Rise Again
Hope & Strength
p. 140
First Line: 
I see trees of green, red roses too

Artist & Tune

Composed by: 
George David Weiss
Bob Thiele
Rec/Performed by: 
Louis Armstrong

Reference

Genre: 
jazz / swing

About the Song

The song was first recorded as a single by Louis Amstrong in 1967. George Weiss recounts in the book Off the Record: Songwriters on Songwriting by Graham Nash that he wrote the song specifically for Louis Armstrong. Weiss was inspired by Armstrong's ability to bring people of different races together.

The recording by Hawaiian singer & ukelele player Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is one of the most iconic covers. He changes the chord pattern of the original song so that it has the same chord pattern as "Over the Rainbow" and the two songs can be done as a kind of 2 song medley.

Note on the video of a Valerie June concert above: "What a Wonderful World" begins at 13:10 on this full concert video.

Wikipedia Entry
Mudcat
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