"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. It was written for the 1965 musical Man of La Mancha. It is the main song from the musical and became its most popular hit.
The song is sung all the way through once in the musical 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.
It is also an impoteant song sung at Governor's Program for Gifted Children each year to close off the end of the session.
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Recordings and live versions
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Daniel Guidice 2008 CRHS
- Paco Arrojo (Best Musical Singer In Spain)
- Richard Kiley (on the original Broadway cast album of Man of La Mancha)
- Simon Gilbert (provided the singing voice for Peter O'Toole in the 1972 film adaptation of the play, and on the soundtrack album)
- Diana Ross and the Supremes
- Keith Michell (on the 2-LP London cast album of the show)
- Robert Goulet (on the album collection Robert Goulet on Broadway)
- Cher (on the album Backstage)
- Ed Ames (on an LP)
- Tom Jones
- Jack Jones (with altered lyrics; this version hit the U.S. Top 40 and went to number one on the U.S. adult contemporary chart in 1966)
- The Imperials (on the album New Dimensions (1968))
- Andy Williams
- Gordon MacRae
- Georg Ots
- Elvis Presley (on his album Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden)
- Scott Walker (on his TV series in 1969 and on his album Scott: Scott Walker Sings Songs from his TV Series)
- Johnny Mathis (1969)
- Matt Monro
- The Lettermen
- Roger Whitaker
- Eddie Murphy
- Frank Sinatra (on his 1966 album That's Life)
- Jacques Brel (on the French cast album L'Homme de la Mancha)
- Maynard Ferguson (on his album The Ballad Style of Maynard Ferguson (1972)
- Carter USM (on their 1992 album 1992 - The Love Album)
- Lena Martell (on her album One Day at a Time - The Ultimate Collection)
- Ron Raines (on the cast recording of the 2000 Covent Garden revival of Man of la Mancha)
- Colm Wilkinson (on his album Stage Heroes)
- Placido Domingo (on the 1996 studio cast recording of Man of la Mancha)
- The Temptations (on their 1967 album The Temptations in a Mellow Mood)
- Anthony Warlow (on his 1990 album Centre Stage)
- Scott Bakula (in 1993 on the soundtrack to Quantum Leap)
- Sarah Connor (on her 2007 album Soulicious)
- Rolando Villazón
- The Vogues (on their album Turn Around, Look At Me)
- Jim Nabors (twice - once on an album entitled Love Me With All Your Heart and once on a 1972 studio cast album of Man of La Mancha)
- Luther Vandross
- Glen Campbell
- Roberta Flack
- Linda Eder (from Broadway, My Way (2003))
- Brian Stokes Mitchell (on the cast album of the 2002 revival of Man of La Mancha)
- Roger Whitaker
- Shirley Bassey
- Gé Korsten (on his 2004 CD The Heart & Soul)
- The Smothers Brothers (on their 1968 album Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour)
- Shani Wallis (on her album As Long As He Needs Me Kapp KS-3573)
- Christopher Lee (on his album "Revelation")
- The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (recorded for the 2009 7" Impossible Dream)
- Tevin Campbell (On Rhythm Of The Games 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Album by LaFace Records)
- The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- Rhydian Roberts
- Corey Benjamin Moss (Junior Players - Great Neck North)
- Georg Ots (in Estonian language) [1]
- Maria Bethânia (Brazilian version)
- Susan Boyle
- Scott Bakula (On Quantum Leap (season 2 episode "Catch A Falling Star")
- Donna Summer Sang this as the encore during her tours from 1987 to 1990. Several clips are on "youtube".
- Alfio (on his album Classic Rewinds)
- Florence Ballard (On her Album
The Supreme Florence Ballard ) - Roy Tugbang
- Il Divo Sang this as their encore number during their 2009 World Tour.
- The Republic Tigers on the iTunes tribute album, His Way, Our Way
- Jennifer Hudson at the NAACP Image Awards
- Brian Stokes Mitchell sang this at the memorial service of Senator Edward M. Kennedy
- Bryn Terfel
- The Republic Tigers
- Joe Longthorne
Sarah Connor version
| "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Sarah Connor | ||||
| from the album Soulicious | ||||
| B-side | "Soulicious" | |||
| Released | 30 March 2007 | |||
| Format | CD single, CD maxi single, digital download | |||
| Recorded | Saal 4 (Berlin, Germany) | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 3:35 | |||
| Label | X-Cell | |||
| Writer(s) | Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh | |||
| Producer | Kay D., Rob Tyger | |||
| Sarah Connor singles chronology | ||||
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German singer–songwriter Sarah Connor covered the song for her cover-based album, Soulicious (2007). Released as the album's lead single on 30 March 2007, her version debuted and peaked at number eight on the German Singles Chart. It was also featured in a publicity campaign for German boxer Henry Maske's comeback fight.
Track listings
- European CD single
- "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" – 3:35
- "Soulicious" – 3:47
- European CD maxi single
- "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" – 3:35
- "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" (Gospel-Fight-Nite-Version) – 3:35
- "Soulicious" – 3:47
- "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" (Video) – 3:38
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart[1] | 25 |
| European Hot 100 Singles[2] | 28 |
| German Singles Chart[1] | 8 |
| Swiss Singles Chart[1] | 19 |
In popular culture
The song is strongly associated with the 1967 Boston Red Sox, as their pennant-winning season was popularly dubbed "The Impossible Dream." [3]
In 2005, a two-minute-long television advertisement for Honda used the Andy Williams recording as a soundtrack. It was named "Television Advertisement of the Year" in the British Television Advertising Awards.
As a fitting tribute, the song was recently adopted as Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. official football anthem tune in their quest for the English Premier League which helped them reach promotion on 18th April, 2009.
The song is also spoofed by British comedian John Cleese as part of his December 1977 appearance on The Muppet Show. For the show's closing number, as the opening chords of The Impossible Dream play in the background, Kermit the Frog introduces a rather bewildered Cleese - who immediately demands to speak with Kermit. Cleese then tells the frog that he refuses to sing old show tunes. Kermit apologizes and a few seconds later, the curtain reopens, this time with Cleese dressed as a Viking, as Sweetums attempts to duet with him in Wagnerian opera. Cleese isn't thrilled with this either,so they try putting him in a Mexican maraca solo costume. When Cleese tells Kermit that "there's no way I'll do a song", the pigs and monsters he didn't want to work with are brought out on stage.
JOHN: You were supposed to be my host. How could you do this to me? Kermit - I am your guest!
CAST: (singing to "Impossible Dream") This is your guest - To follow that star...
The Pinky and the Brain episode "Mouse of la Mancha" parodies the entire play affectionately, and Richard Stone's re-working of the song features heavily, re-titled "(To Scheme) The Impossible Scheme".
References
- ^ a b c "Sarah Connor – The Impossible Dream – Music Charts". αCharts.us. http://acharts.us/song/12488. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
- ^ "Sarah Connor Album & Song Chart History – European Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/sarah-connor/chart-history/481431?f=349&g=Singles. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
- ^ ""Impossible Dream" remembered on Opening Day". 9 April 2007. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070409&content_id=1888385&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ^ "John Cleese appearance on the Muppet Show, as cited on Muppet Central Web site". muppetcentral.com. http://www.muppetcentral.com/guides/episodes/tms/season2/47_cleese.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
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