And I think to myself, "What a wonderful world"

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)

Recently I gave a group of 11- and 12-year-old students a copy of the lyrics for "What a Wonderful World".  Their reaction was fascinating.  I heard mutters from around the room all echoing the same sentiment: "This is a list of facts." and "What a boring song."

All that changed when they heard the music begin.  With the first sound of violins, there was a collective shout of recognition: "Oh!  I know this song!"  I waited to see what they would decide when they heard the "list of facts" delivered in the classic style of Louis Armstrong's gravelly voice.  There was an unusual moment of silence when the song ended.  The young listeners all looked around, waiting for someone else to corroborate what they thought they heard.  One boy was brave enough.

"It's about how nice the world is."

Well, yes it is!  At the same time, it is just a list of facts.  The sky is blue.  The trees are green.  People say hello to their friends.  All of these things are so true that we rarely consider them, especially as experienced adults who have seen so many blue skies.  Watching Louis Armstrong sing makes you think this is the first day he's ever seen a flower bloom.  It's just like seeing a familiar song through the eyes of youngsters who have never thought about it.  A reminder that a list of facts can be beautiful. 

I'll leave you with these words from Louis Armstrong himself:

Some of you young folks been saying to me, "Hey, Pops!  What you mean, 'what a wonderful world'?  How 'bout all them walls all over the place?  You call them wonderful?  And how 'bout hunger and pollution?  They ain't so wonderful either."  Well how about listening to old Pops for a minute?  Seems to me it ain't the world that's so bad, but what we're doing to it.  And all I'm saying is see what a wonderful world it'd be if we all gave it a chance.  Love, baby, love.  That's the secret.  If lots more of us loved each other we'd solve lots more problems.  And then this world would be better.  That's why old Pops keeps singing."