Louis ARMSTRONG « What a Wonderful World ! »

21.08.2008

What a Wonderful World is a song by Bob Thiele, using the pseudonym George Douglas, and George David Weiss.

It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in early fall 1967, and the song was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

History

Intended as an antidote for the increasingly racially and politically charged climate in the United States, and written specifically for Louis ARMSTRONG who had broad crossover appeal, the song What a Wonderful World details the singer's delight in the simple enjoyment of everyday life.

The song also has a hopeful, optimistic tone with regard to the future, with reference to babies being born into the world and having much to look forward to.

The song was not initially a hit in the United States, where it sold fewer than 1,000 copies, but it was a major success in the United Kingdom, reaching number one on the UK singles chart. What a Wonderful World was also the biggest-selling single of 1968 in the United Kingdom.

The song made Louis Armstrong the oldest male to top the charts, at sixty-six years and ten months old.

The opening lyrics read :

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...

You're now listening to

Louis ARMSTRONG

Jazz as a music genre

Jazz is an American musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions.

The style's West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note.

From its early development until the present, jazz has also incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music.

The word « jazz » began as a West Coast slang term of uncertain derivation and it was first used to refer to music in Chicago in about 1915.

Jazz has, from its early 20th century inception, spawned a variety of subgenres, from New Orleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, a variety of Latin-jazz fusions such as Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz from the 1950s and 1960s, jazz-rock fusion from the 1970s and later developments such as acid jazz.

Source of picture : http://www.jazz.com/music/2007/11/5/louis-armstrong-what-a-wonderful-world

« What a Wonderful World » gradually became something of a standard and the song reached a new level of popularity.

In 1988 Louis Armstrong's 1967 recording was featured in the film Good Morning Vietnam and it was rereleased as a single.

Good Morning Vietnam (1988)

Starring : Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker
Director : Barry Levinson
Genre : Comedy / Drama / War
Release Date : December 23, 1987 (USA)

Time to rock it from the Delta to the DMZ (DeMitilarized Zone) !

The wrong man.
In the wrong place.
At the right time.

In 1965, military D.J. Adrian Cronauer was sent to Vietnam to build morale.

His strategy : keep 'em laughing.
His problem : staying out of trouble.

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SYNOPSIS :

Based on a true story, Robin Williams stars as Adrian Cronauer, transferred to Saigon by the U.S. Military from Crete.
Adrian Cronauer becomes the host of an early morning radio show to which he adds his own hysterical brand of humor, and he isnt afraid to poke fun at anyone, even the President.
Though his show is wildly popular with his fellow soldiers, Cronauers superior officers are not amused by the jokes and especially the playing of banned rock and roll music over the airwaves. Riddled with sidesplitting comic bombshells and studded with hot 60s hits, the film depicts Cronauers raucous Saigon adventures amidst a world gone mad.

SUMMARY :

The film begins in 1965, when disc jockey Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is assigned to take over the AFR's Saigon radio broadcasts. In contrast to the dull, by-rote announcers that have preceded him, Adrian Cronauer is a bundle of dynamite, heralding each broadcast with a loud :

......« Goooooood morning, Vietnaaaaam ! »......

playing whatever records tickle his fancy, even those not officially sanctioned by his hidebound superiors, and indulging in wild flights of improvisational fancy.

Cronauer's immediate superior Lt. Hauk (Bruno Kirby), whose own notions of humour are puerile and pathetic, jealously attempts to dethrone Vietnam's favorite rock jock. Fortunately, Cronauer's popularity is such that he enjoys the full protection of the higher-ups. But when Adrian Cronauer, after experiencing the horrors of war first-hand, insists upon telling his listeners the truth instead of the official government line, he is instantly replaced by the unfunny Lt. Hauk and he must struggle to get back on the air.

