Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter

Wayne Marshall believes Jamaica this year has its best Olympic chances ever. - File

While countries around the world focus on their sportsmen and sportswomen at the Beijing Olympics, an extensive collection of songs will act as the soundtrack to the greatest sporting event on Earth.

It seems music will play a fundamental role in the enjoyment of the 2008 Olympics, which starts on Friday, as more than 30 songs were recorded as a build-up to the Games. All of them were in the running to be the official song of the Olympics in a song-search competition held earlier this year.

Official song

The official Beijing Olympic song, Forever Friends, was created by Chinese artistes Kong Xiangdong and Sun Nan. The video for the song shows competitors embracing and laughing with each other, displaying the peace and unity associated with the games.

The words of the song, which is recorded in English, read, "Forever friends in harmony/As the whole world joins and sees days of unity and peace/Forever through the years we'll hear the cheers/Joy and laughter everywhere/ We're together here to share/ Forever friends."

Of the other songs, I Am a Star was recorded for the Beijing Olympic volunteers; Light the Passion, Share the Dream was done for the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay, and Welcome to Beijing was recorded for the 100-day countdown to the Olympics.

No Jamaicans in competition

While no Jamaican artiste contributed to the song competition, at least two - Mavado and Wayne Marshall - have added their voices to the chorus of Jamaicans supporting our athletes at the Olympics.

Mavado's contribution, On The Go (Faster Than Bullet), was produced by Shane Brown's Juke Boxx Records. The fast-paced track was part of a larger campaign that included an original mix CD, iTunes and an Asafa Powell reggae mix, but Mavado's track is the only original music produced for the project.

In the song, Mavado sings, "We moving like the light/Jamaica have the fastest man inna life/Faster than car and bike/A send bullet Jamaican faster than bullet/Bet dem neva know seh Jamaicans can do it/9.77 seconds, before you know it di man ova do it/Going, we going, we gone/ We moving out of sight."

The lyrics were done in reference to former 100-metre record holder Asafa Powell's record-breaking run. Asafa is scheduled to compete in the 100 metres against fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt, who lowered the record to 9.72 seconds.

Marshall's song

Mavado's song is being played on the radio and at different dancehall events, while Wayne Marshall's The Moment, which was recorded as part of CVM-TV's Olympic campaign, has been playing on the station for the past three weeks.

The Esco-produced track is patriotic and Wayne Marshall voices his support for the local athletes. The song lyrics read: "We have been waiting so long for this moment/Now it's here for the world to see/All the power we have as a nation and the will that we have to achieve."

"We have the best chances ever for the Olympics," Marshall told The Gleaner yesterday. "We have great chances for the 4x100, both for women and men, once they keep the baton in hand. Two hundred metres - Usain (Bolt) gone wid it, 100 metres, wi can get gold and silver, Usain or Asafa, it nuh really matter."

Marshall said the country would benefit economically as a result of any Olympic victories.

sadeke.brooks@gleanerjm.com