One Hit Wonders of the ’80s: 1982 – Vangelis

“Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis

In 1981, Vangelis wrote the score for the film Chariots of Fire, set at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
The song has been synonymous with sporting events – especially the Olympics – ever since. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Vangelis won the Academy Award for Best Original Music Score. The opening theme of the film was released as a single in 1982, topping the American Billboard chart for one week – May 8, 1982 – after climbing steadily for five months. On the movie soundtrack album, the song is called “Titles” because of its use in the movie’s opening titles sequence, but it became known as “Chariots of Fire”.

In a career spanning 50 years, writing and composing more than 52 albums, Vangelis is regarded by some music critics as one of the greatest living composers of electronic music. However, “Chariots of Fire” was his only U.S. Billboard hit:

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