Cast and Crew

Cast

Robin McLaurim Williams as Adrian Cronauer - Biography

Forest Whitaker as Edward Garlick - Biography

Tung Thanh Tran as Tuan

Chintara Sukapatana alias Jintara Sukaphatana as Trinh - Biography

Bruno Kirby as Lt. Steven Hauk - Biography

AKA Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr.
Born : 28-Apr-1949
Birthplace : New York City
Died : 14-Aug-2006
Location of death : Los Angeles, CA
Cause of death : Cancer - Leukemia
Gender : Male
Occupation : Actor
Nationality : United States
Father : Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu
Wife : Lynn Sellers

J.T. Walsh as Sgt. Maj. Phillip 'Dick' Dickerson - Biography

AKA James Thomas Patrick Walsh
Born : 28-Sep-1943
Birthplace : San Francisco, CA
Died : 27-Feb-1998
Location of death : La Mesa, CA
Cause of death : Heart Failure
Gender : Male
Occupation : Actor
Nationality : United States
Brother : Christopher Walsh
Sister : Mary Walsh
Brother : Patrick Walsh
Son : John West (actor)

Robert Wuhl as Marty Lee Dreiwitz - Biography

Noble Willingham - (Gen. Taylor)

Juney Smith - (Phil McPherson)

Richard Portnow - (Dan The Man Levitan)
Floyd Vivino - (Eddie Kirk)
Cu Ba Nguyen - (Jimmy Wah, saloon owner)
Danny Aiello - (MP)
Richard Edson - (Private Abersold)
J.J. - (MP #2)
Peter MacKenzie - (Sgt. at Jimmy Wah's)
James McIntire - (Sgt. at Jimmy Wah's)
Don Stanton - (Censor #2)
Ralph Tabakin - (Chaplain Noel)
Greg Knight - (Convoy Soldier)
Sangad Sangkao - (Viet Cong Leader in Jungle)
Louis Di Giaimo
Marie Rowe

Production Credits

Steve Spence (Art Director)
Steven Saxton (Associate Producer)
Freddie Cooper (Camera Operator)
Louis Di Giaimo (Casting)
Peter Sova (Cinematographer)
Ben Moses (Co-producer)
Harry Benn (Co-producer)
Alex North (Composer (Music Score))
Keith Denny (Costume Designer)
Barry Levinson (Director)
Stu Linder (Editor)
Raja Gosnell (Editor)
Bill Westley (First Assistant Director)
Eric Allwright (Makeup)
Larry Brezner (Producer)
Mark Johnson (Producer)
Roy Walker (Production Designer)
Mitch Markowitz (Screenwriter)
Tessa Davies (Set Designer)
Clive Winter (Sound/Sound Designer)
Fred Cramer (Special Effects)
Clive Curtis (Stunts)

Track list :

1. « Nowhere To Run (02:55) » Martha Reeves And The Vandellas

2. « I Get Around (02:09) » The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys - Live

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♥
("*")
(.♥`(`.♥.`) .♥)
-- ♥*`¯`*♥ `) . (`.♥*`¯`*♥--
♥♫♥♫♥

♥ I GET AROUND ♥

♥♫♥♫♥
Lyrics

Round round get around
I get around
Yeah
Get around round round I get around
I get around
Get around round round
I get around
From town to town
Get around round round
I get around
Im a real cool head
Get around round round
I get around
Im making real good bread

3. « Game Of Love (02:04) » Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders

4. « Sugar And Spice (02:13) » The Searchers

5. « Liar, Liar (01:51) » The Castaways

6. « The Warmth Of The Sun (02:48) » The Beach Boys

7. « I Got You (I Feel You) (02:44) » James Brown

8. « Baby Please Don't Go (02:40) » Them

9. « Danger Heartbreack Dead Ahead (02:28) » Marvelettes

10. « Five O'Clock World (02:18) » The Vogues

11. « California Sun (02:22) » The Rivieras

12. « What A Wonderful World (02:16) » Louis Armstrong

The single charted at number one for the fortnight ending 27 June 1988 on the Australian charts. It is also a jazz standard ranked number 945 at Jazzstandards.com.