After having taken piano lessons, Vangelis began his professional musical career working with several popular bands of the 1960s such as the Forminx and Aphrodite's Child, with the latter's album 666 going on to be recognized as a psychedelic classic. Throughout the 1970s, Vangelis composed music scores for several animal documentaries, including L'Apocalypse des Animaux, La Fête sauvage and Opéra sauvage; the success of these scores brought him into the film scoring mainstream. In the early 1980s, Vangelis formed a musical partnership with Jon Anderson, the lead singer of progressive rock band Yes, and the duo went on to release several albums together as Jon & Vangelis.
In 1981, he composed the score for the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. The soundtrack's single, the film's "Titles" theme, also reached the top of the American Billboard Hot 100 chart and was used as the background music at the London 2012 Olympics winners' medal presentation ceremonies. Vangelis also received acclaim for his synthesizer-based soundtrack for the 1982 film Blade Runner.
Having had a career in music spanning over 70 years and having composed and performed more than 50 albums, Vangelis is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of electronic music.
Vangelis was born 29 March 1943, in Agria, near Volos, Greece. Largely a self-taught musician, he reportedly began composing at the age of three. His earliest memory is "playing piano, some percussion and whatever else that was available that made a noise. Right from the start, I was only interested in playing my own music". He refused to take traditional piano lessons, and throughout his career did not have substantial knowledge of reading or writing musical notation. When he was six, Vangelis's parents enrolled him at a specialist music school in Athens. He recalls "I was lucky not to go because music schools close doors rather than open them". He studied painting, an art he still practices, at the Athens School of Fine Arts.
In 1989 received Max Steiner Award. France made Vangelis a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in 1992 and promoted to Commander in 2017, as well Chevalier de la Legion d’ Honneur in 2001. In 1993 received music award Apollo by Friends of the Athens National Opera Society. In 1995, Vangelis had a minor planet named after him (6354 Vangelis) by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (MPC) at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; the name was proposed by the MPC's co-director, Gareth V. Williams, rather than by the object's original discoverer, Eugène Joseph Delporte, who died in 1955, long before the 1934 discovery could be confirmed by observations made in 1990. In 1996 and 1997 was awarded at World Music Awards.
NASA conferred their Public Service Medal to Vangelis in 2003. The award is the highest honour the space agency presents to an individual not involved with the American government. Five years later, in 2008, the board of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens voted to make Vangelis an Honorary Doctor, making him Professor Emeritus at their Faculty of Primary Education. In June 2008, the American Hellenic Institute honoured Vangelis with an AHI Hellenic Heritage Achievement Award for his "exceptional artistic achievements" as a pioneer in electronic music and for his lifelong dedication to the promotion of Hellenism through the arts. On 16 September 2013, he received the honour of appearing on the Greek 80 cent postage stamp, as part of a series of six distinguished living personalities of the Greek Diaspora.
Anyone Can Light A Candle
Vangelis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But not the way that you do.
Anyone could light a candle.
Just like a flower in the rain,
You are unique, the same.
Each step you take,
Each dream you realize,
Will open your heart, your life.
But not the way that you do.
For if we look too close,
Pure magic we would be.
Pure magic we would see.
It's all around each one.
It's all around within.
The perfect union,
Close inside your dreams.
To watch in wonderment,
As each day begins.
They tell me
You can hear this song.
Anyone can light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
So if we look too close,
Pure magic we will be.
Pure magic we will see.
The lyrics to Vangelis's song "Anyone Can Light A Candle" convey a message of profound beauty and uniqueness. The opening lines, "Anyone could light a candle, But not the way that you do," suggest that while anyone has the ability to perform a simple act like lighting a candle, the way in which an individual does it can make all the difference. This serves as a metaphor for the idea that each person brings their own special touch and essence to everything they do, making it uniquely beautiful in its own right.
The comparison of the listener to "a flower in the rain" further emphasizes this idea of uniqueness and beauty in adversity. Despite facing challenges and difficulties, the listener is portrayed as standing out and blooming like a flower, remaining strong and resilient in the face of obstacles. The symbolism of the flower in the rain serves as a reminder that even in difficult times, one can still shine brightly and be a source of beauty and inspiration to others.
