The Impossible Dream & the American Dream

I spent some time a while back working on a new minus track for "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha, one of my favorite musicals. The track really turned out well and it got me thinking. Why does a song like this never becomes tiresome? Perhaps it is because the words and music are perfectly wed. Perhaps it is because of the insistant pasa doble rhythm. Perhaps it is the subtly inventive harmonic progression. Whatever it is, this song definitely fits in my category of 'perfect songs.' Some songs just can't be improved on, and never get tired in our ear (as long as they are given a good performance).

Though Man of La Mancha is technically about a Spanish noble that goes a little off the deep end, the way the story has been adapted and the nature of the songs, Don Quixote becomes a role model rather than satiric foil for romantic chilvalry . . . it is a distinctly American take on the subject. It definately makes me think about the nature of faith and how we individually view the world.

Is it more of use to us to see the world "as it is," or to see it as it should be? Outside of severe economic or environmental catastrophes, I believe that we create our own realities to a large extent. Which is more sane, to despair or to have hope? Perhaps the answer lies in seeing things as they are and how they could be and working to close the gap, always living 'as if' it is just a matter of time until the ideal is attained.

The musicals that have had the greatest impact on me are ones like Man of La Mancha that make me see both the reality and the ideal. They leave me with a feeling of hope for the future. That is the power of the American musical. It does not celebrate a culture of corruption and death (as so much modern European art and productions seem to), but of life and hope.

"The Impossible Dream" is our dream, the American dream, and despite what people might be saying, left or right, in the media about the death of that dream, it cannot die if we keep it in our hearts and do not give into despair. As long as we nurture the dream of 'liberty and justice for all' the dream will influence our actions and we will continue to make advances. When we give up our dreams and return to 'reality' - then we are in trouble.

"And the world will be better for this: that one man, scorned and covered with scars, still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars."