Jazz

The song “What a Wonderful World” was written by jazz record producer Bob Thiele (credited as George Douglas), and songwriter/music business heavyweight George David Weiss. Louis Armstrong was the first to record it, and he released it as a single in 1967 backed with “Cabaret.” With its message of hope, “What a Wonderful World” aimed to be an answer to the violence and conflict occurring in the U.S. over racial issues and the Vietnam War. Thiele and Weiss felt that Armstrong was an artist who could bring people together. The song was an international hit. It went to #12 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary Chart, #1 in the U.K. and Austria. It was #2 in Denmark and Ireland and in the Top 20 in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Norway.  The song has been featured in many films (e.g., The Kennedy Years (JFK Remembered) and Good Morning, Vietnam) and television shows (e.g., House, MD, Moonlighting, and The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy).

Here are the lyrics to “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong:

“I see trees of green,
red roses too.
I see them bloom,
for me and you.
And I think to myself,
what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white.
The bright blessed day,
The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow,
So pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces,
Of people going by,
I see friends shaking hands.
Saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying,
‘I love you.’

I hear babies cry,
I watch them grow,
They’ll learn much more,
Than I’ll ever know.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

Yes, I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

Oh yeah.”

For another song by Louis Armstrong: “‘Zat You Santa Claus,” which is on Pass the Paisley’s sister site The Daily Doo Wop.

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong.