Peak
12
Weeks
15
Score
2,099
Chart Year
1960
"Wonderful World," or "(What a) Wonderful World," was one of Sam Cooke's 29 US Top 40 hits released between 1957 and 1964. The song was released on April 14, 1960 and quickly reached #2 on the US Black Singles chart, #12 on the US Pop Singles chart, and #27 on the UK Singles chart. "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. Cooke recorded "Wonderful World" on Keen Records shortly before he left the label over a royalty dispute in 1959. In 1960, Cooke had moved on to RCA Victor, but Keen, still owning the rights to "Wonderful World," released the single in April 1960. 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. "Wonderful World" has been a hit with filmmakers since its release. The song can be heard in the famous lunchroom scene of the 1978 classic, Animal House. It was also featured in the 1983 Richard Gere drama, Breathless, and appeared in the opening titles of the 2005 Will Smith comedy, Hitch. A Greg Chapman cover of "Wonderful World" was spotlighted in the 1985 film, Witness, which spurred resurgence in popularity for the single and led to use of the Cooke original in a well-remembered 1986 British ad for Levi 501 Jeans. The song originally peaked at #27 in the UK, but after the commercial, the song was re-released there and reached #2. According to Rolling Stone, before the song came out, Cooke liked to sing it for women he met, telling them he'd made it up on the spot just for them.
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 La ta ta ta ta ta ta (History) Hmm (Biology) Oh, la ta ta ta ta ta ta ta (Science book) Hmm (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
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 9, 1960 | 97 | 29 |
| 2 | May 16, 1960 | 56 | 70 |
| 3 | May 23, 1960 | 29 | 97 |
| 4 | May 30, 1960 | 21 | 105 |
| 5 | Jun 6, 1960 | 19 | 107 |
| 6 | Jun 13, 1960 | 19 | 107 |
| 7 | Jun 20, 1960 | 15 | 111 |
| 8 | Jun 27, 1960 | 12 | 114 |
| 9 | Jul 4, 1960 | 12 | 114 |
| 10 | Jul 11, 1960 | 18 | 108 |
| 11 | Jul 18, 1960 | 17 | 109 |
| 12 | Jul 25, 1960 | 30 | 96 |
| 13 | Aug 1, 1960 | 38 | 88 |
| 14 | Aug 8, 1960 | 68 | 58 |
| 15 | Aug 15, 1960 | 89 | 37 |