London Calling - Olympic song needed for 2012 Games

Baddiel and Skinner's "Three Lions" is synonymous with football's Euro '96

Think back to the great sporting contests of days gone by, and a show-stopping theme or piece of music can often be its making.

For example, are there any football fans out there that can look back at the 1990 World Cup without a fond recollection of its anthem "Nessun Dorma"?

What about the 1992 Olympics and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and opera singer Montserrat Caballe's "Barcelona"? Or the 1995 Rugby World Cup's "World in Union"? Even Rocky knocking out Apollo Creed to Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"?

606: DEBATE

What would your 2012 theme be?

All right, that last one was a cheat of sorts, but the real examples are lengthy in number - and yet how does one select the ideal anthem for the 2012 London Olympics?

Do you plump for a classical piece? A pop song? Something old, something new, something borrowed, something by Blue?

According to 2,057 adults questioned by the Association of British Orchestras (ABO), 14% favoured a pop song and 48% believed any 2012 theme should be played by a British orchestra.

And the Association of British Orchestras director Mark Pemberton says: "Clearly we understand you cannot take a piece of music and expect it to fit.

"You would need to find an exciting piece of music which has the requisite passion and is evocative of Britain and London - or just go the other way and write a new work.

"Either would be great but I can see merit in trying to find a sound of today."

How about a mix of the Clash's "London Calling", over the strings of "Jerusalem" with, maybe, Dizzee Rascal doing a rap version of "We Are the Champions" as an extended outro then?

A London 2012 spokesman said: "We are looking to be able to cater for all musical tastes and for that reason all music genres will be represented from pop to classical across our music programmes which include ceremonies and the Cultural Olympiad."

The floor, it would appear, is open to suggestions…