Charlie Skarbek

Charlie Skarbek (Charles John Skarbek, born 1953) is a singer, record producer, composer and lyricist. He has worked with many celebrated musicians from both the classical and popular fields.

Despite flourishing from circa 1985 to date, there is little biographical detail available on Skarbek. He has been one of the more significant éminences grises in British popular music. He never features as principal performer, but his name nevertheless appears in the credits for numerous tracks and albums in this time. His particular speciality, of putting pop lyrics to famous classical musical themes and hymn tunes, is doubtless anathema to purists. However, it will have brought awareness of some of this invaluable music to millions (see references to classical pieces in the list below). He is also noted for providing 'anthems' relating to sporting events.

He is perhaps best known for the lyrics he set to music originally from the central section of Jupiter, the fourth movement from Gustav Holst's suite The Planets to create "World in Union". The tune, also known as "Thaxted", had previously been used for the patriotic song "I Vow to Thee, My Country" and in various other word-settings.

Skarbek made this setting in response to a commission by World Rugby in 1991, and it has been used as the tournament's anthem on many occasions since.Dame Kiri Te Kanawa recorded the first version of this song for the 1991 Rugby World Cup; Shirley Bassey and Bryn Terfel recorded a version in 1999; Hayley Westenra recorded a version for The Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, and Paloma Faith recorded a version of the song for ITV's coverage of the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

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