Crowded House may well have had the second Tokyo Olympics in mind when they so passionately suggested that we should not dream it was over.
The pandemic's efforts to build a wall between the athletes of the world failed.
They obeyed the command of Thomas Bach in Rio in 2016 to assemble in Tokyo - albeit one year later than he had urged.
In the most immediate connotation Tokyo 2020 in 2021 is not yet over.
The Paralympics will run from August 24 to September 5 and as always will keep the flame burning for that little bit longer.
Such were the extraordinary commitments made by so many to ensure both Games went ahead this year that they will surely be the most remembered of all editions of each.
Make no mistake - the drive and will of both the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese organisers were essential and should not be forgotten in the historical perspective.
But as always it will be the performances and achievements of the athletes that will be the most memorable.
Fortunately, the athletics session schedule provided a four- or five-hour break each day so there was a chance for us to take a look at other sports - even if in this case on the box just like everyone at home.
The new sports were a particular fascination with so many unknowns.
I switched on the final of the men's freestyle BMX park final expecting to see teenagers in grunge kit battling it out - only to find late-20s early-30s blokes in mechanics-wear in full force.
They looked so uncomfortable on those tiny bikes furiously peddling to get to the next take-off opportunity.
But they were brilliant - none more so than self-styled Aussie-bogan gold medallist Logan Martin.
Perhaps Australia's new sport medal hopes had always been focused on surfing and there was a bronze there for Owen Wright, but it was in the concrete parks where the country excelled.
Keegan Palmer's skateboarding exploits are still on the "to be watched" list for me but I am already more comfortable with the fact that he is actually in his teens even if his bank balance is, as reported, more fitting someone three times his age.
Chuffed for him and all of us that he has gold around his neck as well.
Sport climbing was always on a tough road to make a big impression at its first Olympics.
Allocated a single set of medals each for a men's and women's event, the sport could not make a decision on which of its disciplines it should favour, so it invented one that none of its top competitors actually did.
Those selected did their best to master all of speed, lead and bouldering - although success in the latter element seemed in the end to be determined by who didn't fall off.
Paris will be a much fairer test with two medal events for each sex.
Karate's one-off, at least for the time being, appearance was cute if nothing else.
It got two sets of medals - opting for kata and kumite.
The distinctive gloves and slippers of the latter were for many the only differentiation from the more established Games sport of taekwondo, but kata was like nothing else.
But as a couple of colleagues noted - just why was it decided to have head-to-head battles in a discipline based on individual demonstration of the sport's myriad techniques?
Tokyo was on the other hand the last appearance for some events - most notably the 50km race walk in athletics.
Always a discipline only for men - it was eventually cast out after intense lobbying by a women's action group.
Instead of achieving their desired aim of getting the event recognised for women, they got the event deleted altogether.
There is a plan for a mixed 35km race in Paris - but right now there is no clear concept of how that might work.
Also on the discontinued list, again sadly for Australia, is the men's 470 sailing class.
Mat Belcher and Will Ryan had only to avoid disqualification in the medal race to win gold in Tokyo but showed their brilliance by winning it regardless.
It will be a mixed class only in Paris.
