Wonderful World
Sam Cooke
1960
Annual listening-list association, not an original-release-date field. Original release year reconciled with reviewed recording-specific Artist Essentials evidence in v3.6.
Release: 1960
Release: 1960Source checked
V3.6 reconciles the original release year with the reviewed Artist Essentials entry for this exact retained recording ID. Year precision is used; an album-first release is not silently replaced by a later single, reissue or annual-list year. The Recording Academy identifies the original Keen single as a 1960 release, and ABKCO separately documents the original 1960 album. The session year and the 1980s reissue do not set this recording's release year.
The large badge identifies this listening list, not a newly issued recording. Later reissues and renewed chart popularity do not replace an original release date. How years are assigned.
Owner-supplied release annotations
Reported dates in 1960.html. Not independently established; neighboring dates can reflect album/single or regional differences.
GRAMMY Hall of Fame - original Keen single identification
The (What A) Wonderful World entry identifies Sam Cooke, Keen, 1960 and single format. This is the original release annotation, not its 2014 induction year. Also identifies You Send Me as a 1957 Keen single; the unrelated Louis Armstrong song has a separate entry.
The Complete Keen Years - ABKCO original-release notes
Explicitly identifies You Send Me as Cooke's 1957 Keen debut, before its 1958 album. Identifies the original 1960 Wonderful World album and distinguishes original masters from stereo bonuses; also distinguishes Cooke's solo career from the Soul Stirrers.
Inspiration and background
Supplied note - not independently verified
This note came with the supplied collection and has not been independently verified.
Co-written by Cooke, Lou Adler, and Herb Alpert, the song was inspired by the simple joys of young love.
Evidence scope: Source-provided note, not an established account of the songwriter's intent
Sources for this information
Owner-supplied 1960.html, song-list position 47
Supplied annotation reproduced with attribution; underlying historical claims have NOT been independently verified.
Other appearances and versions
catalog version unspecified
Original release date and exact pressing/version are not independently established.
An annual chart year and an original release date are different. Similar titles may be covers or different masters; no audio fingerprint has been performed.
Sources and scope
Source-backed annual association (secondary source; not a complete discographic review)
Editorial artist-repertoire classification
Billboard year-end 1960 table (Wikipedia transcription)
Secondary transcription reviewed 2026-10-11: title, artist and annual chart association; not original release date or complete recording metadata.
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.