The lyrics also speak to the power of dreams and self-realization. Each step taken and dream realized is seen as a pathway to opening one's heart and life to new possibilities. The encouragement to embrace one's dreams and have them shape one's reality is a powerful reminder of the importance of perseverance and belief in oneself. The imagery of opening one's heart and life suggests a sense of vulnerability and authenticity, allowing oneself to be truly seen and embraced for who they are.
The song culminates in a message of magic and wonder that surrounds us all. The idea that pure magic can be found in the everyday moments and within ourselves is a powerful and uplifting sentiment. By taking a step back and looking at the world with a sense of wonderment and curiosity, we can uncover the beauty and magic that exists all around us. The call to listen to the song and embrace the magic within ourselves reinforces the idea that each individual has a unique and special light to share with the world, making them capable of lighting a candle in their own extraordinary way.
Line by Line Meaning
Anyone could light a candle,
It is a simple act that anyone can do.
But not the way that you do.
But the way you do it is special and unique.
Just like a flower in the rain,
You stand out and thrive in difficult situations.
You are unique, the same.
You are special and different, yet just like everyone else.
Each step you take,
Every action you take
Each dream you realize,
Every dream you achieve
Will open your heart, your life.
Will bring you joy and fulfillment.
For if we look too close,
If we pay too much attention
Pure magic we would be.
We will see the wonder and beauty in the world.
It's all around each one.
Magic and beauty is present in everyone.
It's all around within.
It is inside each person.
The perfect union,
A harmonious connection
Close inside your dreams.
Found within your dreams.
To watch in wonderment,
To observe in awe
As each day begins.
At the start of each new day.
They tell me You can hear this song.
They say that you can understand the deeper meaning of this message.
So if we look too close,
If we pay too much attention
Pure magic we will be.
We will become witnesses to the enchantment and beauty of life.
Pure magic we will see.
We will finally see the magic that surrounds us.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JON ANDERSON, . VANGELIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justotorres5600
Anyone could light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
Anyone could light a candle.
Just like a flower in the rain,
You are unique, the same.
Each step you take,
Each dream you realize,
Will open your heart, your life.
Anyone can light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
For if we look too close,
Pure magic we would be.
Pure magic we would see.
It's all around each one.
It's all around within.
The perfect union,
Close inside your dreams.
To watch in wonderment,
As each day begins.
They tell me
You can hear this song.
Anyone can light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
So if we look too close,
Pure magic we will be.
Pure magic we will see.
@melaniamonicacraciun9900
Pull out the most beloved childhood memories fans, Maestro Vangelis passed away , RIP beautiful monster, recalling his heavenly music is...this beautiful fans
@jerzygrzebieluch3765
RIP Vangelis, wanderful.
@justotorres5600
Anyone could light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
Anyone could light a candle.
Just like a flower in the rain,
You are unique, the same.
Each step you take,
Each dream you realize,
Will open your heart, your life.
Anyone can light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
For if we look too close,
Pure magic we would be.
Pure magic we would see.
It's all around each one.
It's all around within.
The perfect union,
Close inside your dreams.
To watch in wonderment,
As each day begins.
They tell me
You can hear this song.
Anyone can light a candle,
But not the way that you do.
So if we look too close,
Pure magic we will be.
Pure magic we will see.
@jeffschielka7845
Jon Anderson THE VOICE. THE MASTER. FOREVER YES!!!🎤🎤🎤
@cristds1950
Elian voice
@jankakowalska2813
Its so delicate ..gently ..its a magic ...beatifull
@innercosmiclight5686
✨So if we look too close, 🌟Pure magic we will be.
Pure magic we will see.💖Inside of the Heart💖
🌟The Light will be shine✨
@user-qn2np8jk1h
Beautiful music, I enjoy from the 80s, when I heard it for the first time, and to this day! Thank you so much and God bless you! From Ukraine with love.
@Mleczaki
R.I.P. Chris, one of the greatest composers of all time.... :-(
@elche529
JUST AMAZING. IT SHOULD HAVE WON A GRAMMY