1996 Atlanta Olympics Opening Ceremonies Intro

[cgarsndipboy]

Hey julius...looks like YouTube disabled the audio again...

[PaladinValer]

Audio disabled again...pity

[julius923]

Thank you YouTube & Neil Diamond for restoring the Audio to this video.

[glory789]

The people who muted this video are un-american.

[cmc10101]

This is not the kind of thing that the music industry ought to be doing. It doesn't really protect anything, but it pisses off a lot of folk

[TimNRA757]

And this is why I refuse to feed the industry. I don't support these guys at all, only listen to radio.

[snoot87]

Un-Mute this video!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sergeant655]

wmg has muted and runied this video

shame on them

[sxw]

Great video I watched alot of those Olympics from Atlanta. The Olympic stadium is now Turner Field home of the Braves. I have enjoyed many games there live since they opened it for baseball in 1997.

[starrattmaster]

great intro dont get that these days!

[JPPT1974]

Love this intro! Thanks for putting it up! Saw the Olympics back in Atlanta too. So many people I have seen there! Ever in my life!

[MichaelTheTerrible]

What where ABC's intros like? anything like NBC?

[da40flyer]

No comparison. NBC's openings are far superior than the best of ABC's.

[thisisabadname]

great piece

[KountdownExpress]

Not the best opening ceremony ever, but possibly the least pretentious. Some of these cities just can't seem to get over how great they are. Sydney's was pretty good too.

[burster14]

So what was Athens suppose to present? Stray dogs?

And Beijing? Pollution?

[AKN74]

Can't believe how long ago this seems now, I have this on an old videocassette somewhere

[thisisabadname]

This was the best on-air intro I have seen. I watched Sydney and Athens here on youtube, and saw beijing on tv a couple weeks ago, but NBC did far better work here introducing the games then for any other I've seen. It wasn't just someone talking. and by the way, the tiny pacific country with the 3 weightlifters- what is it?

[KountdownExpress]

The Cook Islands

[snoot87]

Chicago 2016!!!!!!!!

[jumpoff718]

Booooo! Tokyo or Rio 2016

[NeoNinja7]

I hope Rio win since they have never hosted the Olympics before. It would be great for their country. We'll find out October 2009.

[manga12]

streight up, people can say what they wish about chi town,but It has a rich history in architecture, industry, music, food, and contraversy of course. but, you havent had pizza till you had a Pizzaria Uno pizza pie, and seen the Sears tower.

[StylistecS]

They should have put 1996 in Athens. Atlanta could have gotten 2000 and Syndey in 2004. But 96 had no business being in any other city than Athens, Greece.

[JoeytheHDK]

I live in Atlanta, and I have to agree with you on one point - Atlanta did not deserve the Olympics at all. The town is a dump. It's depressing as hell to live in.

And, oh yeah, Turner Field (the Centennial Olympic Stadium) is an absolutely atrocious baseball stadium. They should have kept Fulton County stadium.

[suwanee4712]

well joey delta is ready to fly you out of atlanta whenver you are. dont let the door hit you on the way out.

[jumpoff718]

Athens couldn't host in 96 or 2000, hence 2004

[StylistecS]

I know but that Athens fault. No way should Athens make the 100th anniversary of it's olympics held in another city. EVER.

[Calmattoso]

If Athens had hosted these Olympics, it wouldn't be allowed to host the first Olympics of the 21st century. =/

[StylistecS]

solid point.

[MasterSanders]

Man, we sure no how to through an Olympiad.

[SebKnowlton]

Worst host city in history. So generic that in the intro video, not a word is mentioned of the city or it's background.

[pilichepr]

Can we assume that you attended the 1996 games?

[SebKnowlton]

I was there just after the games and used to go to Atlanta regularly on business. It's a nice city and has it's charm, don't get me wrong, but for something international that has worldly appeal, the USOC could have picked a much better host city.

[Hmsheen10]

this was the happy time before the nightmare of King Bush

[bfbjr]

Mr 43% was president then yes.

[Elphabawicked]

this seems like so long ago!

Chicago 2016!

[thisisabadname]

Only 2 hours and 23 minutes until I can watch the Opening Ceremonies that happened 9 hours ago

[thisisabadname]

what's the tiny pacific island alluded to in the end of this video?

[jagvet]

Yo have problem with yourself? buehehehe Poland is poor USSR? bueheeheheheehehehehe

[hmviana]

no no. You understand wrong, Poland poor ex union soviet!!!!

[willeecoyotee]

I thought the 1996 opening ceremonies were the best yet. It was a wonderful presentation of the southern states history and culture. Great city and wonderful people. The critisism only confirms that this was the best yet. Well done Atlanta!!

