Lionel Leo Hampton (1908–2002), was a U.S. bandleader, jazz percussionist, … Read Full Bio ↴Lionel Leo Hampton (1908–2002), was a U.S. bandleader, jazz percussionist, and vibraphonist.

Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite's band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian's New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.

During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.

In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who'd already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman's famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.

While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.

Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.

Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.

Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York on 31st August 2002. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.

What A Wonderful World
Lionel Hampton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......i love you.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

(instrumental break)

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'...*spoken*(I ....love....you).

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
*spoken*(you know their gonna learn
A whole lot more than I'll never know)

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.

Overall Meaning

Lionel Hampton's song “What A Wonderful World,” is a ballad that captures the beauty of nature, humanity, and life in general. The song is an expression of gratitude, awe, and joy. The lyrics composed of multiple color and nature-related imagery reinforce this idea of beauty. The first verses of the song describe the beauty of nature, the trees, the flowers, the sky, the clouds, and the rainbows. The second verse describes the beauty of human interaction, friends shaking hands, saying 'I love you', and babies growing up.

The song's message is clear; no matter what hardships we face in life, the world is still a beautiful place, and it is up to us to appreciate and recognize its beauty. The song shows that life is made up of simple things that are often taken for granted. It reminds us to be grateful and appreciate what we have rather than focusing on what we lack.

Line by Line Meaning

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see nature's beauty all around me, from the lush green trees to the bright red roses.

I see 'em bloom..... for me and for you
I witness the natural cycle of life, where flowers bloom not only for me, but for all who choose to look.

And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
Despite life's struggles, when I see such beauty around me, I can't help but feel grateful for this amazing world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
The vivid blue skies and the fluffy white clouds display yet another amazing facet of nature.

Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
Each day and each night offer a unique and transformative experience we should appreciate.

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
I am humbled by the magnificence of the world we live in.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
The colors of a rainbow on a bright sunny day evoke joy and happiness in oneself.

Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
The colorful array of emotions and expressions, as seen in people, is just as captivating as the colors of the rainbow.

I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
Simple gestures of kindness, like a friendly handshake, display the beauty of human relationships.

They're really sayin'......i love you.
Such actions are not empty, as they are also saying, 'I appreciate you and value our relationship'.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
The sound of a baby crying and the sight of them growing up are part of life's natural progression.

They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
The future holds endless possibilities, including knowledge to be gained and experiences to be had.

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
It is moving to witness the growth of a child and the endless potential of the future.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Once more, the beauty of the colorful rainbow brightens up the sky above.

Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
Again, people are just as captivating with their colorful moods and emotions.

I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
Amidst life's chaotic routine, a friendly greeting breaks the monotony and reminds us of the joys of social interaction.

They're really sayin'...*spoken*(I ....love....you).
The ordinary display of friendship is so potent because it is said from a place of love and connection.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
Once more, we are reminded of the natural evolution of life, from infancy to childhood.

*spoken*(you know their gonna learn
Those innocent babies will eventually learn and grow in ways we cannot even imagine.

A whole lot more than I'll never know)
I am humbled by the fact that the future is unpredictable and out of my control.

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Despite not knowing what the future holds, I know that the world is an amazing place to be.

Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.
I am blessed and grateful to be alive in this wonderful world.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George David Weiss, Robert Thiele

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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