What a Wonderful World

Why were the extra performers in the recording session for "What a Wonderful World" costly?

They were costly.

What song is described as one of the most celebrated songs to cherish Earth's best qualities?

What a Wonderful World

In the United States, how was "What a Wonderful World" initially received?

Little known and unappreciated

Who was the first singer and intended recipient of the song "What a Wonderful World"?

Louis Armstrong

According to the text, who might not have existed if not for the Joneses and Davis?

Louis Armstrong

What year was Louis Armstrong born?

1901

Besides cornet and trumpet, what other role did Louis Armstrong become known for?

Singer

What aspect of "What a Wonderful World" resonated with Louis Armstrong?

the lyrics

What was Louis Armstrong's father's status when Armstrong was born?

Had abandoned his mother

What did Louis Armstrong observe about his neighborhood in Corona, New York?

He saw three generations come up on that block and return with their children and grandchildren.

At what age was Louis Armstrong first arrested?

Nine

For what offense was Louis Armstrong first arrested?

Being a "dangerous and suspicious character"

Where was Louis Armstrong sent after his first arrest?

The Colored Waifs Home in New Orleans

What action led to Louis Armstrong being sent back to the Colored Waifs Home in 1913?

Shooting a gun into the air on New Year's Eve

Who were the proprietors of the Colored Waifs Home when Peter Davis was hired as band director?

Joseph and Manuela Jones

Who was hired as the band director of the Colored Waifs Home?

Peter Davis

How long after starting cornet lessons did Louis Armstrong master the skill?

Eighteen months

What instrument did Louis Armstrong study with Peter Davis?

Cornet

In what year did Louis Armstrong write to Joseph and Manuela Jones?

1937

What did Louis Armstrong write to Joseph and Manuela Jones in 1937?

"You both shall be the 'tops' in my estimation always."

When was Louis Armstrong's playing first preserved on record?

When he joined Oliver's group in Chicago

Who was the cornetist and band leader that helped Louis Armstrong in New Orleans?

Joe "King" Oliver

What did Joe "King" Oliver give to Louis Armstrong?

A cornet of his own

Where did Joe "King" Oliver persuade Louis Armstrong to join his group?

Chicago

Who is credited with improving Louis Armstrong's understanding of music theory and notation?

"Lil" Hardin

Who persuaded Louis Armstrong to break away from Joe "King" Oliver's band?

"Lil" Hardin

What does the nickname "Satchmo" mean?

Short for "Satchel Mouth"

What nickname was Louis Armstrong given after friends teased him about his mouth size?

Satchmo

Which song by Louis Armstrong climbed to number one on the Billboard charts in 1964?

Hello, Dolly!

In what year did Louis Armstrong's version of "Hello, Dolly!" reach number one on the Billboard charts?

1964

Despite the popularity of which bands did "Hello, Dolly!" reach number one?

The Beatles and the Rolling Stones

At what age did Louis Armstrong reach a Number 1 single Billboard ranking with "Hello, Dolly!"?

Sixty-three

Until what year did Louis Armstrong hold the record for the oldest person to reach a Number 1 single Billboard ranking?

2023

Who claims that peers tried to catch colds to imitate Satchmo's singing voice?

Joseph F. Laredo

During which war were Louis Armstrong's recordings banned by the Nazis?

World War II

How were Louis Armstrong's recordings distributed in secret during World War II?

Sometimes under fake titles

During which period were Louis Armstrong's music still sought after?

The "Cold War"

What is the "Cold War" defined as in the text?

Post-World-War-II tensions between communist and capitalist nations, led by the Soviet Union and the United States

Why did repressive governments find jazz threatening?

Its emphasis on "free expression of the individual"

How did citizens in repressive countries react to Louis Armstrong's music?

They were mobbed by enthusiastic fans

When did Louis Armstrong take a postwar commercial tour?

1955

What did a reporter comment about the emotional impact of jazz?

It cuts through all manner of linguistic and ideological barriers

What role did Louis Armstrong become in relation to American goodwill?

An extraordinary kind of roving American ambassador of goodwill

What did the U.S. State Department sanction in 1957 involving Louis Armstrong?

His tour to South America

In what year did Louis Armstrong travel to Africa as an official state ambassador?

1960

Who are the co-writers credited with the idea for the song "What a Wonderful World"?

Bob Thiele and George David Weiss

What kind of song did Thiele and Weiss want to write for Louis Armstrong?

A "different" song

Why was Louis Armstrong a logical choice to sing "What a Wonderful World"?

His dual reputation as a musician and an advocate for bringing the world together

How did Louis Armstrong's improvised ending in "What a Wonderful World" affect the song's resolution?

It returned to the mediant, making the song feel like it was lingering onward.

Did Louis Armstrong play the trumpet or include an interlude in his recording of "What a Wonderful World"?

No

Did Louis Armstrong "jazz it up" in his recording of "What a Wonderful World"?

No

Who are the two co-composers of "What a Wonderful World"?

Bob Thiele and George David Weiss

Who was the producer of "What a Wonderful World"?

Bob Thiele

What year was Bob Thiele born?

1922

During what period did Bob Thiele and George David Weiss conceive the idea for "What a Wonderful World"?

The mid-1960s

What national traumas were occurring in the mid-1960s when "What a Wonderful World" was conceived?

Kennedy assassination, Vietnam, racial strife, and turmoil everywhere

What year was George David Weiss born?

1921

What year did George David Weiss die?

2010

What did Thiele want the song's message to convey through Louis Armstrong?

The world really is great: full of the love and sharing people make possible

Why did Bob Thiele initially use an alias for "What a Wonderful World"?

Industry bias against record producers recording their own compositions

What alias did Bob Thiele initially use for published copies of "What a Wonderful World"?

George Douglas

What was the initial reaction of Louis Armstrong to the melody of "What a Wonderful World"?

He was not initially impressed.

To what New York City neighborhood did Louis Armstrong move after marrying Lucille?

Corona

What was the name of Louis Armstrong's fourth wife?

Lucille

What lyrics from "What a Wonderful World" are attributed to Louis Armstrong's observations in his neighborhood?

"I hear babies cry / I watch them grow / they'll learn much more / than I'll ever know."

What was the context of Louis Armstrong's agreement to participate in the recording session for "What a Wonderful World"?

after his midnight performance at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas

Around what time did the recording session for "What a Wonderful World" begin on August 16, 1967?

2:00 AM

On what date did the recording session for "What a Wonderful World" take place?

August 16, 1967

What year was "What a Wonderful World" released?

1967

What year is "What a Wonderful World" from?

1967

Where did the recording session for "What a Wonderful World" take place?

United Studios

What was Bob Thiele's opinion of Louis Armstrong's recent recordings prior to "What a Wonderful World"?

He felt Armstrong had fallen into a rut by trying to replicate the sound of "Hello, Dolly!."

What musical approach did Bob Thiele hope "What a Wonderful World" would offer Louis Armstrong and his fans?

an attractive departure with a ballad, violins, cellos, and a rhythm section

To what payment did Louis Armstrong agree for his participation in the recording of "What a Wonderful World"?

the minimum union rate of approximately $250

What was the record executive Newton's initial reaction to recording "What a Wonderful World"?

He thought it was crazy to record a ballad instead of an uptempo number.

Who was the president of ABC-Paramount Records during the recording of "What a Wonderful World"?

Newton

Who had to accept Louis Armstrong's award plaque in September 1968?

Newton

Who blocked efforts to promote "What a Wonderful World" in the United States?

Newton

What did Newton declare he wanted to do as his agitation about the "radical" concept intensified?

cancel the date and fire the musicians and the producer

What did Bob Thiele tell Newton to convince him to momentarily leave the control room?

He would go down in history as the only man who ever threw Louis Armstrong out of a recording studio.

Who refused to let Newton re-enter the studio after he left the control room?

Bob Thiele and Frank Military

Who was Frank Military?

the publisher of the song

What did Louis Armstrong improvise at the end of "What a Wonderful World"?

a brief "Oh, yeah"

Did Louis Armstrong deviate significantly from the songwriters' melody in "What a Wonderful World"?

No

What was the name of the film that highlighted Louis Armstrong's performance of "What a Wonderful World" in 1987?

Good Morning, Vietnam

What is the title of Barry Levinson's 1988 film that featured "What a Wonderful World"?

Good Morning, Vietnam

What was located near United Studios that caused disruptions during the recording session?

the train tracks leading into Las Vegas

What is the birth year of music arranger Artie Butler?

1942

What sound caused recording sessions for "What a Wonderful World" to stop?

a freight train blowing its whistle

How long did the recording sessions for "What a Wonderful World" have to stop due to the freight train?

about twenty minutes each time

What did Artie Butler describe the situation with the train disruptions as?

the epitome of Murphy's law

Who is credited with the saying "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"?

an unknown person named Murphy

According to Artie Butler, when did they finally get the take they liked for "What a Wonderful World"?

around 6 AM

What was the record executive Newton's action regarding promotion of the new recording?

refusing to spend any money promoting it

How many copies of "What a Wonderful World" were sold in the United States over the next year?

fewer than a thousand

Where did "What a Wonderful World" shoot to Number 1 on the charts?

England

For how long did "What a Wonderful World" remain at the top of the British list?

four weeks

How many copies of "What a Wonderful World" did it sell in England?

over six hundred thousand

What does it mean for a record to have gone "silver" in England?

it had reached sales of five hundred thousand copies

When was Louis Armstrong's award plaque for "What a Wonderful World" delivered to the U.S.?

September 1968