Songs unknowingly serve as a lens on how we see the world. Are you an optimist or pessimist? (What songs shape your worldview?)
One of the few positive songs that colored my outlook in my youth was Climb Ev'ry Mountain. This is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “The Sound of Music.”
The song is sung in the first act by the Mother Superior at an Austrian Abby to Maria, an aspiring novice who is ill-suited for becoming a nun.
The song is a powerful encouragement to an idealistic youth who needs inspiration to continue to take every step towards finding her dreams. (Even if those dreams need further definition.)
What does that have to do with me? I just tagged along.
The staying power of this challenging musical piece is witnessed by its recent use by a contestant in the Dutch version of American Idol. (Listen to this!)
These are the lyrics of Climb Ev'ry Mountain for your consideration:
Climb every mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,
Every path you know.
Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
'Till you find your dream.
A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.
Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream
A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life,
For as long as you live.
Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream.
I can’t remember if I heard this song first when Sound of Music made it to TV, or if I heard it first in a high school version in the mid-60’s. Regardless, it stuck, and it inspired.
The song inspired me that one option in life is to define and pursue your dreams. Yes, there will be obstacles. Yes, it will take all the “umph” you can muster, but dreams can be found, and dreams are worth finding.
This song presents life as a quest and a calling. To the budding optimist it becomes a model of a life of meaning and purposeful risk-taking. The possibility of an ideal life is offered where work is not just a job or career, but a vocation!
Songs such as this enables me to replace a sigh with renewed vigor. To inspire means: “to give breath.”
Are you inspired? Or are you out of breath?
(What’s on your play-list?)
Bonus: In a previous post I highlighted The Impossible Dream. Here is Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle singing it. (I think this was the first time I heard the song.)
There's been a lot of Sighing tonight.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding breath, but not yet renewed.
My playlist at the moment is "Cure for the Pain" by Jon Foreman (of switchfoot).
All this will make it to my blog in the next week or so. Thanks for the encouragement, I needed it.
I'm still thinking about my playlist... i'll get back to you on this one... there are so many amazing songs that make up my soundtrack. It doesn't help that I'm a music kid:)
ReplyDeleteBy the way thanks for the post to the Dutch American Idol show... the song was fantastic, but what was even better is that I speak Dutch... One of my dreams was to become an exchange student and learn a new language... I went to holland and learned dutch... How fitting for the song and your post. :)
Thanks!