[Dixielandjazz] What a Wonderful World

[Rob McCallum]

Hello all,

The first time I heard this song was in Good Morning Vietnam.  It is
presented in a very powerful scene that is a montage of the fighting with
only this song playing.  I don't think it was intended as dark humor, but
rather a juxtaposition of the horror of a battle with a song that centers
around hopeful and nostalgically sad musings of an old man.  The hope of the
future ("They'll learn much more than I'll ever know") coupled with young
men (the future) killing and being killed.  It's an irony, but it's a sad
irony with many implications.  Even on it's own, the song does have a very
touching quality that speaks to people in the same way songs like Danny Boy
and Coulter's Candy do.   Songs like this speak to very human qualities,
desires for fulfillment and closure and a certain sense of pride that
they've left the world a little better than they found it.  That's why so
many people like to hear it.

I think there's a lot of this sentiment in Louis's later pop music (songs
like The Home Fire come to mind).  Personally, I enjoy the music of this
period in his career and What a Wonderful World is one of my favorites.

All the best,
Rob McCallum