As Florida and Houston square off in the men’s NCAA Tournament national championship game in San Antonio, the college basketball world is within earshot of another rendition of March Madness’ greatest tradition:

The playing of “One Shining Moment.”

Debuted after the 1987 NCAA Tournament, where Indiana defeated Syracuse in the national championship game for its fifth national title in program history, “One Shining Moment” has become the quintessential soundtrack and perfect way to close out March Madness every season since.

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Since then, “One Shining Moment” has been played at every men’s NCAA Tournament and includes roars, cries, celebration leaps, buzzer beaters and more from that season’s run through March Madness.

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA men’s tournament bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

Here’s what you need to on “One Shining Moment,” including who sings the song and more:

Who sings ‘One Shining Moment’ for March Madness?

Though there have been numerous renditions of “One Shining Moment,” the one used for March Madness was written and composed by David Barrett and sung by Luther Vandross, as previously noted by For The Win.

“I knew the minute I wrote it that I had something. I’m a Hemingway kind of guy and I knew I had a big one on the line,” Barrett said in a March Madness documentary in 2016.

As the legend goes, Barrett wrote the song while living in New York and gave it to his friend, former Sports Illustrated writer Armen Keteyian, who would then bring the demo tape to CBS in 1987.

“I was staying at his apartment and said to Armen, who was a writer for Sports Illustrated at the time, ‘Hey man, I wrote a song about basketball and I think I really got it,” Barrett said in the documentary.

Added Keteyian, who told Barrett to record it and send a demo to him: “This cassette shows up in the mail and I listen to it. I got chills listening to it. I said to him, ‘Dave this is incredible. It’s a terrific anthem for college basketball.”

When did ‘One Shining Moment’ debut at March Madness?

“One Shining Moment” debuted at the conclusion of the 1987 men’s NCAA Tournament.

However, the song wasn’t purchased by CBS for the NCAA Tournament. Instead, it was supposed to be used for Super Bowl 21 on CBS between the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos. That was, until it never played.

Per Barrett, the Super Bowl broadcast went long on CBS that day.

“When it wasn’t there, needless to say I was disappointed,” Barrett said. “Two, three weeks later (CBS Sports executive) Doug Towey called me again and said, ‘Dave we love this song. We have the tournament coming up and we think it will be a perfect fit. What do you think?'”

To a quick response, Barrett said “That’s a great idea” to Towey — and one of March Madness’ greatest traditions was born.

‘One Shining Moment’ lyrics

Here’s the lyrics for “One Shining Moment:”

“The ball is tippedAnd there you areYou’re running for your lifeYou’re a shooting starAnd all the yearsNo one knowsJust how hard you workedBut now it shows…(in) One Shining Moment, it’s all on the lineOne Shining Moment, there frozen in time…

But time is shortAnd the road is longIn the blinking of an eyeAh that moment’s goneAnd when it’s doneWin or loseYou always did your bestCuz inside you knew…(that) One Shining Moment, you reached deep insideOne Shining Moment, you knew you were alive…

Feel the beat of your heartFeel the wind in your faceIt’s more than a contestIt’s more than a race…

And when it’s doneWin or loseYou always did your bestCuz inside you knew…(that) One Shining Moment, you reached for the skyOne Shining Moment, you knewOne Shining Moment, you were willing to tryOne Shining Moment, you knewOne Shining Moment….“

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