[jagvet]

Hmm Atlanta Openening Ceremony wasn't best. I remember it was too long and boring. For me it was something like cheap, stupid american film. Only J.Williams Call of the Champions was cool! Atlanta Games was the worst organized games ever.

[hmviana]

wonderful intro. very beautiful.

RIO 2016

[jagvet]

Din't be crazy. RIO 2016? buehehehe Olympic on brazilian slums?:DDDD

[hmviana]

BUT Rio is candidate city to host the olympic games and yours??? buehehehe :DDDD

[jagvet]

Rio 2016 - Let's met in slums:D

[hmviana]

POLAND!!!! POOR EX-USRR

[hmviana]

POLAND POOR URSS!!!!!!!!! Rio is not just slums! dont be ignorant! Rio is a wonderful city! :D:D:D:D

[glory789]

Chicago 2016!

[rvd29]

what is the music played after the olympic fanfare

[julius923]

I believe that all of the music after "America" is called Bugler's Dream. It is also called "The Olympic Fanfare". I believe that the second part was played during the intro each night of the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. This changed in 1984 after John Williams wrote the Olympic Theme. Now you rarely hear the second part of the Bugler's Dream except during the Opening Ceremonies.

[dontforgetit94]

i can't wait till beiging. did i spell that right?

[bulls7123]

No.

[dontforgetit94]

sorry.

[malletman88]

Beijing.

You were close, though.

:)

[dontforgetit94]

yeah, these days i think the only thing that unites the world is the Olympics.

[lordofwrath88]

BEST OLYMPIC CEREMONY EVER!!!!! Eat your heart out Athens and Sydney!!!!! USA kicks ass!

[Scott6945]

I live in Atlanta and even though i was only 15, those were the greatest 16 days of my life!! I can't help but to just sit back and think about it when I watch the summer and winter games of today!!

[bigjames02]

I hope Chicago gets the Games in 2016....would love to go to an Olympics, just for the feeling!

[manicx150]

I went to the Track and field the day after the Olympic bombing. ON july 26 it was my birthday thats how I remember. No olympics are every shallow id like to see u in one. THen come talk to me u fucking moronic dumb ass

[bamadawgsc]

Sod off.

[rwmiosyn]

The most shallow olympic ceremony ever...

[dmb449]

Atlanta hosted the best olympics that there has ever been period!

[chrisz71]

I remember where I was when I saw this- and on what tv I saw this- THANK YOU SO MUCH for posting this- I remember this as the only thing opening for the Olympics there- THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

[sophielady4]

Awesome! Thanks for posting this. This is my favorite Olympics introduction!

[darcywil]

Totally agree! I heard this song last night and immediately remembered this video intro. So very memorable!! I still get goosebumps when they announce Atlanta as the Olympic city, and Neil Diamond starts singing...

[zmshaw81]

I remember watching the opening ceremony for the 1996 Olympics.

[zmshaw81]

I was angry when some idiot set off a bomb and there was a whole day of no olympics.

[jordguitar]

that is why he is in the highest security prison right now =D

[0t0ku]

And the guy even bombed the ONE place our city decided to keep open for the city folk. It was such a stupid, and irritating moment. Just makes you realize how desperate people are for attention, ne? Bomb the one place that everyone can visit during the Olympics in '96.

[greenhat16]

Hard to beleive that the Atlata Olympic Stadium is now its ballpark.

[glassmirror67]

love the song,but ideally everyone should be able to find jobs and be happy where they are from?

[aatox]

Tastes obviously differ. Neither the graphics, the musical presentation or the opening or closing ceremonies were particularly touching or rememberable in Atlanta'96, in my opinion. It just lacked that great Olympic feeling of it!

[antonil5926]

I agree. The 1984 Los Angeles opening ceremonies were WAY WAY BETTER in terms of Olympic spirit and American patriotism. LA's were the best opening ceremonies ever in my opinion.

[supersporkspank]

I agree. The centennial Olympiad deserved much better than Atlanta gave. And what the hell was Izzy, anyway? Misha from Moscow '80 and Sam from L.A. '84 were much better mascots IMHO.

[aatox]

Absolutely with you. The overall presentation and looks of Los Angeles 1984 gave the whole Olympic movement a well-needed vitamine injection, including Sam The Eagle by Disney and spectacular features like that flying man during the Opening ceremony. Atlanta 1996 just failed on all counts.

[calmand29]

I'm from Atlanta and it was awesome! Obviously, we wish the bombing hadn't happened which was unfortunate and what was most remembered by the press. But, for all that lived here, it was an awesome time and the most organized event with regard to transportation and communication that this city's ever seen.

