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Back in the early 1960s, a wonderful character came to the small screen in the form of Marine Private Gomer Pyle a television character played by Jim Nabors and introduced in the middle of the third season of The Andy Griffith Show. What you may not know is that Jim Nabors had a tremendous singing voice... and it is reintroduced here for all to hear in his performance of The Impossible Dream made famous by a number of artists... But first:
Here is a short background piece....
"A naïve and gentle auto mechanic, he became a character when actor Howard McNear, who portrayed Floyd Lawson, took a respite from the show for health reasons. Nabors played Pyle for 23 episodes, from 1962 to 1964.
Gomer is a naïve (merely due to his pure, uncorrupted, and non-degenerate mind), extremely moral auto mechanic turned United States Marine Corps PFC, from Mayberry, North Carolina. The only apparent employee at Wally's Filling Station, he initially lived there in a back room; and, according to Andy, was "saving up for college" and wanted to be a doctor.
Gomer Pyle - The Series:
At first Sergeant Carter was rankled and extremely irritated by the slow-witted Pyle, and dreamed of ways to rid himself of the private's presence. Over the course of the series, however, Carter began to tolerate Pyle, and even grew to respect him. Pyle, though always unconventional, developed into a good Marine, yet never went an episode without causing some degree of irritation for Carter. In the final episode, Gomer requests a transfer after realizing he is nothing but a source of constant anxiety for Carter. Carter, initially pleased with the request, later arranges for the transfer to be denied; and the episode ends with Carter insisting the two shake hands, not knowing Gomer's hand is covered in shellac."
LYRICS:
The Impossible Dream by Jim Nabors
"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)"
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest,
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest.
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 fight the unbeatable foe.
To reach the unreachable star.
Writer(s): Darion Joseph, Leigh Mitch
Jim Nabors, may you rest in peace...
______________________________________________________________________________
Here is a short background piece....
"A naïve and gentle auto mechanic, he became a character when actor Howard McNear, who portrayed Floyd Lawson, took a respite from the show for health reasons. Nabors played Pyle for 23 episodes, from 1962 to 1964.
Gomer is a naïve (merely due to his pure, uncorrupted, and non-degenerate mind), extremely moral auto mechanic turned United States Marine Corps PFC, from Mayberry, North Carolina. The only apparent employee at Wally's Filling Station, he initially lived there in a back room; and, according to Andy, was "saving up for college" and wanted to be a doctor.
Gomer Pyle - The Series:
At first Sergeant Carter was rankled and extremely irritated by the slow-witted Pyle, and dreamed of ways to rid himself of the private's presence. Over the course of the series, however, Carter began to tolerate Pyle, and even grew to respect him. Pyle, though always unconventional, developed into a good Marine, yet never went an episode without causing some degree of irritation for Carter. In the final episode, Gomer requests a transfer after realizing he is nothing but a source of constant anxiety for Carter. Carter, initially pleased with the request, later arranges for the transfer to be denied; and the episode ends with Carter insisting the two shake hands, not knowing Gomer's hand is covered in shellac."
LYRICS:
The Impossible Dream by Jim Nabors
"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)"
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest,
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest.
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 fight the unbeatable foe.
To reach the unreachable star.
Writer(s): Darion Joseph, Leigh Mitch
Jim Nabors, may you rest in peace...
______________________________________________________________________________
Music
Marines
Singing
People
Inspiration
Edited 4 y ago
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 13
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I definitely remember him singing. The first time I heard him sing I was caught totally off guard.
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SGT Robert Pryor
PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster - I feel as you do. I identify with about every word of that song. The words are so similar to my citation for the Distinguished Service Cross. The most powerful words for me are, "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 fight the unbeatable foe." The only thing is I am not "all" covered in scars. I never received any serious wounds to my face of my left arm. But the rest of my body is indeed covered in scars. Part of my DSC citation reads, "When reinforcements arrived, they found that Specialist Pryor had stood his ground, even after his two comrades had been killed and he himself had been seriously wounded." Yep, I definitely identify with that song, as do many Viet Nam veterans -- who were "Willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause."
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/5119
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/5119
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PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster
SGT Robert Pryor - I have one scar and the doctors are going to work on repairing it so I can see single vision again. I am beginning to create a Not For Profit to help those abused and those fleeing abuse.
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SGT Robert Pryor
PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster - You're a good person. Good luck with the surgery. I too have double vision. Mine was caused by my getting shot in the head a few times. I had the surgery, which helped, though it didn't solve the problem. As a whole, my life has been good so far.
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PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster
SGT Robert Pryor - My double vision is from at least 3 severe Concussions and a needle full of Penicillin being injected into a facial nerve. Prism lenses since 2009 and they said my surgery has to wait until the muscle in my eye 'blows'/inverts to my nose and I lose 62 pounds. The later is being done now as I type, but the first is scaring me. Just glad former SSGs of mine-Leis, Gregory, Ghee, Perrine and Cacho from 3/43 ADA SAVED my life by taking care of me and NOT letting me get conned into violating orders from a Colonel- because of a few idiots wanted me to get nailed for destroying Govt. Property (aka-ME!). Wishing I could thank them because I am alive, founded a Not For Profit to help battered women, children and runaways when we get fully operational and I remembered how they each saved my life and now I can help others.
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I actually seen here when I was stationed in Hawaii in the early 80's, he was going up Waikiki Blvd, me and another Marine yelled hey Jim Nabors and he waved back, seemed like a nice guy
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