“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong describes that you should appreciate everything that life gives you. Finding those little things that bring joy can help in times of difficulty and struggle, which was most likely Armstrong's intention. Due to the fact that during this time there were many social problems regarding segregation, the fight for civil rights, poverty, war and then recent political issues. During these times of turmoil, this song was released. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Louis Armstrong experienced a troubled childhood with poverty and his father abandoning him, his mother, and his sister. He grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana in the early 1900s. Jazz was just being created. At the time, Armstrong's family did not have enough income to support each other, so they worked very odd jobs to support themselves. He had been sent to the home of the Colored Waifs in 1913. For disturbing the peace by shooting a pistol into the air. There he discovered his love for music and learned music by ear. Music was his passion and comfort, most people have nowhere to relieve their emotions and always need a "pick me up". In 1967 he created "What a Wonderful World", which reached the top of the charts and sold over half a million copies. But why did the song speak to him? Unfortunately, Armstrong himself cannot answer this question today. However, the lyrics and instrumental parts of the song can give the answers that have been sought. In Stanza 1, lines 1-4 “I see green trees / Even red roses / I see them bloom / For me and for you. Armstrong was showing the beauty of nature, especially plants. The beauty of the rose can mean many things, but most people in society symbolize it with love, respect and promises. Although without nature there would be no beauty in existence. All those paintings of landscapes, animals, plants and the like will no longer exist. As if he had never been there. Imagine that life with nature is almost impossible. Another example of why Louis Armstrong chose and created this song is in Stanza 4, lines 17-20 “I see friends shaking hands / Saying, 'How are you doing?' / They really say / 'I love you'.” One of the main needs for survival is human connections and relationships. Be it family, significant others, and even friends. An individual needs human contact and connection to stay sane. It is very difficult to imagine living without these conditions. My interpretation believes that the main reason for Louis Armstrong's choice of song is that, from his past experiences, he wanted others to know that they can find happiness in the little things. Armstrong had a difficult past, with him being sent to a juvenile detention center at 12, his father abandoning him and his family, and being shunned by his father's new family. These experiences bring a lot of anguish and pain to a teenager. During the time he created and released the song, many issues were important in society for African Americans in the 1960s. Segregation was still an unfinished business. Civil rights struggles are important, especially with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. following the song's release. Therefore, times were indeed tough for black individuals. Most likely, due to his way of dealing with those memories, he had found comfort in the little things. As he had described in his hit song. But Louis Armstrong and many others.