“What a Wonderful World” Performed by Louis Armstrong

When you lose someone you love, the whole world changes. Bright colors become dim. Other relationships are no longer as satisfying. The world is less promising. Sometimes music can call your attention back to the things in your life that are still good. One song that might help your feel a little better is “What a Wonderful World.”

In 1967, the entire United States seemed to be in mourning. The nation was ripped apart over the Vietnam War. Race wars were common and even supported by some heads of state. The economy was in shambles.

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Two men, however, saw hope. George David Weiss and Bob Thiele wrote a song noting the good things they saw in the world, like green trees and red roses. Some sources claim that the pair first offered the song to Tony Bennett, but Weiss insists he wrote the song with Louis Armstrong in mind. He felt Armstrong was a talented singer who could break the color barrier and bring peace to a troubled situation.

The problem was that Armstrong wasn’t in the least interested in performing “What a Wonderful World.” He believed the song was too short, soft, and lacked any kind of edge that would engage an audience.

Weiss all but stalked Armstrong until the singer agreed to record the song. At first it seemed Armstrong had been right. In the United States, “What a Wonderful World” hit the earth with a dull thud. In the UK, though, “What a Wonderful World” shot up to number one on the popular charts and stayed there.

By the time “What a Wonderful World” finally caught on in the United States, Louis Armstrong had died from a heart attack. But catch on it did, possibly because of its use in the movie “Good Morning, Vietnam” with actor Robin Williams.

The point of “What a Wonderful World” was to guide listeners to think about the pleasant things in life instead of just the painful ones: the beauty of nature, friendships, blindness to racial differences, the cycle of life with each generation growing smarter and more compassionate.

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For instance, part of one verse reads,

“I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do

They’re really saying I love you.”

Another verse goes,

“I hear babies cry and 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.”

Losing a loved one or spiraling into crisis for any other reason is a horrible feeling. It makes sense that you would cry and be angry and scared. It even makes sense that your whole world changes, at least for a time. But one day, when you’re ready to look for the good things again, I hope you turn to this song. It is a gentle anthem of comfort and it might just set you on the road to recovery.