Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
What a Wonderful World
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 and the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "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
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of all the people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I love you"
I hear my babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever ever know
And I think to myself, it's a wonderful world
I think to myself, what a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
The lyrics of Rod Stewart's "What a Wonderful World" express a sense of appreciation for the beauty found in everyday life. The first two stanzas focus on nature, specifically the trees, roses, skies, clouds, and changes between day and night. The third stanza expands the focus to people, mentioning the colors of the rainbow reflected in their faces, friends greeting each other with love, and babies growing up and learning more than the singer knows. The final lines tie together the themes and conclude that the world is truly wonderful.
The lyrics encourage the listener to stop and take notice of the wonders of life that often go unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of daily routines. The imagery used to describe the world around us is simple yet effective in evoking a sense of appreciation and gratitude for the blessings of life. The final stanza hints that the future is full of more marvelous discoveries and that the world will continue to be a wonderful place.
The song, written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, was originally performed by Louis Armstrong in 1967, and Rod Stewart released his cover version in 2004. The song reflects the optimism of the mid-20th century, a time of progress and social change, and Stewart's cover version adds a touch of nostalgia for that era. The song's simple but timeless message has resonated with audiences for over half a century, making it a beloved classic.
Line by Line Meaning
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see the natural beauty of the world around me, including the lush greenery of trees and the vibrant redness of roses.
I see them bloom for me and you
I witness the blooming of nature not just for myself, but for everyone to appreciate and admire.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
My observation of nature and the world around me fills me with a sense of wonder and awe.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
I observe clear blue skies and beautiful white clouds, with different shapes and sizes.
The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night
I appreciate the beauty of both day and night, which are illuminated by the sun and stars respectively, and consider them both equally valuable.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
My observation of the natural world around me continues to fill me with a sense of amazement and joy.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
I see the multicolored rainbow in the sky and find it visually stunning.
Are also on the faces of people going by
The same colors I see in nature also appear on the faces of people walking by, which creates a connection between nature and humanity.
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
I observe friends greeting each other through a simple handshake and asking how they are.
They're really saying, "I love you"
The greeting of "How do you do?" often conveys a deeper message of love and affection between friends.
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
I listen to the sound of babies crying and see them grow and develop over time.
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
Those infants will acquire vast amounts of knowledge and information throughout their lives that I will never be able to fully comprehend.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
The organic and natural process of growth and development fills me with wonder and gratitude.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
The vibrant colors of the rainbow in the sky continue to amaze me.
Are also on the faces of all the people going by
The same array of hues from the rainbow also appear on the faces of all the people walking by, emphasizing the beauty of diversity and individuality.
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
Once again, I observe friends and acquaintances greeting each other with a handshake.
They're really saying, "I love you"
This simple gesture of a handshake can often express a deeper message of love, care and concern between friends.
I hear my babies cryin', I watch them grow
As a parent, I hear the sound of my own babies crying and watch them develop and progress over time.
They'll learn much more than I'll ever ever know
My children will glean tremendous amounts of knowledge and experience over the course of their life journeys that I may never fully comprehend or appreciate.
And I think to myself, it's a wonderful world
The continually unfolding cycle of life fills me with a sense of joy and wonderment.
I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Overall, my reflections on nature, human interactions and the cycles of life lead me to experience supreme gratitude and appreciation for the world around me.
What a wonderful world
Through my observations of the natural world, humanity and the ongoing process of life, I realize how truly amazing and beautiful this world truly is.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
My sense of amazement and joy about the world around me continues to fill me with wonder and appreciation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George David Weiss, Robert Thiele
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@claramuntoukbrautigam9717
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 and the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"
I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
@mmcallister6218
A truly magnificent song that brings out wonderful emotions.
@marcevattuone
Bellísima interpretación!!!!
@angelaconvertino2572
WONDERFUL Rod !❤
@chrisgrcich7405
Such a timeless gem. Whenever I feel sad and blue, I listen to this song and it makes me feel great.
@SoftRockMusic88
I believe that somewhere in the world, there are people who feel the same emotions that I feel when I listen to masterpieces like this song.
@MrFanstar007
The most well written song of all time in my opinion!!! Timeless!
@javierbruno4316
Excelente versión. Sublime, este muchacho Rod Stewart. Pasan los años y él cada vez canta mejor. Felicitaciones.
@oneirjose5239
,zeramslhip
@inesramosbastos8993
Wonderful, Sir Rod Stewart! Everything you do is always very special, because you do it with your soul. 😇👏👏👏👏🇧🇷💚💛🇧🇷💛🇧🇷
@collinslinda263Gmail
Are you a fan