Intended as an antidote for the increasingly racially and politically charged climate in the U.S. (and written specifically for Armstrong, who had broad crossover appeal), the song 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 was a major success in the UK, reaching number one on the UK singles chart. It was also the biggest-selling single of 1968 in the UK. The song made Louis Armstrong the oldest male to top the charts, at sixty-six years and ten months old.
What A Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
I love you
I hear babies cry
I 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
Ooh, yes
Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" is a tribute to the beauty of life, love, and the natural world. The song is about the joy and wonder that can be found in the simple things in life. Armstrong begins the song by describing the beauty of nature, the trees, and the red roses that are blooming for both him and us. It is an acknowledgment that we are all interconnected and share the same world.
Armstrong then goes on to describe the beauty of the sky and the clouds which are painted in shades of blue and white. The warmth of the sun and the magic of the night are also mentioned. The song has a Theme that nature is full of diversity, complexity, and beauty. The emphasis here is more on the natural environment and our place in it.
The final verse of the song is about the power of human connection and love. Armstrong's debut states that he sees people of all races, faces lit up with the colors of the rainbow. People are connecting with one another, shaking hands, and saying “I Love You”. Armstrong implies that the human family is diverse and vibrant, yet all share a common thread of love and respect.
Overall, "What a Wonderful World" is an uplifting celebration of love, life, and the natural world.
Interesting facts about the song:
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
I see trees of green
I observe the trees that are colored in green
Red roses too
I also see the red color flowers known as roses
I see them bloom
Furthermore, I see these flowers blooming
For me and you
These are not just present for me, they are also present for you
And I think to myself
This makes me think to myself
What a wonderful world
This is such a beautiful world we live in
I see skies of blue
Additionally, I see blue colored skies
And clouds of white
I also observe white clouds floating in the sky
The bright blessed day
This is a bright and blessed day
The dark sacred night
As well as a dark and sacred night
The colors of the rainbow
The magnificent colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
That are looking so beautiful in the sky
Are also on the faces
These bright colors are also reflected on the faces
Of people going by
Of the people who are passing by
I see friends shaking hands
Even friends who shake hands
Saying how do you do
Are actually greeting each other
They're really saying
But in reality, they are expressing
I love you
Their affection towards each other
I hear babies cry
At the same time, I hear babies crying
I watch them grow
I observe them while they are growing up
They'll learn much more
These babies will learn a great deal more
Than I'll ever know
Than what I could possibly comprehend
Yes, I think to myself
Yes indeed, I am convinced
What a wonderful world
That this truly is a marvelous world we inhabit
Ooh, yes
Yes, most definitely
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George David Weiss, Robert Thiele
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
What A Wonderful World - Casey Abrams - Lyrics
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
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Musical Interlude
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They goin’ learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Smoke
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
Then clouds of white
The bright blessed days
The dark sacred nights
And i think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying “How do you do?”
They are really saying “i love you”
I hear babies crying
I 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
Rest in piece Louis ❤️
Naomi Reece
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
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying how do you do
They're really saying
I love you
I hear babies cry
I 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
Ooh, yes
Baguette
No matter what, this song always brings a tear to my eye. It's just so beautifully written and sung, and it has a better message then most things in the last 50 years: we live in a wonderful world and we can't forget that nor can we ruin it, we are all lucky to live and love. I listen to this when I feel sad, but it makes me happy. It feels like Louis is telling you directly that you live in a wonderful world, and that makes you wonderful as well. If you are sad listen to this, and if it doesn't help, just know that you matter to someone out on this wonderful world and you can't forget that. So next time you see someone you like, talk to them or hug them or high five them. It's a beautiful world that you experience once, so make the most of it and remember how beautiful it is, so go on a hike, go canoeing, go to a park, take in our truly and very wonderful world.
There may be wars and conflicts, but in time enough it won't be anything more than that one thing that happened that one time. In billions or millions of years when everything goes dark and our life ceases that wouldn't matter. So take in our world and its beauty because you only have it for so long.
KingerDinger
this song genuinely makes me cry, not out of sadness, not out of happiness either
it makes me remember how much i've experienced in my life, how much i've grown and how much i've lost, i feel regret for things i had done wrong but i feel good that i have helped people with their struggles
even though everything i've done will never matter to the world in the end, i am truly at peace when i listen to this
it makes me think my life over, every year, every minute of everything
i love this song. i want to listen to this in my final moments, i want to feel like a warm blanket is being put over me
XxĞHÖŚŤxX
Even throughout the hard times, this song still gets me smiling
Jinx's Corner
Same
AG Frosty
Good the heat your smiling through it man keep smiling life gets better
J D Simpson
Yes it does me too! It also makes me sad because it's not really a "wonderful world"! At least not anymore, perhaps back then it was!!!
XxĞHÖŚŤxX
@J D Simpson It gets better, I know it may seem lost yet if more people like us truly wish to change the world, we can
J D Simpson
@XxĞHÖŚŤxX
If u truly believe that ur living in a dream world! We can not in a million years make it better, it'll have to continue getting worse and worse until there's only one race of people left on the planet! Then and only then can there be peace!
Robert Mounce
"I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know"
This is so profound. My grandfather hitching a plow to his horse to go till his field would never know while holding me as a baby that 60 years later I can stream live videos instantly from another continent on a device I can hold in my hand. The baby that I hold will do things in 60 years that I can't even conceive of today.
Ig-nat-ius
This comment gives me goosebumps. It is so much beautiful hope in a world to dream of things beyond what we will see.
Dárkséíd
Such simple things yet mind boggling stuff .