantry of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Snow sculptures, the release of live doves (or at least live homing pigeons, who served as stunt doubles for the more delicate doves, lest the doves freeze to death before finding their way to warmer climes), the involvement of child performers, and an enormous upping of the entertainment value of both the opening and closing ceremonies all kicked off a new era for the level of pageantry at the Olympics.