Herb Alpert's "1980"

[Harry]

With the Olympics playing on the TV in the background, I occasionally think about Herb's "1980" theme that didn't get used when the US boycotted that Olympics.

But today I stumbled on a Youtube video where NBC Sports did indeed use Herb's theme. It was for coverage of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. It sounds almost like what we've all heard in our heads.

 

[Bobberman]

I was one of those disappointed when The US Boycotted the 80 olympics I especially felt bad for Herb because of all the Good work and Effort he put into it and being comissioned by the Don Ohlmeyer of NBC and i was looking forward to Hearing Herb's Song and possibly his other songs from Rise being used ( like they did with Chuck Mangione for the Lake placid Games earlier that year) it would have been Doubly Delightful for me

 

[Steven J. Gross]

It's an underrated tune...

 

[Aaron Bitman]

I know what "Rise" did for Alpert's career, but "1980" is undoubtedly my favorite song on that album.

 

[Harry]

I know what "Rise" did for Alpert's career, but "1980" is undoubtedly my favorite song on that album.

Mine too. If I pick up RISE, I always play "1980".

 

[Mike Blakesley]

My favorite as well.

 

[Rudy]

Side one of that album is killer. "Rise" was big on so many stations here (even the dance and R&B/funk stations were into it!) so it naturally got a lot of attention prior to the release of the album. I really can't listen to just one of those tracks without having to play the whole side.

I have no clue what NBC's doing with the Olympics this year. I tune in CBC instead (CBET, channel 9, Windsor), checking up on our southern neighbors. The Canadian coverage is so much better, and a lot more of the sports are given airtime...and yes, fewer commercials. Thankfully I DVR the seven hour broadcasts and can skip to the events I'm following. They're probably doing about 11-12 hours of broadcasts per day so far, but some of it includes recaps.

 

[Bobberman]

When I first heard the opening Fanfare of "1980" when I got my first vinyl copy of Rise I was just Inspired and very impressed ( and i still am) it was the perfect album opener every song on that album Is Great From start to finish. It was fun to be a kid in many ways back then. And this music continues to help keep me young ( at least young at heart now that I'm 50)

 

[Rudy]

For the 1980 Summer Olympics, they used the Shostakovich Festive Overture in A major as the theme.

 

[Aaron Bitman]

With the Olympics playing on the TV in the background, I occasionally think about Herb's "1980" theme that didn't get used when the US boycotted that Olympics.

But today I stumbled on a Youtube video where NBC Sports did indeed use Herb's theme. It was for coverage of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

I just threw mention of that into my book. (I don't know why it didn't occur to me to do so last week, when I first read that message.) Thank you.