Amigos Para Siempre
Encyclopedia
"Amigos Para Siempre" or "Amics per sempre" is a song written for the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. The music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber
. The lyrics, written by Don Black, are in English
, except for the title phrase which is repeated in English, Spanish
and Catalan
.
and José Carreras
performed the song during the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. The duet was also released world wide as a single to coincide with the Games. It peaked at #11 in the UK charts. It was one of two musical themes for the event. The other, simply titled "Barcelona", was sung by Freddie Mercury
and Montserrat Caballé
, and reached #2.
and Norman Gunston
and reached the top 20 in Australia at the time.
In one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group's concerts in Beijing
, China
, a Chinese version of this song was performed with approximately half of the lyrics in Mandarin and half in English. In this version, Amigos Para Siempre was replaced by "永远的朋友", which is "Friends Forever" in Chinese. A fully Cantonese version was sung by George Lam
.
This song was also used for the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympic Games, performed again by José Carreras and a Chinese soprano.
On Sunday, 17 August 2008 at the Don Black 70th birthday tribute concert Lyrics by Don Black, Amigos Para Siempre was performed by Jonathan Ansell
and Hayley Westenra
. The evening took place at the London Palladium
featuring performances of Black's songs by a selection of guest artists, hosted by Michael Parkinson
and was recorded by BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night
and broadcast on Friday, 22 August 2008.
It was the favorite song of Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980-2001, and was played at his funeral at Barcelona in April 2010.
In 2011 the German rock/metal band 9MM made a cover of the song through Napalm Records, there is a music video on Youtube
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. The music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
. The lyrics, written by Don Black, are in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, except for the title phrase which is repeated in English, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
.
Brightman and Carreras version
Sarah BrightmanSarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
and José Carreras
José Carreras
Josep Maria Carreras i Coll , better known as José Carreras , is a Spanish Catalan tenor particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini...
performed the song during the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. The duet was also released world wide as a single to coincide with the Games. It peaked at #11 in the UK charts. It was one of two musical themes for the event. The other, simply titled "Barcelona", was sung by Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
and Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé
Montserrat Caballé is a Spanish operatic soprano. Although she sang a wide variety of roles, she is best known as an exponent of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi....
, and reached #2.
Track listing
- Amigos Para Siempre
- Live Opening Ceremony Barcelona Olympic 1992 Games
- Amigos Para Siempre (Spanish Version)
- Amigos Para Siemre ( Seat Anuncio 60 aniversario) - Marujita
Cover versions
In Spain, the most famous rendition of this song was made by Spanish group Los Manolos with rumba arrangements and Spanish lyrics, except for the chorus. It reached number 3 in the Spanish charts. It was later covered by EffieEffie
"Effie" is an outrageous comedic character played by Australian actress Mary Coustas. Coustas depicts a stereotypical second-generation Greek Australian....
and Norman Gunston
Norman Gunston
Norman Gunston was a satirical TV character performed by Australian actor and comedian Garry McDonald. Norman Gunston was primarily well known in his native Australia, and to a lesser extent, the United States during the mid to late 1970s.- Early years :...
and reached the top 20 in Australia at the time.
In one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group's concerts in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, a Chinese version of this song was performed with approximately half of the lyrics in Mandarin and half in English. In this version, Amigos Para Siempre was replaced by "永远的朋友", which is "Friends Forever" in Chinese. A fully Cantonese version was sung by George Lam
George Lam
George Lam Chi Cheung, also known professionally by his surname Lam, is a Hong Kong-based veteran Cantopop singer and actor of Xinhui area origin. Lam studied at the Diocesan Boys' School in Kowloon, Hong Kong...
.
This song was also used for the Shanghai 2007 Special Olympic Games, performed again by José Carreras and a Chinese soprano.
On Sunday, 17 August 2008 at the Don Black 70th birthday tribute concert Lyrics by Don Black, Amigos Para Siempre was performed by Jonathan Ansell
Jonathan Ansell
Jonathan Mark Ansell is an English singer, formerly the high tenor of the vocal group G4.Jonathan Ansell was born in Bognor Regis in 1982, where both his parents were primary school teachers. Influenced by his mother’s tapes of Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, Jonathan joined the West Sussex Boys'...
and Hayley Westenra
Hayley Westenra
Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide...
. The evening took place at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
featuring performances of Black's songs by a selection of guest artists, hosted by Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
and was recorded by BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night
Friday Night is Music Night
Friday Night is Music Night is a long running live BBC radio concert programme featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra, broadcast most Fridays on BBC Radio 2 at 8.00pm. It is the world's longest-running live music radio programme....
and broadcast on Friday, 22 August 2008.
It was the favorite song of Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980-2001, and was played at his funeral at Barcelona in April 2010.
In 2011 the German rock/metal band 9MM made a cover of the song through Napalm Records, there is a music video on Youtube