London 2012 Closes Out "Happy and Glorious Games"

(ATR) London 2012 comes to a dramatic close with a big singalong in the Olympic Stadium.

Lots of literary references in this closing ceremony show, just underway, with British actor Timothy Spall playing Winston Churchill and reciting from Shakespeare's "The Tempest".

There are cars and trucks covered in newsprint that appear to be crashing amid a cacophony of noise.

The crowd is a bit perplexed as IOC president Jacques Rogge is ushered in along with Prince Harry. Then the national anthem is sung after which Rod and Delboy's Robin Reliant from British sitcom "Only Fools and Horses" explodes with the words of Michael Caine reverberating around the stadium: "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off".

After Madness perform "Our House", Blur's "Parklife" is the next big hit as a band of beefeaters play their trombones and assorted instruments down on thetrack turned into a road around a representation of the Union flag in the middle of the venue.

The athletes paraded in, and although they are supposed to come in mixed together, most stayed with their teams, leaving splashes of the same color on the Union Jack-shaped stage.

As the Pet Shop Boys played "West End Girls," the flagbearers marched to the outside of the stage.

This was London’s party for the athletes, and some lay down on their backs to relax.

A total of 303 white boxes, representing the 303 Olympic events, formed a pyramid on the stage on which highlights of the past 16 days were projected. Winners and losers, tears and triumphs, were depicted in the film by the BBC.

The men’s marathon, which once finished in the main stadium during the Closing Ceremony, was held earlier Sunday on the streets of London. But the tradition continued of awarding the medals at the ceremony. For many spectators, this was the only victory ceremony they saw in person. The medals were presented by Rogge, and Lamine Diack, president of the IAAF, gave the flowers.

The ceremony saved time when one planned segment was cancelled. Because of controversy in the election procedure, the IOC was unable to present four new members of the Athletes Commission.

After recognition of the 70,000 GamesMaker volunteers – were there only 70,000, there seemed like more – the performers showed the volunteers with petals. While the volunteers will no doubt miss this unforgettable experience, they will probably be relieved to get out of those purple and rust-colored uniforms.

The stadium then fell into darkness.

The stadium seat then lit up, looking like radio waves, as Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody" played and segued into a children’s choir singing John Lennon’s "Imagine," joined by the Beatle himself on the screen (alongside Yoko Ono). Then 101 fragments of a broken sculpture form Lennon's face on the stadium floor and the words "Imagine Peace" then appeared on the screen.

George Michael then sings Freedom, standing alone in the center of the stadium and getting a huge roar from the crowd. "London, remember right now, you are in the center of the universe," Michael said. He sang "White Light" accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra. A total of 70,799 small panels were mounted between the seats to create the audience pixel screens.

Now it was time for "Pinball Wizard, performed by the Kaiser Chiefs. After a tribute to David Bowie, eight huge billboards showed fashion models as part of the fashion piece. The billboards came down to reveal real models. The Union Jack appeared as eight shimmering catwalks.

Attention was then drawn to the Olympic cauldron, as clouds of smoke surrounded it. A dark skeletal ship emerged and Annie Lenox was revealed as the ship’s figurehead, her powerful voice resonating around the arena.

Tightrope-walking businessmen shook hands, then one burst into flames, recreating a Pink Floyd album cover, "Wish You Were Here."

The psychedelic segment of the show featured none other than Russell Brand singing "Pure Imagination" from "Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," while riding on a multi-colored bus. He then went into yet another Beatles tune in the musical cavalcade, this time "I Am the Walrus."

The bus morphed into a fluorescent octopus with tentacles and Fatboy Slim added the funk. Even Wenlock would have been jealous of this transformation. Jessie J came in singing on the back of a convertible and then Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz emerged from the backs of other convertibles for some rap. When they all sang, "You Should be Dancin'" the athletes sort of swayed.

And then yes! What everyone really wanted: A large squadron of London’s iconic black cabs stormed the stadium, honking their horns. Five of them lit up with multi-colored designs and out popped the Spice Girls. "Tell me what you want, what you really, really want?" They then clambered atop the cabs, quite a feat given their high heels, and their cabs circled the track nearly as fast as Mo Farah had the night before (OK, maybe they were faster).

Eric Idle pretended to be shot out of a cannon, then sang, "Always Look on the Bright Side of life." Then an even bigger cannon came out and a man was shot onto a giant net and was unharmed in the process.

An image of Freddie Mercury sings the call and response "Deyo, deyo," from a live concert at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Mercury also made a filmed appearance at the 1992 Olympic Games, singing "Barcelona" with Montserrat Caballe. Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen bandmates played, joining Jessie Jay for the classic "We Will Rock You."

The Greek flag is raised and national anthem played. London mayor Boris Johnson, known for his charisma and quick wit, gets the Olympic flag and passes it on to IOC president Jacques Rogge who hands it over to mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes.

That’s a special moment. Rio 2016 is the first time a South American country will host the Olympics.

Big cheers and samba sounds signal the start of the section devoted to Rio 2016.

Singer Marisa Monte is involved in a piece mixed with indigenous rhythms. She references the goddess of the sea Yemanja, who is celebrated on New Year’s Eve on the beach of Copacabana.

Big fireworks finish after some neat choreography shows what we can expect in Rio – a carnival of sport and fun. Pele was down there too, showing off his trademark grin.

Seb Coe gets massive cheer as he steps up to speak. "We lit the flame and we lit up the world."

"We have shown ourselves worthy of that trust," he said, cue more applause.

"Thanks to all those involved," special mention to those who stood guard to keep us safe, reference to military personnel who were drafted in at the last minute to help with venue security.

But it’s the volunteers who get the biggest ovation, athletes joining in too.

"We can say that these were a Games by everyone."

Olympians, those stood in front of him, get a lovely mention.

Emotional Coe choking up a bit: "What we have begun will not stop now. The spirit of these Olympics will inspire a generation"

"I said these Games will see the best of us. When our time came Britain we did it right, thank you"

The crowd responds by giving Coe a standing ovation. Emotional moment for many people involved in organizing these Games over seven years. A lot of lumps in throats around stadium, as well as in press box.

Rogge applauds LOCOG for their hard work and the Olympians who had contributed to the Olympics: "These were happy and glorious Games," he summed up before declaring the London Olympics closed.

The cauldron, which burned inside the stadium on the ends of metal rods that started as petals, then had to be extinguished.

Just as its formation was a surprise, it went out with a blaze of glory, sinking down to a semicircle shape as fireworks went off behind it and a phoenix appeared and Take That performed.

After prima ballerina Darcey Bussell flew in on a phoenix and joined dancers from Rio for a fiery number, the rods were lowered still further and the flames flickered out. Each competing team will take home one of the petals of the cauldron.

The Who burst into "Baba O'Riley" and segued into "See Me, Feel Me." A montage of faces on a screen symbolize the unity the Games have brought to the UK and around rhe world.

The Who then get the last word in this symphony of British music, singing My Generation. After all, the theme of these Olympic Games was "Inspire a Generation."That while My Generation played confetti filled the air.

Reported by Karen Rosen.

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