[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O1URHDI07M]
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Is this song about eternal friendship, the indomitable human spirit, or the competitive drive within us all? Mostly the competitive drive within us all. Don’t be fooled by the lyric, “Now’s the time to take a hold of your dream,” it’s only in service of reaching out for that gold medal.
Who won the gold medal in the Reaching competition that year? Giorgio Moroder.
Times the word “reach” is said in the song: 20.
Was this the theme to the entire 1984 Olympics? No, this was just the theme for Track.
Was there a theme to the Field events? Yes! Herbie Hancock’s “Junku,” which is the lamest ripoff of “Rockit” this side of commercial licensing.
Wait, how many themes were there for the 1984 Olympic Games? A whole soundtrack’s worth of themes! (note, Loverboy’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop You Now” was the “Team Sports Theme,” just as a catch-all.)
Choice YouTube comment: “This song was no.1 in Germany” —LittleSweety
Relevant Olympic Moment tied to this song: Carl Lewis “reached out” and won four gold medals in track this year. The U.S. did not “reach out” to the Soviet Union to try to ease increasing Cold War prejudices.