What a Wonderful World

Lore & Background

Bob Thiele, using the pseudonym George Douglas, co-wrote the song with George Weiss. Thiele said the inspiration came during the mid-1960s amid the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, and racial strife, aiming to write a 'different' song specifically for Louis Armstrong. George Weiss stated he wrote the song for Armstrong, inspired by his ability to bring together people of different races. One source claims the song was first offered to Tony Bennett, who turned it down, but Armstrong biographer Ricky Riccardi disputes this. Armstrong recorded the song at Bill Porter's United Recording studio in Las Vegas after his midnight show at the Tropicana Hotel. ABC Records president Larry Newton, who wanted a swingy pop song like "Hello, Dolly!," tried to stop the session upon hearing the slow pace. He was physically removed and locked out of the studio. Newton later refused to promote the song, leading to fewer than 1,000 copies sold initially in the US. The session was also interrupted twice by freight train horns, but Armstrong laughed it off. It made Armstrong the oldest male to top the UK Singles Chart.

Reader's Guide

The song's enduring success stems from its gradual rise as a pop standard, bolstered by appearances in media. A lawsuit by the song's owner, Abilene Music, was thrown out after a judge determined the altered lyric was a parody. The duet gave both Cassidy and Melua their first UK number-one single.

Did You Know?

• ABC Records president Larry Newton was physically removed and locked out of the recording studio because he tried to stop the session.
• The recording session was interrupted twice by nearby freight train horns, forcing the orchestra to start over.