1996 - Rebirth of the Modern Games & Parade of Nations 1/13

[mylesag2]

The 2012 edition of the book, SECRETS OF THE OLYMPIC CEREMONIES, is now out and available on amazon. Great book, it spills all the secrets on how these shows (from Berlin 1936 to Vancouver 2010) are put together. Over 150 photos and images, many of them never before published.

[ajgolfer1]

st louis was the place to be in 1904 highest wealth per capita, worlds fair, the olympics, the first petrol station, and the first ice cream cone

[remixchild]

why does NBC always try to shorten the parade of nations?

is it because its 2 hours long or more because I watched thirdbase3's videos of the Athens 2004 Parade of Nations and it was 2 hrs long. please let me know!!!!

[allthingsOlympic]

@remixchild yes its because of the length of time for the PON

[CHRISDPH]

I was only 3 when the Olympic. Games were in Atlanta and I remember

[international153]

It sounds like O Canada at 6:53!

[international153]

The background music at flashbacks is very beautiful

[international153]

Did they came out from fire? If yes wow they are so strong

[HTownCountryFan]

I dare somebody to try one of those vocal chants for meditation. LOL XD

[LMA629]

hey, they're playing Yanni at the end!

[reinasmexicanas]

1968 Mexico city! 3:52

[kurtking1991]

i got a question to make what song was that before the parade of nation? i'm just saying.

[TheFlower610]

thanks for posting

[miznistacrizzo]

That segue into the parade and introduction of athletes is still unmatched. Very dramatic, very impressive.

[jvdkl]

Atlanta was so much smaller than it is now .... now there is new building everywhere you go. You don't know what there for but they sure do look nice!!!! LOL!

[thisisabadname]

are those boos I hear when they say "1980 - Moscow"?

[gammanormids]

They cheer because LA 84 is about to appear.

[onebadlt123]

Man I remember watching this. Cant believe it was 12 years ago...

[alexxzz2008]

does anyone knows where can i get it full? thanks

[CyborgNinja7]

Using the concept of "spirits" is cheesy and tasteless for such a formal ceremony. While some concept of creativity is needed, spirits in the form of um, windsocks, is pretty lame. There are some decent parts of this ceremony, but overall it is a failure. Corporate placement, trucks, mechanical failure for a singer, uninspired costumes, and the inability for the performers to be uniform is such a disappointment and an embarrassment to this country.

[lordxur]

I completely disagree. I loved it 12 years ago, and after watching the Beijing Opening Ceremonies (which were fabulous), I still watch the Atlanta Opening Ceremonies over and over.

[MCEProd22]

Is This Where Greece comes in?

[julius923]

Yes, Greece always comes in first.

[Jaboolanee]

@MCEProd22

According the Olympic Charter main document of IOC he says that Greece has the honour to starts the parade like a homage to be the motherland of the Olympism.

[90klop]

@julius923 this is very motokala mufannga kasibo

[SNL918]

Wow..Very Magical...The Tracks Revealed

[Nacholympic]

Personally speaking I love this ceremony. It's really wonderful and moving. Nevertheless, there are too much people who say it has been the worst opening ever. Why??? I do not know. I must admit that it is, stetically, similar to Barcelona. I love it, since they were my first Olympics I watched and I still love them, specially the ceremonies!

[mca1218]

I've noticed the negative comments also. Incredibly short-sighted, I believe. Each host country for the Olympics puts their own slant and something of their own culture, style, heart, soul, and passion on the opening and closing shows. The fact that the 1996 show was done by Americans does not automatically mean that they are tacky, cheap, commercial, and cheesy. (Lord have mercy!!) Some people work hard at hating this country and the ethnic cultures that go with it just because they can.

[Nacholympic]

I totally agree!!!!! Every cereminy has his own enchantement!!!!! I like this, I like the style and the stregnth it reached!!!! I really think it is touching!!!

[blackonyx2002]

I heard that the 5 rings represent the continents of earth. Red--North/South America,Blue--Europe, Black--Africa, Yellow--Asia, and Green--Oceania(Australia, New Zealand, etc.) Is that true?

[julius923]

The 5 rings do represent the 5 continents. According to the IOC, the original intent of the colors was to not have a correlation to the continents. The only significance of the colors are that the 5 colors of the rings plus the white color of the flag are in every flag of every nation. See "olympic symbols" under Wikipedia.

[aric2007]

There's a similar version of this on the Jumbotron of the stadium.

[ChristosM]

The first Olympics I followed!

[Kevindl1985]

I think I remember reading something about that as well. If I remember the ramp entering the stadium was fine it was just the ramp leading upto that ramp that was the problem.

[bgdrewsif]

Best opening ceremony every, others may have been more artistic or expensive, but this one had the audience dancing in their seats... Truly a great olympic games...

[elvisconde1982]

It was good, I liked it when I saw it 12 years ago and I like to see it now, but it wasn't the best...

[sjaeckh]

Oh I love the song at 6:56!! So beautiful!

[amdwalker30349]

I was 12 when Atlanta hosted the Olympics, and it was an awesome time to be in Atlanta.

Thanks for uploading this video and thanks for the memories.

[ScottZ1980]

You wouldn't happen to have the clip of when USA entered the stadium? :)

[h3lls4int]

Good tribute to the past host cities of the olympic games, also the Atlanta opening ceremony improved on the entrance of the athletes on the special ramp, instead of one of the gates.

The music is from Michael Kamen (creator of movie soundtracks like X-Men, Robin Hood, Highlander, etc. sadly he died in 2002 of a heart attack), ''The March Trought Time'', used again on the SLC 2002 parade of the atlethes (when France team entered).