One Moment in Time
Encyclopedia
"One Moment in Time" is an Emmy Award
winning song written by Albert Hammond
and John Bettis
, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston
for the 1988 Summer Olympics
and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul
, South Korea
.
, with Hammond imagining it as being sung by Presley at the opening of the Olympics. It appeared on the album 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, produced in conjunction with NBC Sports
' coverage of the Seoul
games and which, in addition to Whitney Houston who sang it live at the main ceremony, also featured artists such as: The Four Tops, The Bee Gees, Eric Carmen
, Taylor Dayne
and the film composer John Williams
. The track is an anthem for believing in yourself against all odds as Houston asks for "One moment in time/when I'm racing with destiny/Then, in that one moment of time, I will feel eternity".
The video
for the song is a basic collage of clips from previous Olympic ceremonies.
in August 1988 as the first single from The 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, the soundtrack to the Games in Seoul
, South Korea
. The song debuted at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100
, the issue dated September 10, 1988. Nine weeks later, it peaked at number five on the chart, the issue date of November 12, 1988, becoming Houston's tenth top 10 hit on the Hot 100, and spent seventeen weeks on the chart. It also debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (formerly "Hot Black Singles") at number seventy-eight, the issue dated September 17, 1988, and six weeks later reached a peak of twenty-two, her lowest position on the R&B chart at the time. On the issue date of November 5, 1988, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, making it her seventh number-one single of the chart, and stayed on the top for two weeks. It ranked number eighty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End
chart of 1988.
Worldwide, it was a big hit. In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
at number twenty-four, the week ending date of September 24, 1988, and within four weeks of its rerease reached the top position, a peak it maintained for two weeks, becoming Houston's third UK number-one single. The single was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for shipments of 200,000 copies on October 1, 1988. According to The Official Charts Company, the single has sold 400,000 copies in the country. In Germany, it debuted at number fifty-eight on the Media Control Top 100 Singles
chart, the week dated September 26, 1988, and the following week went straight into the top ten. On October 24, 1988, the fifth week of its release, the song reached number one on the chart and stayed there for two weeks, making it her second German number-one hit. The single was certified Gold for shipments of 250,000 copies or more by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie
(BVMI) in 1988. Across Europe, "One Moment in Time" was successful, topping the European Hot 100 Singles chart for five weeks. It peaked inside the top five in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reached top ten in France and the Netherlands. But the single became a minor hit in Oceania region, peaking at number forty-nine and thirty-four on the singles chart, in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.
and released on the videos and CD: Grammy's Greatest Moments, Vol II (1994), and Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000). She also performed the song during Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration in Show Business, taped at the Shrine Auditorium
in Los Angeles
on November 13, 1989 and broadcast on ABC
, February 4, 1990. "One Moment in Time" was performed once more by Houston on the 1997 U.S. Open Tennis Championships: the Arthur Ashe Stadium
Inauguration Ceremonies on August 25, 1997. While the past US Open tennis champions appeared on screen, she dedicated the song to the legendary tennis players and about 23,000 audience.
did an instrumental version on their 1989 album, Steppin' to the Shadows: 16 Great Tracks As Only the Shadows Can Play Them. Niki Evans
performed a rendition of this song in week 8 of The X Factor UK 2007
. This followed her subsequent elimination in the semi-final. The song was also performed by Lucie Jones in week 5 of The X Factor UK 2009
as her bottom 2 song. She was controversially eliminated. In 2010, Leapy Lee
released a new version of "One Moment in Time" on Little Arrows II, his first recording since 1970.
after the Los Angeles Dodgers
defeated the Oakland Athletics
four games to one. The song was also played during the Baltimore Orioles game when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gherig's consecutive played games record.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winning song written by Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond
Albert Hammond OBE is a British singer, songwriter and record producer from Gibraltar.-Birth and early success:Hammond was born in London, England, where his family had been evacuated to from Gibraltar during World War II. His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and there he grew...
