Rod Stewart Opens The Commonwealth Games
Rod Stewart - Photo By Ros O'Gorman, Noise11. Photo

Rod Stewart - Photo By Ros O'Gorman

Rod Stewart Opens The Commonwealth Games

by Paul Cashmere on July 24, 2014

in News

Rod Stewart has officially anthemed in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with his classic ‘Rhythm Of My Heart’.

40,000 sports fans were at Celtic Park in Glasgow to hear Stewart belt out the classic, which was actually written by Canadian Marc Jordan and ex-Australian John Capek in 1983. Jordan flew to Glasgow to watch Stewart perform his song.

Stewart performed the song at the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony to a sea of tartan and the sound of bagpipes.

As it turned out Stewart was the “support act” to Susan Boyle who came on next to single the Paul and Linda McCartney classic ‘Mull of Kintyre”.

The final performance was Celtic music star Robert Lovie leading the crowd to ‘God Save The Queen’ (unfortunately, not the Sex Pistols songs).

‘Rhythm Of My Heart’ was written for Dutch rock singer René Sgumanfor his 1986 debut album ‘René’. Stewart covered the song for his 1991 album ‘Vagbond Heart’ and made it a global hit.

Stewart’s version reached no 1 in Canada and Ireland, no. 2 in Australia, no. 3 in the UK and no. 4 in the USA.

In Ireland, the song was preceded at no. 1 by The Simpsons ‘Do The Bartman’ and replaced at no. 1 by The Simpsons ‘Deep Deep Trouble’.

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