Jim Nabors – Impossible Dream
An evening pause: Performed in season four, 1967, of the Gomer Pyle television show, where Nabors played Gomer Pyle as a country bumpkin. When he sang this, however, he shocked not only his sergeant, he surprised the nation, since few knew he was such a polished singer.
The song is from my childhood, when Americans were all hopeful, confident, and knew their nation’s real history, based on liberty and freedom, a history that had strived consistently to achieve that for everyone.
Hat tip Tom Biggar.
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Remember watching that episode.
Yeah, I’m old.
I’m old enough to remember Jim Nabors singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” before the start of each year’s Indy 500.
I read he did it from 1972 – 2014.
I remember when he came out as gay pundits wondered if the conservative race crowd would still welcome him. They welcomed him just as warmly as previous years.
Robert wrote: “The song is from my childhood, when Americans were all hopeful, confident, and knew their nation’s real history, based on liberty and freedom, a history that had strived consistently to achieve that for everyone.”
As I recall, Private (First Class) Pyle, in that episode, was having a crisis of confidence singing this song in front of so many people in Washington DC. He was urged on by someone who reminded him of the bravery of those who founded the country, the ones in the statues and monuments all around him.
He and Fannie Flagg were Alabama’s best.
Jeff, I’d add Willie Mays and Hank Aaron to that list.