Vangelis – Chariots of Fire Soundtrack – Used LP

VG+

Anybody who survived the 1980s knows the opening "Titles" theme and has seen this album countless times, but listeners should probably forget the images of runners and give the set a listen...sheets of synthesizers waving in an electric breeze far above the earth below, alien ships and thunder approaching in the distance. Composed, arranged, produced and performed by the artist.  The first side closes with Sir Hubert Parry's 1916 composition "Jerusalem" (which was inspired by William Blake's "And did those feet in ancient time" and earlier covered by ELP on Brain Salad Surgery in 1973). The flipside returns to the "Title" theme with a side long composition called "Chariots of Fire," which, like sides of other soundtracks, may just be the artist filling the side with additional material inspired by the film. This flipside features plenty of acoustic piano, as well as plenty of synthesizers--sheets, flutters and laser beam shots--these elements dominating the closing moments of the compositions...fans of electronic music might be wishing for more of that throughout, and fans of classical music will likely roll their eyes, but this is a great entry point for fans looking to explore this composer. This certainly put the Greek on the map, and likely caused other filmmakers to seek him out, for projects such as the original Blade Runner (which was scored in 1982, but the soundtrack apparently wasn't released for a decade).