WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD
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Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: Moderate to slow (most performances) |
George D. Weiss and Bob Thiele
Popularized by Louis Armstrong |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Notation & youTube keys need to be checked.
Accordion Notation
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Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent |
Either row (high) = Buttons 5 to 9* (not shown)
Either row (low) = Buttons 2 to 5* |
Many people see the button accordion (melodeon) as an instrument for jigs, reels and other fast music. One of my favorite examples of a slow tune beautifully played on the button accordion is Paddy Callaghan's "Be Thou My Vision" and Reels. (Yes, Paddy can also play jigs and reels brilliantly - on the same youTube video).... Both tunes are well worth a listen!
So ... give "What a Wonderful World" a try on your accordion. Although most of the youTube renditions are relatively slow, some are not (see "Okaidi and Playing for Change" as an example).
You may note that there are "triplets" in three of the verses, in which three notes are held for one or two beats. Here these are shown in parenthesis, preceded by a colon (:) for two beats. Skilled performances of this song may include many more triplets than shown here, some single beat.
Verse 1
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 :5 | "r "5* "5* "5* :5 | "r
I see trees of green, red ros - es too
"4* "4* "4* :4 | "r "3* "3* "3* .3
I see them bloom for me and you
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r
And I think to my self
"3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::4~ | ~: .r
What a won-der-ful world___
Verse 2
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 ;5 "5 | ;5* "5* ;5
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
"5 | .4* "4* "4* ;4 "4 | .3* "3* "3* .3
The bright bles-sed day, the dark sac -red night
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r
And I think to my - self
"3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::3~ | ~: .r
What a won-der-ful world___
Verse 3
.3 | "3* "3* "3* "3* "3* .2 "2 | "4* "4 "4 "3* ;4
The col - ors of the rain-bow so pret - ty in the sky
"3 | "3* "3* "3* "3* "3* .2 "3* | "4* "4 "4 "3* .4
Are al - so on the fac - es of peo-ple go - ing by
"4 "5 | .5* "5* "5* .5 "4 "5 | .5* "5* "5* :5 | "r
I see friends shak-ing hands say-ing How do you do?
"5* "5* "5* "5 ;5 | .4* .4 .3*
They're real - ly say - ing I love you
Verse 4
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 ;5 "5 | ;5* "5* :5 |
I hear ba - bies cry I watch them grow
"4* "4* "4* ;4 "4 | .3* "3* "3* .3
They'll learn much more than I'll ev - er know
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r "3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::4~ | ~. .r
And I think to my - self What a won-der-ful world____
.4 .4 | .4 "3 "3* :3 | .r "3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::3~ | ~.: .r |
Yes I think to my - self What a won-der-ful world_____
So ... give "What a Wonderful World" a try on your accordion. Although most of the youTube renditions are relatively slow, some are not (see "Okaidi and Playing for Change" as an example).
You may note that there are "triplets" in three of the verses, in which three notes are held for one or two beats. Here these are shown in parenthesis, preceded by a colon (:) for two beats. Skilled performances of this song may include many more triplets than shown here, some single beat.
Verse 1
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 :5 | "r "5* "5* "5* :5 | "r
I see trees of green, red ros - es too
"4* "4* "4* :4 | "r "3* "3* "3* .3
I see them bloom for me and you
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r
And I think to my self
"3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::4~ | ~: .r
What a won-der-ful world___
Verse 2
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 ;5 "5 | ;5* "5* ;5
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
"5 | .4* "4* "4* ;4 "4 | .3* "3* "3* .3
The bright bles-sed day, the dark sac -red night
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r
And I think to my - self
"3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::3~ | ~: .r
What a won-der-ful world___
Verse 3
.3 | "3* "3* "3* "3* "3* .2 "2 | "4* "4 "4 "3* ;4
The col - ors of the rain-bow so pret - ty in the sky
"3 | "3* "3* "3* "3* "3* .2 "3* | "4* "4 "4 "3* .4
Are al - so on the fac - es of peo-ple go - ing by
"4 "5 | .5* "5* "5* .5 "4 "5 | .5* "5* "5* :5 | "r
I see friends shak-ing hands say-ing How do you do?
"5* "5* "5* "5 ;5 | .4* .4 .3*
They're real - ly say - ing I love you
Verse 4
"2 "2* | ;3 "4 ;5 "5 | ;5* "5* :5 |
I hear ba - bies cry I watch them grow
"4* "4* "4* ;4 "4 | .3* "3* "3* .3
They'll learn much more than I'll ev - er know
"3 "3 | .3 "3 "3 :3 | .r "3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::4~ | ~. .r
And I think to my - self What a won-der-ful world____
.4 .4 | .4 "3 "3* :3 | .r "3 "3 :( 2* 3 3* ) | ::3~ | ~.: .r |
Yes I think to my - self What a won-der-ful world_____
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
Total of 14 videos in various musical (major) keys: A=2 Bb=1 C=5 F=5 G=1
Total of 14 videos in various musical (major) keys: A=2 Bb=1 C=5 F=5 G=1
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Key: F
Singer: Louis Armstrong Posted by: Laganini To paraphrase an old saying, great music comes not only from the notes but also from the silent spaces, both small and large, between the notes. No one understood this better than Louis Armstrong. |
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Key: C
Singer: Susan Boyle Posted by: Susan Boyle |
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Key: F
Performers: ? Posted by: StringspaceLive Guitar-Violin Duo Beautifully done |
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Key: C
Singer: Tony Archibald Posted by: threelegsoman Tony's video shows the chords he's using. |
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Key: A
Singer: Rod Stewart backed by a great orchestra and instrumentalists Posted by: Rod Stewart |
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Key: C
Group: Okaidi and Playing for Change Posted by: Okaidi Official "Playing For Change is a multimedia music project, co-founded in 2002 by American music engineer/producer Mark Johnson and film producer/philanthropist Whitney Kroenke, that seeks to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music." |
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Key: A
Singer: Jackie Evanchoo (at age 12) Posted by: JackieEvanchoVEVO |
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Key: F
Performers: Cellist, Erika Neilson Violinist, Oleksandra Fedyshyn Instrumental Arrangement by Oleksandra Fedyshyn Vocals: ViVA Trio Posted by: ViVA Trio |
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Key: G
Singer: Keane Posted by: rwrazorbackromantic |
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Key: F
Performer: Brett Vanderzee Posted by: Brett Vanderzee |
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Key: C
Singer: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Posted by: Universal Music France Isreal passed way in 1997 at the age of 38. A great man and a great singer. |
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Key: Bb
Singers: Gloria Estefan & Stevie Wonder Posted by: Gloria Estefan Official Fan TV |
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Key: C
Singer: Abby Ward Posted by: ABBY WARD // ABEL |
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Key: F
Singer: Rob Switft Posted by: swiftlessons Performance: from time 0:20 to 2:54 Guitar lesson: from time 2:54 to the end. |
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Background Materials, Information & Links
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Lyrics:
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I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you And I think to myself what a wonderful world I see skies of blue and clouds of white The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night And I think to myself what a wonderful world The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky Are also on the faces of people going by I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do They're really saying I love you I hear babies crying, I watch them grow They'll learn much more than I'll never know And I think to myself what a wonderful world Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world |
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Background Links:
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Click HERE for additional (wikipedia) info about this song.
Click HERE for (wikipedia) biographical info on Louis Armstrong Click HERE for (wikipedia) biographical info on Bob Thiele Click HERE for (wikipedia) biographical info on George David Weiss |