A Race To The End

When I noticed that Jim had asked us for sports songs, I tried to think of which music I associate with sports? I am not particularly a fan of sports, but I do seem to be swept up in the excitement of the athletics events in major sporting events like the Olympics. Sport is too much like showbiz for me nowadays. But there is a film that captures the determination and focus of sportsmen, without all the razzle dazzle of advertising contracts that come with sporting success nowadays.

“Chariots Of Fire” is a marvellous film, and if you have never watched it, I highly recommend it. But I was pleased to find that the famous music has had words put to it. So here are two clips, the first is the opening scene from the famous film “Chariots of Fire”. The second is the familiar music with words sung by Ralph De Blanc.

Credits: Jon Anderson (lyrics) and Vangelis Papathanassiou (composer)

There is one freedom
Man running along
Each step that he's taking
A step to his soul

The passion and courage
It takes to be there
A man and his spirit
Alive in the air

And if he should stumble
as he goes
If he should fall
It won't really matter
If he knows
he gave it his all
The way becomes clearer
The way is complete
The need to be running
Admit no defeat

The circles together
Hold hands to the sky
A man and his spirit
he's learning to fly
And if he should stumble
as he goes
If he should fall
It won't really matter
If he knows
he gave it his all
Let no one surround himself with pain
But use it to free him
The game is to learn to live again
A race to the end

And if he should stumble
as he goes
If he should fall
It won't really matter
If he knows
he gave it his all

Let no one surround himself with pain
But use it to free him
The game is to learn to live again
A race to the end

• The Topic On The Table