What a Wonderful World

The harmony is distinguished by its 'soft jazz' approach, blending standard pop-diatonicism with sophisticated harmonic movements. While many pop songs of the era relied on I-IV-V, this song utilizes the iii chord (Am) to soften the transition to the IV (Bb) and uses a secondary dominant (A7) to pivot to the relative minor (Dm). The most unique signature is the inclusion of the Db chord (bVI), which adds a 'dreamy' quality that characterizes the song's optimistic sentiment.

Written by Bob Thiele (under the pseudonym George Douglas) and George David Weiss, the song was offered to Louis Armstrong as a message of hope during a time of significant racial and political unrest in the United States. While Tony Bennett was reportedly the first choice for the song, Armstrong's gravelly voice and optimistic persona were ultimately deemed the perfect fit for the material.

Released in 1967 during a period of intense social unrest, this masterpiece serves as a universal symbol of peace and appreciation for the world. It blends traditional pop and jazz elements with a lush orchestral arrangement to create one of the most recognizable and beloved ballads in music history.