Welcome to Music Friday when we regularly bring you amazing songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, we change up the criteria a bit to pay tribute to the opening of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
As thousands of athletes from around the world go for the gold we thought it would be a great time to feature Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time,” a pop anthem USA Today called “the gold standard by which all Olympic theme songs should be judged.”
A song that focuses on what it takes to reach the pinnacle of one’s life, “One Moment in Time” became the theme song for NBC’s coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
In rating it the best Olympic song of all time, USA Today noted that the lyrics perfectly define the spirit of the Games — working hard, overcoming setbacks, believing in oneself and ultimately becoming a champion.
Putting the song over the top is Houston’s Emmy award-winning performance.
She sings, “Give me one moment in time / When I’m more than I thought I could be / When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away / And the answers are all up to me / Give me one moment in time / When I’m racing with destiny / Then in that one moment of time / I will feel / I will feel eternity.”
Written by John Bettis and Albert Hammond, “One Moment in Time” was released as a single from The 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time and charted in 17 countries, including a top-5 position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Bettis famously wrote “Top of the World” for the Carpenters and Hammond wrote and performed “It Never Rains in Southern California.”
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born in 1963 in Newark, N.J. Her mom was an accomplished gospel singer and her dad was an entertainment executive. She was also a first cousin of singer Dionne Warwick. At age 11, Houston started performing in the junior gospel choir at her church, and throughout her youth was inspired by some of top names in the business, including Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Roberta Flack. At age 20, she was signed to a record deal by Arista head Clive Davis. In 2001, she negotiated the biggest contract in music history: an eight-album deal worth $100 million.
During her career, Houston amassed 200 million record sales and 11 #1 hits, including “I Will Always Love You.”
Houston died tragically in 2012 at the age of 48.
Please check out Houston’s performance of “One Moment in Time” in the tribute video below. Here are the lyrics if you’d like to sing along…
“One Moment in Time”
Written by John Bettis and Albert Hammond. Performed by Whitney Houston.
Each day I live
I want to be
A day to give
The best of me
I’m only one
But not alone
My finest day
Is yet unknown
I broke my heart
Fought every gain
To taste the sweet
I face the pain
I rise and fall
Yet through it all
This much remains
I want one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity
I’ve lived to be
The very best
I want it all
No time for less
I’ve laid the plans
Now lay the chance
Here in my hands
Give me one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity
You’re a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine
Give me one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will be
I will be
I will be free
I will be
I will be free
Credits: Whitney Houston photo by Asterio Tecson (Flickr: 111) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
