Getting the Right Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World CD
Most people buying a "What a Wonderful World" CD end up with something that sounds thin and lifeless. The issue isn't the song. It's which master was used for the pressing and whether it got crushed by loudness war remastering. I've sat through enough of these to know the difference after ten seconds of playback. The original 1967 single was recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York. Bob Thiele produced it. The session used a Neumann U47 on Louis's vocal and a standard rhythm section setup. That mono source is what most people hear when they want the real version. If you dig into discographies, the single came out on ABC-Paramount, catalog number 10377. The B-side was "Growin' Up," which nobody plays.
How to find a Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World Cd that actually sounds right
Here's the practical part. Check the label on the back of the CD case. You want to see one of these: ABC Records original release: Look for the ABC Records logo with the colored dots. Early pressings from the 1980s on ABC or Columbia (after ABC was sold) tend to use the original analog masters. These are usually identified by catalog numbers like CK 38487 or similar early Columbia/ABC numbers. The 1997 "Greatest Hits" Columbia/Legacy edition: This one uses remastered sources but stays closer to the original mix than most compilations. Catalog number CK 65535. It's widely available and decent enough for casual listening.
Avoid anything labeled "Superbit," "Audionow," or "HDremastered": These tend to apply heavy limiting. I had a copy of a budget reissue that sounded like it was played through a cereal box. The vocals were harsh, the trumpet had no body, and the strings were sibilant to the point of pain. Turned it out within thirty seconds. There's also the 2005 Sony Legacy "What a Wonderful World" double CD set (catalog number 82876 76756 2). This is the more complete collection if you want more than the title track. It includes the 1968 album and related sessions. The mastering on this one is generally respected among collectors, though some argue the loudness normalization hurts the dynamic range compared to the original vinyl pressings.
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The vinyl vs CD question
If sound quality matters to you, a vinyl pressing from the late 1960s or early 1970s will almost always beat any CD version. The original ABC mono pressing on red-and-gold labels has a warmth and presence that digital remasters flatten out. I have the original mono LP and I play it when I want to hear what this recording actually sounds like. The CD version is fine for background listening or car playback. The LP is for sitting down with the sleeve open. The downside of vinyl is that it's fragile. Dust, warping, needle wear. The CD versions have their own problems - compression artifacts, sometimes wrong mastering engineers applying excessive EQ curves. There's no perfect format for this recording.
Where to buy or download
Physical CDs show up on Amazon, Discogs, eBay, and thrift stores. Discogs is the best place to verify pressings. Search for the specific catalog number and check the community notes on release quality. You'll find threads where people complain about a particular pressing being a remake from a damaged master or, worse, sourced from a vinyl rip instead of the original tape. For digital purchases, Beatport doesn't carry this. Qobuz and HDTracks are your best bets for higher-resolution downloads. The Qobuz edition of the 2005 Legacy set offers 24-bit/96kHz. It's not the original tape - it's still a remaster - but it's significantly better than the standard 16-bit/44.1kHz MP3 or AAC versions floating around iTunes and Amazon Music. I ran into a problem once where I bought what I thought was the original ABC pressing based on the catalog number, but it turned out to be a 2000s repress made from a 1990s CD remaster. The inner ring code (the runout etching on vinyl, or the data molded into the plastic on CD) is the only way to tell for sure. On CD, look for the matrix number stamped in the dead wax area. If it reads something like "CK 65535-1A" that's a 1997 pressing. If it has a later number or says " Made in EU" with a newer code, it's probably a budget repress from the 2000s.
The bottom line: the song is great. The recording is decent but not audiophile-grade by any standard. The worst mistake you can make is paying premium prices for a heavily compressed reissue. Get the 1997 Columbia/Legacy version or hunt for an original vinyl pressing. Either way works. Just don't settle for the first CD you find at a gas station.
