"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It is the best known tune from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole.
According to composer Mitch Lee in Soul Music - The Impossible Dream, BBC Radio 4, 2011, the original lyricist was WH Auden. "But there were disagreements with Wasserman, the book's writer, on how to adapt it. So he left."
The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest". It is reprised partially three more times – the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition.
A version recorded by Jack Jones peaked at No. 35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.
Leigh received the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame for the song. [1]
"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" | ||||
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Single by Jack Jones | ||||
from the album The Impossible Dream | ||||
B-side | "Strangers in the Night" | |||
Released | April 1966 | |||
Recorded | April 4, 1966 | |||
Studio | Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City | |||
Genre | Traditional pop | |||
Length | 2:17 | |||
Label | Kapp | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh | |||
Producer(s) | Pete King | |||
Jack Jones singles chronology | ||||
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During Robert F. Kennedy's long shot campaign for the presidency in 1968, Senator George McGovern introduced him before a South Dakota stump speech by quoting from "The Impossible Dream". Afterwards Kennedy questioned McGovern whether he really thought it was impossible. McGovern replied, "No, I don't think it's impossible. I just... wanted the audience to understand it's worth making the effort, whether you win or lose." Kennedy replied, "Well, that's what I think." [7] It was actually Robert Kennedy's favorite song. After Kennedy's death, McGovern inherited many of that campaign's delegates in the 1968 Democratic National Convention; [8] Peter, Paul and Mary performed the song live to welcome McGovern as he arrived for the event.
One of Kennedy's close friends, Andy Williams, was one of many vocal artists of the Sixties that recorded the song. [7] The song was also a favorite of younger brother Ted Kennedy and was performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell at his memorial service in 2009. [9]
The song was a favorite of Philippine hero Evelio Javier, the assassinated governor of the province of Antique in the Philippines, and the song has become a symbol of his sacrifice for democracy. Javier was shot and killed in the plaza of San Jose, Antique, during the counting following the 1986 snap election, an act which contributed to the peaceful overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos by Cory Aquino in the People Power Revolution. Every year, Javier is remembered on Evelio Javier Day and the song is featured. The song's lyrics are written in brass on a monument in the plaza where he was shot.
The 1967 Red Sox were baseball's big surprise that season. Coming off nine straight years of finishing ninth or tenth in the American League, they surprised the baseball world, under rookie manager Dick Williams, by winning the American League pennant, before losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Seven of the World Series. During that season, the Red Sox became known as "The Impossible Dream Red Sox", and have been known as such ever since. [10] [11] [12] [13]
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. It is said that their breakthrough made it possible for future African-American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.
Man of La Mancha is a 1965 musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes and his 17th-century novel Don Quixote. It tells the story of the "mad" knight Don Quixote as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. The work is not and does not pretend to be a faithful rendition of either Cervantes' life or Don Quixote. Wasserman complained repeatedly about people taking the work as a musical version of Don Quixote.
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Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations is a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broadcast of the Supremes/Temptations TCB television special, the album was a success, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200. Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations spent four weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
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Dale Wasserman was an American playwright, perhaps best known for his book, Man of La Mancha.
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The Impossible Dream may refer to:
The 1967 Boston Red Sox season was the 67th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished first in the American League (AL) with a record of 92 wins and 70 losses. The team then faced the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals in the 1967 World Series, which the Red Sox lost in seven games.
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