We Came to Bring the Fire was composed by two USC Thornton School of Music graduates.

It was selected by Coliseum officials after a special audition to celebrate a stadium used as the centrepiece for both the 1932 and 1984 Olympics, and is set to stage events again during Los Angeles 2028.

"We came to bring the fire, hold it higher, we came to bring the fire, for the fighters, victory," the refrain says.

It had been written by former students Ella Collier and Sam Vendig.

"I would say the song is an empathetic fire starter to get people riled up about the legacy and the future of the Coliseum," Vendig, who graduated in 2017, said.

"I think the energy is victorious and, even though we don’t explicitly say it, it's about unifying people and bringing people together in these huge moments where so many people get to share in this experience of being there and being entertained."

Co-composer Collier completed her studies last year.

"I feel like this is a family affair, and that none of us are doing this alone." Collier said.

"A lot of my career and job opportunities have come from being a USC alum, and Sam and I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for USC."

The pair had worked round the clock to complete the song in less than a week.

"We asked Thornton alumni to come back to their alma mater and to draw on the skills they honed here as music students, to write and compose original songs in celebration of the Coliseum's 100th anniversary," USC Thornton School of Music dean Jason King explained,

"What’s exciting is that the project has grown to include not only alumni, but also current students and faculty from Thornton in addition to our friends and partners across the university. 

"The fact that the project has brought so many people together who are in some way connected to Thornton’s past and present seems like a fitting way to celebrate the centennial."

"All the song entries were inspiring, which made selecting a winner immensely challenging," Coliseum general manager Joe Furin admitted.

"We Came to Bring the Fire stood out because it truly embodies the resiliency and enduring spirit that defines both the Coliseum and USC and perfectly pays homage to our extensive history while looking ahead with fresh energy."

The song had its premiere during the half time interval of the USC Trojans' college match against Utah Utes last weekend.

This was appropriate because the first major sporting event at the Coliseum had been a Trojans match against Pomona Sagehens 100 years ago.

In 1923, the Trojans won 23-7 but were unable to reproduce the victory last weekend as Utah returned home with a win by 34-32.

The Coliseum had been built in order to commemorate those who had died in World War One.

Although it has also hosted shows by the likes of the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen and The Who, perhaps the most striking music performance had come at the 1984 Olympics when 84 pianists performed Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.