Introduction
“What a Wonderful World” was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, and was first recorded and released by Louis Armstrong in 1967.
This time, I’d like to share Rod Stewart’s live cover version with you.
Why You Should Listen
Rod Stewart’s live cover version features a collaboration with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
This song has been covered by many artists and has become one of the most beloved songs in popular music.
Highlights
・The excellent performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra
・Rod Stewart’s wonderful vocal performance
About the Song
“What a Wonderful World” was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, and was first recorded and released by Louis Armstrong in 1967.
It topped the charts in Austria and the UK, reached No. 2 in Ireland and Denmark, and became a Top 10 hit in several other countries.
However, it was not a major hit in the United States at the time. The song was featured in the 1987 film “Good Morning, Vietnam.”
It was re-issued in 1988 and reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since then, it has been covered by many artists and has become a timeless classic.
Rod Stewart included the song on his jazz standards album “The Great American Songbook, Volume III.” The album was released in 2005, topped the Billboard 200 chart, and sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.
This live performance comes from “One Night Only!”, which was held at the Royal Albert Hall in 2004.
During the first half of the concert, Stewart performed his rock hits with his band, and in the second half, he performed jazz standards with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
About the Artist
Sir Roderick David Stewart, known professionally as Rod Stewart, is a British singer and songwriter whose career began in 1961.
He is famous for his distinctive raspy voice, which has become one of his trademarks. In 1967, he joined the Jeff Beck Group as its lead vocalist. Later, he joined Faces while continuing his solo career.
His debut single, “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” was released in 1964 but was not a hit.
By the way, the song has been recorded by many artists, and my favorite version is by The Yardbirds.
Someday, I’d like to write an article about it.
Back to Rod Stewart, his first major solo hit was “Maggie May,” released in 1971.
It topped the charts in the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia. His debut solo studio album, “An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down,” was released in 1969.
It reached No. 139 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 250,000 copies.
His first No. 1 album, “Every Picture Tells a Story,” was released in 1971.
It topped the charts in both the US and the UK, sold more than 2.5 million copies in the United States, and was certified Gold by the BPI and Platinum by the RIAA. In the 2000s,
Stewart released five volumes of “The Great American Songbook” series.
The albums became major commercial successes.
Conclusion
This song has been covered by many artists over the years.
Among them, Rod Stewart’s version with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is one of the finest interpretations of this timeless classic.
Thank you for reading.
Welcome to the world of oldies but goodies.
Video courtesy of the official YouTube channel.