A Song for the Olympic Closing Ceremonies: Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland



Photo: Wikimedia Commons



“Fanfare for the Common Man” has jumped up on the Freegal download charts, probably because its soaring tones and theme echo the feel of the Olympics.

Aaron Copland, though born in the Bronx of Russian-Jewish parents, has captured the soul of the western and Midwestern US in his pieces.

I took a look at where “Fanfare” has been used and it’s all over the American culture spectrum.

It’s popped up in CBS Sports Spectacular, in Navy recruitment ads, the Chicago Black Hawks games, Bob Dylan concerts, the Obama inauguration, and for a procession of Queen Elizabeth II herself.

If you like Copland’s work, I’d highly recommend “Appalachian Spring” and “Rodeo” as well.

A Song for Olympic Bronze: 1972 Bronze Medalist by The Bad Plus



Photo: Cottbus



It was surprisingly easy to find a song for bronze medalists. The only problem is that this jazz tune is rather deep and somber, and I think of the bronze medalists as a more upbeat bunch.

Stay with me here. Yes, they took third, but oftentimes I find that they are up-and-comers who were thrilled to make the finals and then even more thrilled to make it into the medals.

I fired up Google to see who had won the most bronze medals in the Olympics. Heikki Savolainen of Finland collected 6 in gymnastics between 1928 and 1952, The most ever won by a woman was also 6. They belong Franziska van Almsick in aquatics 1992-2004.

The Song “1972 Bronze Medalist” is available for free download from Freegal.

A Song for Olympic Silver: Silver’s Blue by the Horace Silver Quintet



Photo: Korall



Here’s a jazz song (available for free download from Freegal) for the silver medalist who’s feeling blue.

I always feel a kinship with the silver medalists. In my senior year of high school I took second place at the state track meet.

Three times. 100 yard dash, 220 yard dash, long jump.

I missed out on first by a tenth of a second, or by a few inches.

The Olympic announcers make it sound like it’s all about who wants it more. But some days you come across someone who can run a little faster, jump a little farther, shoot a little straighter.

I’ve noticed that silver medalists, as a whole, tend to be an unhappy lot. They are usually the ones that thought they had a shot at the gold, but something went wrong and they had to settle for silver.

For all those who came up a little bit short, put on a little “Silver’s Blue,” wallow in a little groovy, funky jazz, and dream of next year.