Wonderful World (song)
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| "Wonderful World" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by Sam Cooke | ||
| from the album Sam Cooke | ||
| B-side(s) | "Along the Navaho Trail" | |
| Released | April 1960 | |
| Format | 7" single | |
| Recorded | March 1957 | |
| Genre | Soul | |
| Length | 2:09 | |
| Label | Keen Records | |
| Producer(s) | Sam Cooke | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Sam Cooke singles chronology | ||
| "Teenage Sonata" 1960 |
"Wonderful World" 1960 |
"Chain Gang" 1960 |
"Wonderful World" (sometimes referred to as "(What a) Wonderful World", but unrelated to the Louis Armstrong song by that title) was written in the late 1950s by soul music pioneer Sam Cooke along with songwriters Lou Adler and Herb Alpert, and first recorded by Cooke in 1958 for Cooke's self-titled debut album. The song was released as a single in 1960. A bouncy love song, the lyrics have the singer disavowing any knowledge gained from books (the song is often referred to informally by its first line, "Don't know much about history"), but affirming the object of his affection "but I do know that I love you".
In 2004, the song was named as one of Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is used in the classic college movie Animal House in the well known lunchroom scene. The song has been covered by many artists, and yielded hits for Herman's Hermits and Art Garfunkel (who performed a cover of the song on his 1977 album Watermark, with harmonies by James Taylor and Paul Simon). After being featured prominently in the 1985 film Witness, the song gained further exposure and became a hit in the United Kingdom, reaching #2 in re-release. The original Sam Cooke version of the song comprised the title soundtrack of the 2005 film Hitch.
Contents |
[edit] Chart performance
[edit] Sam Cooke version
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Black Singles Chart | #2 |
| 1960 | Pop Singles Chart | #12 |
| 1960 | UK Singles Chart | #27 |
| 1986 | UK Singles Chart | #2 |
[edit] Herman's Hermits version
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Pop Singles Chart | #4 |
| 1965 | UK Singles Chart | #7 |
[edit] Art Garfunkel version
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Adult Contemporary | #1 |
| 1978 | Pop Singles Chart | #17 |
[edit] Credits
[edit] Sam Cooke version
- Written by Sam Cooke, Lou Adler, and Herb Alpert.
- Produced by Sam Cooke.
- Instrumentation by Rene Hall (arrangement), Adolphus Asbrook (bass), Ronald Selico (drums), and Cliff White (guitar).
- Background vocals by Lou Rawls.
- Engineering by Deano Lappas.
[edit] References
- Wolff, Daniel J., S.R. Crain, Clifton White, and G. David Tenenbaum (1995). You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke. William Morrow & Co. ISBN 0-688-12403-8.