[lordofwrath88]

"America" by Neil Diamond

[manga12]

so do I but I think I taped over it, I cant find it anywhere. This montage used to give me such a surge of adrenalin and still does 11 years latter

[aidsgz]

whats with the song?

[johnly06]

omfg, brings back sum childhood memories

[patlovesu]

Respectfully...the United States has always been the most elaborate when it comes to hosting the Olympics.

[mikehabibi]

That's subjective my friend.

[toddyman8]

I was only saying that as a figure of speach. They did take the hedges down, but they cloned them in advance so the replacements would be the same hedges. I was at the Georgia-Auburn game in 1995, and since everyone knew that the hedges were going to be removed, we all rushed the field after the game to tear off souvenirs. I tried to get the trimmings I took to grow, but it ended up dying. It was also the coldest football game I've ever been to, with temperatures dropping to the mid 30s.

[julius923]

Can you elaborate more on the hedges? Where were they?

[miznistacrizzo]

I love the part in this video where it pans from what looks like a forest to an oasis of a city in the distance.

"The Hedges" that surround UGA's Sanford Stadium, where some qualifying rounds took place. toddyman8 was saying that part of the 1996 Olympics did take place in "Athens" (Georgia) after all.

[miznistacrizzo]

By the way, didn't they actually take the hedges down at Sanford for the Olympics?

[miznistacrizzo]

I love how none of these complaints are ever about the actual Games. People say they were over-commercialized, as though they'd prefer to see more tax spending. They always say the cauldron was ugly, even though the 1976 Montreal cauldron was heinous and barely rose off the ground. And the terror assault in Munich was much more devastating. I'm sure if there were armored security at every corner of Centennial Park, people would complain about the excessive police presence.

[toddyman8]

By the way, some of the 1996 games actually did occur in Athens. Athens, GA that is! Between the Hedges!

[toddyman8]

I'm from Atlanta, and I experienced the games first hand. buster14 is being overly critical. The terrorist attack comment is unfair, as if it could have been prevented. You forget that one of the major reasons we won the games over Athens was that we had an ability to develope an infrastructure that they didn't have. Athens was barely able to prepare for the 2004 games, and only then after many shortcuts and sacrifices.

[burster14]

Right of course. A terroist attack, traffic jams, computers that didn't work, buses that didn't show up, a horrid cauldron, commercials at every corner, Atlanta was the best!!!!

[brianfons1]

Nice work NBC. Gotta love Neil Diamond and perfect video and audio clips. It just makes you feel good.

[xbabiepikax]

Can't believe the Olympics took out Golf in 1996... when of all things nearby Augusta National offered their course to be host of the golfing venue!

[jenny45458]

This is one of the greatest TV montage sequences of all time. It gives me goosebumps, too. Bravo, NBC!!!!

[ERC20]

No. Atlanta doesn't have the facilities to host the Winter Olympic games. Not only that, Georgia doesn't get much snow, and you have to have snow for the Winter games. Georgia's climate is too hot for it. Peaches are grown there that should tell you enough right there.

[julius923]

Round of applause everyone for thedab101!!!

[adua78]

Atlanta was fantastic in 1996.

[dmb449]

I really don't care what anyone else says. Atlanta hosted the best olympics there has ever been in 1996

[TylerSanDiego]

Phenomenal footage and opening, bob costas is a legend.

[robopaul9]

Excellent intro for the 1996 Olympics.

[thedab101]

This was a cool video. But Atlanta should never, ever, ever have been awarded the 1996 games. They should have been awarded either the 98 games or the 2000 games, but not 1996. It should have gone to Greece.

Juan Antonio Samarach is a moron. Thank God he's not the chair of the IOC anymore.

[thehackneyaccount]

Uh, I don't think Atlanta would've had the facilities to host a Winter Olympics (1998), except for a few hockey arenas.

[DavidBIGdArruda]

For the sake of commemeration and history, I agree with you, the '96 Olympics should have come home to Greece. But think about it this way, they BARELY finished all of the venues in time for 2004. In the eyes of the IOC, Atlanta had the right plan at the right time, which is how pretty much ALL host cities are selected. lol. :)

[smd8841]

I can't believe I found this on here. This was the first Olympic ceremony I ever watched on TV. Thanks for uploading!

[Estefania83]

Thank you very much!!! I´d been looking forward to watching this someday.. THANKS!!!

[Ishwaria]

fantastic video. just love it! gives me goosebumps everytime.

[CommonSenseBrigade]

Great video. I have it taped on VHS.