|
According to most of the resources we could find, Louis Armstrong's hit "What a Wonderful World" was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss in 1967. But as this discography page on AllMusic.com indicates, a third composer, George Douglas, is often credited with the work. Ken Burns' recent jazz compilation diplomatically credits all three. Both Bob
Thiele and George David Weiss enjoyed long, distinguished careers as jazz songwriters and producers. During the '60s, Thiele was the lead producer at Impulse Records, working with greats such as John Coltrane, Charlie Mingus, and Charlie Haden. Weiss, primarily a songwriter, is also responsible for the Elvis Presley hit "Can't Help Falling in Love." As for the mysterious George Douglas, sometimes credited as G. Douglas, we were unable to find any biographical details. According to the Satchography, "What a Wonderful World" was first recorded on August 16, 1967, in New York City. It was
a number one hit in Britain on its release in 1968, but America wouldn't really discover the song until it was featured in the film "Good Morning, Vietnam" some 20 years later.
|