and John Bettis
John Bettis
John Bettis is an American lyricist who has co-written many famous popular songs over the years. In 2011, John was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
, and recorded by American singer Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
for the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and the 1988 Summer Paralympics held in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
History
The song's melody was inspired by the timeless figure of Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, with Hammond imagining it as being sung by Presley at the opening of the Olympics. It appeared on the album 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, produced in conjunction with NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
' coverage of the Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
games and which, in addition to Whitney Houston who sang it live at the main ceremony, also featured artists such as: The Four Tops, The Bee Gees, Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
, Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne
Taylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
and the film composer John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
. The track is an anthem for believing in yourself against all odds as Houston asks for "One moment in time/when I'm racing with destiny/Then, in that one moment of time, I will feel eternity".
The video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song is a basic collage of clips from previous Olympic ceremonies.
Chart performance
"One Moment in Time" was released by Arista RecordsArista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in August 1988 as the first single from The 1988 Summer Olympics Album: One Moment in Time, the soundtrack to the Games in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The song debuted at number fifty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, the issue dated September 10, 1988. Nine weeks later, it peaked at number five on the chart, the issue date of November 12, 1988, becoming Houston's tenth top 10 hit on the Hot 100, and spent seventeen weeks on the chart. It also debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (formerly "Hot Black Singles") at number seventy-eight, the issue dated September 17, 1988, and six weeks later reached a peak of twenty-two, her lowest position on the R&B chart at the time. On the issue date of November 5, 1988, the single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart, making it her seventh number-one single of the chart, and stayed on the top for two weeks. It ranked number eighty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End
Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...
chart of 1988.
Worldwide, it was a big hit. In the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number twenty-four, the week ending date of September 24, 1988, and within four weeks of its rerease reached the top position, a peak it maintained for two weeks, becoming Houston's third UK number-one single. The single was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) for shipments of 200,000 copies on October 1, 1988. According to The Official Charts Company, the single has sold 400,000 copies in the country. In Germany, it debuted at number fifty-eight on the Media Control Top 100 Singles
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
chart, the week dated September 26, 1988, and the following week went straight into the top ten. On October 24, 1988, the fifth week of its release, the song reached number one on the chart and stayed there for two weeks, making it her second German number-one hit. The single was certified Gold for shipments of 250,000 copies or more by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie
Bundesverband Musikindustrie
The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises....
(BVMI) in 1988. Across Europe, "One Moment in Time" was successful, topping the European Hot 100 Singles chart for five weeks. It peaked inside the top five in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, and reached top ten in France and the Netherlands. But the single became a minor hit in Oceania region, peaking at number forty-nine and thirty-four on the singles chart, in Australia and New Zealand, respectively.
Track listing and formats
- GER 12" Maxi-Vinyl / Maxi-CD Single / UK 12" Vinyl Single (Version 1)
- "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Midnight Wind" by Tony Carey ― 5:03
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
- UK 12" Vinyl Single (Version 2)
- "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
- "Rise to the Occasion" by Jermaine Jackson & Lala ― 4:43
- UK 12" Vinyl Single (Version 3)
- "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Love Will Save the Day" (Jellybean Remix)
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
- UK / Europe 7" Vinyl Single
- "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
- US 7" Vinyl Single
- "One Moment in Time" ― 4:42
- "Love Is A Contact Sport" ― 4:16
- GER 5" Maxi-CD Single
- "One Moment In Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
- "Rise to the Occasion" by Jermaine Jackson & Lala ― 4:43
- "One Moment In Time" (Instrumental) ― 4:42
- JPN 3" CD Single
- "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston ― 4:42
- "Olympic Joy" (Instrumental) by Kashif ― 4:03
Live performances
On February 22, 1989, Houston performed the song at the opening of the 31st Grammy Awards, where she was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. This performance was broadcast live on CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and released on the videos and CD: Grammy's Greatest Moments, Vol II (1994), and Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000). She also performed the song during Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th Anniversary Celebration in Show Business, taped at the Shrine Auditorium
Shrine Auditorium
The Shrine Auditorium is a landmark large-event venue, in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is also the headquarters of the Al Malaikah Temple, a division of the Shriners.-History:...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on November 13, 1989 and broadcast on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, February 4, 1990. "One Moment in Time" was performed once more by Houston on the 1997 U.S. Open Tennis Championships: the Arthur Ashe Stadium
Arthur Ashe Stadium
Arthur Ashe Stadium, a part of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center located within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the New York City borough of Queens, is the main tennis stadium of the US Open, the last of each year's four Grand Slam tournaments, and also where the annual Arthur Ashe...
