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.
2006:
Johnny Hallyday in the French translation titled La Quête on the live albums Flashback Tour : Palais des sports 2006 and La Cigale : 12-17 décembre 2006
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. 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.[8]
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 Elections, 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.
Baseball
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.[9][10][11][12]