Wonderful World
Written by Sam Cooke, Herp Albert, Lou Adler in 1958
Information
- Re-released for a Levi's Commercial in 1986
- The song was banned for a while after September 11 because of the title and its
happiness
- Opening tune for Dutch TV Quiz 'Heraxamen'
- There is a version with violins added. (terrible)
- The song was 'discovered' when John Siamas of Keen had engineer Deano
Lappas look through the vaults for a good song, exactly like Art Rupe had
done with Specialty and came up with 'I'll Come Running Back To You'. Cooke
had already left Keen for RCA.
- The regular drummer was not at the session, as was Bumps Blackwell. The
drummer, whose name is unknown, was likely around 15 or 16 years old.
- Lou Rawls stood about a meter and a half away from Sam singing in the same
microphone.
Recording Date
March 2, 1957
Musicians
- Bass: Adolphus Asbrook
- Guitar: Cliff White
- Second Vocalist: Lou Rawls
- drummer:
Ronald Selico
Engineer: Deano Lappas
Review:
- "Moderate rocker gets a smooth belt from Sam Cooke
in his usual, salable style. Worth watching (4 stars rating)" - Billboard
- "Cooke was rooming with Adler, who had already finished this song when Cooke fiddled with the lyrics and came up with the academic conceit that made it
work. Cut while Cooke was still signed to Keen, it sat around until he'd moved to RCA -- then sold a
million. Before it came out, Cooke liked to sing it for women he met, telling them he'd made it up on the spot just for
them." - Rolling Stone
Charts Pop #12 (stayed 15 weeks), R&B #2 in 1960
/ UK: #27
Singles
- Keen 2112 b/w Along The Navajo Trail (April
14, 1960)
- HMV Pop 754 b/w Along The Navajo Trail
(U.K. 1960)
- HMV Pop 574 with Chain Gang /
Cupid / A Change Is Gonna Come (12", March 86)
- RCA 49871 b/w Chain Gang (1986 -
for a Levi's commercial)
- RCA 49872 with
Chain Gang, Cupid and A Change Is Gonna Come
- RCA 51455
-
Albums
- All Hits
- The Best of Sam Cooke
- Chain Gang
- Forever
32-tracks
- The Golden Age of Sam Cooke
- The Great Sam Cooke
- The Man And His Music
- The Man Who Invented Soul (Box)
- Portrait Of A Legend
- 16 Most Requested Song
- Right On
- 16 Greatest Hits - Only Sixteen
- This Is Sam Cooke
- 20 Greatest Hits
- 20 Great Hits /
Only Sixteen - 20 Greatest Hits
- The Unforgettable Sam Cooke
- The Very Best Of Sam Cooke
- When I Fall In Love
- Wonderful World
- What A Wonderful World
- The Wonderful World
of Sam Cooke - 40 Great Memories
- You Send Me (Charly)
- You Send Me (Starlite- with
strings)
Compilation Albums:
The Hit Sound Of
Levi's 501 (Magnum 469 168-2) / 20
Wereldartiesten met hun Grootste Hits (Stereo 051288 CD)
Singles Keen 8-2112 b/w Along The
Navaho Trail
Lyrics /
Chords
Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took
But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
Don't know much about geography
Don't know much trigonomitry
Don't know much about algebra
Don't know what a slide rule is for
But I do know one and one is two
And if this one could be with you
What a wonderful world this would be
Now I don't claim, to be an A-student
But I'm trying to be
For maybe by being an A-student, baby
I could win your love for me
Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took
But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
[Wholatatata]
But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be
Covered By
- Michael Bolton (horrible)
- L.C. Cooke (great, on his tribute album to Sam Cooke)
- Terence Trent DŽArby - A very
passionate and very good version. He also adds the 'Middle Ages' lines
- DukeŽs Men of Yale (a capella)
- Bryan Ferry
- Harvard Crocodiloes
- Herman's Hermits
- Flemm Bamse Jorgensen
- Sandy Lam
- Tim Maia
- Don McLean
- Moffats
- Johnny Nash
- Flying Pickets
- Otis Redding (excellent horns)
- Sam & Dave
- Solo
- The Supremes (great intro, on their "We Remember
Sam Cooke"
- James Taylor + Simon & Garfunkel
- Roger Whittaker