When you hear the song title “Wonderful World”, you likely first think of the immortal Louis Armstrong … which I just played last July. I do try not to play one if I’ve played it within the last two years, though I sometimes do. I love Louis, love that song … but for tonight, I am playing a different song with a similar title … this one by Sam Cooke, another of my way-back-when favourites.
Wonderful World was originally written by music legends Lou Alder and Herb Alpert, but Cooke added the finishing lyrical touches, and the trio used the songwriting pseudonym “Barbara Campbell,” the name of Cooke’s high school sweetheart. Adler went on from this success to found Dunhill Records and manage big name artists such as Jan & Dean, The Mamas & The Papas, and Carole King. Not to be outdone, his writing partner, Herb Alpert, put the “A” in A&M Records after performing for several years with his band Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass.
Don’t let the bouncy rhythm and upbeat tempo fool you. According to Craig Werner, a professor of African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the song may have a more politically charged meaning. In his book, A Change Is Gonna Come: Music, Race and the Soul of America, Werner writes that “Wonderful World” may be one of the first examples of Cooke’s crossover into politics, where he informs white listeners that he “don’t know much about history” and “don’t know much biology” as a comment that these are the things to forget about African-Americans, and all they need to remember is love.
Throughout the years, Wonderful World has been covered by a number of artists including Otis Redding, Bryan Ferry, Michael Bolton, and Rod Stewart. After Sam Cooke’s death in 1964, there were a rash of “tribute” covers released including a 1965 up-tempo version by Herman’s Hermits, which reached #4 on the US Pop Singles chart and #7 on the UK Singles chart, and a rendition by The Supremes released on their 1965 album “We Remember Sam Cooke.” In 1977, Art Garfunkel put his spin on the hit for his album, Watermark, which featured harmonies by friend, James Taylor, and former partner, Paul Simon. Sam Cooke’s version was #2 in both the U.S. and the UK.
Wonderful World
Sam Cooke
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 trigonometry
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 can 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
Latatatatata ah
History (Mmmm)
Biology (Well a-tatatatata)
Science book (Mmmm)
French I took, yeah
But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me, too
What a wonderful world this would be
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: George David Weiss / Robert Thiele
Filosofa's Word 
Love this one, always have.
LikeLiked by 1 person
YAY!!! I’m glad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: ♫ Wonderful World ♫ | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News
So simple the words. So deep the meaning — when sung by a Black person. All those subjects which were emphasized in White schools were barely discussed in Black schools. Why not? It was believed such subjects were beyond the Black level of intelligence! As if there was a difference in what a Black person (or a Latino person, or an Indigenous person) could learn in comparison to a White person. Everyone knew White minds were superior. And Black minds were concerned only about love, and sex! White children never thought about SEX!
Unfortunately, when Herman’s Hermits sang Wonderful World, the song lost all its racist undertones, and became a celebratory song. White kids were just as happy to think about love (and sex) as were any other kids in the world!
Yes, what a wonderful world we live in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly, you’re right about the reason that schools for Black children were far inferior to those intended for “whites only.” And times haven’t changed all that much … the whole reason, I firmly believe, for the current push for vouchers and charter schools is to once again segregate children by colour, and to leave public schools with far fewer resources and a much lesser system of education.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Except, the charter schools hurt all public schools, and that is their main intent. Force kids, especially white kids, into charter schools where they can be bombarded with religion, and do it with public funds that could be better used elsewhere.
That’s not a conspiracy theory, it’s a fact.I dipped my toe into a couple MAGAt blogs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! The charter schools take necessary funding and other resources (teachers, supplies, etc) away from public schools. Not all charter schools peddle religion, but most do. No, what you say is all true and not a conspiracy theory. If you want to really stay on top of the charter school/voucher vs public school issue, follow Diane Ravich’s blog https://dianeravitch.net/ Just so happens I’m planning to reblog one of hers for this afternoon’s post. She’s a former educator with vast knowledge who frequently writes about this issue.
LikeLike
I followed her for awhile. I think some of my comments were a bit too radical. She asked that I not follow her anymore. Kinda like what happened with Gronda.
But that aside, she is a very good source of material, especially on education, including Charter schools.
Alberta is starting to allow Charter schools, who are also demanding public funds. Even worse, our conservative UCP government is funding private for-profit religious schools, and schools for specialties like mueic and things. With their large majority they have passed a number of laws that give public funds to organizations that have no need of them, all taking money away from public organizations that are struggling without public funding. Election day is one week away. The polls are virtually tied for confirmed voters. I have to hope those unsure are going to vote NDP, because our province cannot afford another 4 years of conservative rule. In the midst of all our wildfires we recently learned the UCP cut funding to our firefighting forces because “too many people were sitting on their asses with nothing to do!” Now we need them, and they all moved away. We’re bringing in exoerienced firefighters from all over the world at greater expense than paying people to sit on their asses! And our province is still burning!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What happened with Gronda? I vaguely recall something, but not exactly what. I don’t think it’s so much what you say, as how you say it sometimes, but … that’s just you, and we all tend to speak from the heart when it’s something that’s important to us. But yes, Ms. Ravitch is an expert on charter schools and such, and she’s definitely not a fan … and neither am I. Fingers crossed for your election next week! After last year’s wild fires, why in the Sam Hell would they cut funding to the firefighters??? That makes no sense at all!!! Speaking of the fires … are you and Gail still safe and no fires close to you?
LikeLike
Nothing clise tight now, but still no rain in our area.
Why would they cut funding for girefighters? These were special teams, trsined to fight fires by helicopter in hard to reach areas, or going into the worst fires possible. The UCP decided they were not being used enough because some years the fires weren’t as bad as others. They were the best of the best. Like all conservatives, the UCP can only think as far as their noses.What they saw were specialuzed forces being used to fight fires easy to put out. A waste, as far as they were concrrned, so they fired them all. Last year,when there weren’t a d dangerous fires they pstted themselvex on the back. Tnen 2023 hsppened, and for a while we had a 100 wildfires burni g at the ssy time, most of them out of control, with over 35,000 pelple evacuated from their homes, and no elite firefighters to fight them. And the UCP still think they did the right thing. They don’t believe in climate science. They’re saying it won’t happen again for another 100 years. I can only hope Albertans are listening to science, not to opinion.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, I see … rather like firing the one person trained to do a heart transplant because there aren’t enough heart transplants being done and he is filling in treating other patients in the interim. What a waste, eh? 🙄
LikeLike
Exactly like that. Conservative thinking. Get rid of slackers, even if it’s not their fault they’re slacking.
Or put another way, they want us to have horrible wildfires every year to justify employing people who specialize in horrible wildfires!
I’m not sure the people would agree with that kind of thinking, but like MAGAts worshipping Trump, the rednecks of Alberta agree with everything the UCP does because the UCP tells them its good for everyone, even when it’s not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is sad that so many people today will play “follow the leader” rather than be bothered with thinking for themselves. Sigh.
LikeLike
Yup. The bane of the free-thinking mind.
LikeLiked by 1 person