If I Ruled the World - wikipedia If I Ruled the World For the Kurtis Blow song, see America ( Kurtis Blow album ). For the song by Nas featuring Lauryn Hill, see If I Ruled the World ( Imagine That ). For the UK game show, see If I Ruled the World ( game show ). `` If I Ruled the World '' is a popular song, composed by Leslie Bricusse and Cyril Ornadel, which was originally from the 1963 West End musical Pickwick ( based on Charles Dickens 's The Pickwick Papers ). In the context of the stage musical, the song is sung by Samuel Pickwick, when he is mistaken for an election candidate and called on by the crowd to give his manifesto. Ornadel and Bricusse received the 1963 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. The song is usually associated with Sir Harry Secombe, who got the song to No 18 in the UK charts in 1963, but has been performed by other singers, notably Tony Bennett, Robert Goulet, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Tom Jones and Regina Belle. Tony Bennett originally recorded the song in 1965, and had a number 34 hit with it on the U.S. pop singles charts. With Celine Dion, he returned to the song on his Grammy - winning 2006 album Duets : An American Classic. Andy Hallett, the actor best known for playing the part of Lorne ( ' The Host ' ) in the television series Angel, sang the song in that series ' final episode. The politician - spoofing BBC panel show If I Ruled the World was named after the song. This song was featured in Spring / Summer 2009 on the Vodafone adverts in the UK. Jamie Cullum also recorded a version for his album The Pursuit, and performed it at his special performance at the Late Night Prom, number Prom 55, of The Proms in London, with The Heritage Ensemble, on Thursday 26 August 2010 between 22 : 15 and 13.45. As shown on BBC televisions ' BBC Four on the following night. References Jump up ^ Lister, David, Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion, The Independent, 28 May 1994 Jump up ^ BBC -- Proms -- 26 August 2010 External links Cyril Ornadel Lyrics Charles Dickens 's The Pickwick Papers ( 1836 ) Characters Samuel Pickwick Sam Weller Alfred Jingle Nathaniel Winkle Mr Wardle Places Goswell Street Dingley Dell Bath Ipswich Fleet Prison Eatanswill Short Stories `` The Stroller 's Tale '' `` The Convict 's Return '' `` A Madman 's Manuscript '' `` The Bagman 's Story '' `` The Parish Clerk, A Tale of True Love '' `` The Old Man 's Tale About the Queer Client '' `` The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton '' `` The True Legend of Prince Bladud '' `` The Story of the Bagman 's Uncle '' Adaptations 1913 film 1921 film 1952 film 1963 musical 1969 TV movie 1985 TV series 1985 film Other `` If I Ruled the World '' George and Vulture Sammy Davis Jr. Discography Studio albums Decca Starring Sammy Davis Jr. Just for Lovers Here 's Lookin ' at You Sammy Swings It 's All Over but the Swingin ' Boy Meets Girl Mood to Be Wooed All the Way... and Then Some ! I Gotta Right to Swing Reprise The Wham of Sam Sammy Davis Jr. Belts the Best of Broadway The Sammy Davis Jr. All - Star Spectacular What Kind of Fool Am I and Other Show - Stoppers As Long as She Needs Me Sammy Davis Jr. Salutes the Stars of the London Palladium The Shelter of Your Arms Sammy Davis Jr. Sings Mel Tormé 's `` California Suite '' Sammy Davis Jr. Sings the Big Ones for Young Lovers When the Feeling Hits You ! If I Ruled the World The Nat King Cole Songbook Sammy 's Back on Broadway The Sammy Davis Jr. Show Sammy Davis Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida Plays Sammy Davis Jr. Sings the Complete ' Dr. Dolittle ' Lonely Is the Name I 've Gotta Be Me Verve Our Shining Hour MGM Sammy Davis Jr. Now That 's Entertainment ! Live albums Sammy Davis Jr. at Town Hall Sammy Davis Jr. at the Cocoanut Grove The Sounds of ' 66 That 's All ! Compilations Capitol Collectors Series Yes I Can ! The Sammy Davis Jr. Story The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection : Live & Swingin ' The Definitive Collection Soundtrack albums Mr. Wonderful Porgy and Bess Robin and the 7 Hoods Golden Boy Sweet Charity Stop the World -- I Want to Get Off Singles `` Inka Dinka Doo '' `` Hey There '' `` And This Is My Beloved '' `` The Birth of the Blues '' `` Something 's Gotta Give '' `` Love Me or Leave Me '' `` That Old Black Magic '' `` Too Close For Comfort '' `` All of You '' `` I Got Plenty o ' Nuttin ' '' `` Baby, It 's Cold Outside '' `` What Kind of Fool Am I ? '' `` Me and My Shadow '' `` Sam 's Song '' `` As Long as She Needs Me '' `` The Shelter of Your Arms '' `` If I Ruled the World '' `` Hello, Dolly ! '' `` Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye '' `` I 've Gotta Be Me '' `` The Candy Man '' `` ( I 'd Be ) A Legend in My Time '' `` Singin ' in the Rain '' `` That 's Entertainment ! '' `` Smoke ! Smoke ! Smoke ! '' Related Rat Pack Will Mastin Trio Sammy Davis Sr. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_I_Ruled_the_World&oldid=853640731 '' Categories : 1963 songs 1965 singles Songs from musicals Tony Bennett songs James Brown songs Nancy Wilson ( jazz singer ) songs Songs written by Leslie Bricusse The Pickwick Papers Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 6 August 2018, at 02 : 55 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote the song if i ruled the world
Answer: Leslie Bricusse