Inauguration Ceremonies on August 25, 1997. While the past US Open tennis champions appeared on screen, she dedicated the song to the legendary tennis players and about 23,000 audience.
Other versions
A British pop group, The ShadowsThe Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
did an instrumental version on their 1989 album, Steppin' to the Shadows: 16 Great Tracks As Only the Shadows Can Play Them. Niki Evans
Niki Evans
Niki Evans is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her appearance in the fourth UK series of the popular television talent show The X Factor in 2007. She is currently appearing as Mrs. Johnstone in the current UK national tour of Blood Brothers.-Pre X Factor:Niki Evans has sung...
performed a rendition of this song in week 8 of The X Factor UK 2007
The X Factor (UK series 4)
The fourth UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV in autumn 2007. The first show aired on 18 August 2007 and the series was won by Leon Jackson on 15 December 2007, with Rhydian Roberts the runner-up and Dannii Minogue emerging as the winning mentor...
. This followed her subsequent elimination in the semi-final. The song was also performed by Lucie Jones in week 5 of The X Factor UK 2009
The X Factor (UK series 6)
The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
as her bottom 2 song. She was controversially eliminated. In 2010, Leapy Lee
Leapy Lee
Leapy Lee is an English singer, best known for his 1968 single "Little Arrows", which reached Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and was a Top 40 country and pop hit in the United States.-Career:The song "Little Arrows", written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood, was also...
released a new version of "One Moment in Time" on Little Arrows II, his first recording since 1970.
Use in popular culture
The song was played during a montage of highlights at the end of NBC Sports' coverage of the 1988 World Series1988 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBecause of using ace Orel Hershiser in Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers had to open with rookie Tim Belcher in Game 1. Meanwhile, Oakland sent a well-rested Dave Stewart to the mound. Both pitchers, however, would have...
after the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
defeated the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
four games to one. The song was also played during the Baltimore Orioles game when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gherig's consecutive played games record.
Chart positions
| Chart (1988–1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... ) |
49 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... ) |
5 |
| Belgium (VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... ) |
3 |
| Canada (RPM 100 Singles RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
22 |
| France (SNEP) | 8 |
| Germany (Media Control Top 100 Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
1 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
2 |
| Italy (Musica e Dischi Musica e Dischi Musica e Dischi is the oldest and most important music industry publication in Italy. It was founded in October 1945 in Milan, Italy on the initiative of the journalist and musicologist Aldo Mario De Luigi, a former senior record of VCM... ) |
5 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
6 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 34 |
| Norway (VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... ) |
3 |
| Spain (AFYVE) | 7 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
3 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... ) |
4 |
| U.K (The Official Charts Company) | 1 |
| U.S Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
5 |
| U.S R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 22 |
| U.S Adult Contemporary Singles | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1988) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Singles Chart | 53 |
| U.S Billboard Hot 100 | 89 |
| U.S Adult Contemporary Singles | 50 |
| U.S Pop Singles | 89 |
Certifications
| Region | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Germany (BVMI Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... ) |
Gold |
| United Kingdom (BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... ) |
Silver |
Chart procession and succession
See also
- List of European number-one hits of 1988
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1988 (U.S.)
- List of number-one singles from the 80's (UK)
- List of number-one hits of 1988 (Germany)
External links
- One Moment in Time at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...