In 1929 he recorded with Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell. The following year he recorded in Knoxville for Vocalion Records, with his brother Roland Armstrong and Carl Martin, billed as the Tennessee Chocolate Drops. Adding guitarist Ted Bogan, the band toured as part of a medicine show and backed blues musicians such as Big Bill Broonzy and Memphis Minnie. As Martin, Bogan and Armstrong, they also performed at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. In 1934 Armstrong and Bogan recorded "State Street Rag" and "Ted's Stomp" on the Bluebird label, with Armstrong using the stage name "Louie Bluie" which he had been given by a fan.
Although Armstrong's early recordings were in the style of country rags or blues, this was not his sole repertoire as a performer. According to his sometime accompanist, author Elijah Wald, his early theme song was the Gershwin standard "Lady Be Good", and his group's repertoire included a wide range of hit songs of the period, including Italian, Polish, Mexican and country songs which he would play to meet the varying demands of his audience.
After serving in World War II, Armstrong moved to Detroit and worked in the auto industry until 1971. With a revival of interest in oldtime African American music, Martin, Bogan and Armstrong reunited to perform. The band recorded, performed at clubs and festivals and went on a tour of South America sponsored by the U.S. State Department. They played together until Martin's death in 1979.
Armstrong was the subject of two documentaries, Louie Bluie and Sweet Old Song. He continued to perform with a younger generation of musicians, and released his first solo album Louie Bluie on Blue Suit Records in 1995, earning him a W.C. Handy Award nomination.
Along with his music, Armstrong was an expert painter, designing album covers for his group and occasionally for other artists, including Elijah Wald. He also made necklaces from beads, pipe cleaners and "found objects." He spoke several languages, and was a masterful performer who could keep an audience entranced with his stories as well as with his music.
He died in Boston, aged 94, following a heart attack.
St. Louis Blues
Howard Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
I love my man till the day I die
The lyrics of Howard Armstrong's "St. Louis Blues" tell the story of a person who is heartbroken after their partner leaves them. The first two lines express the singer's sadness at watching the sun set as it signifies the departure of their loved one. The third line reinforces the idea that the singer's partner has left them and they are feeling lost and lonely.
The lyrics "Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today" show that the singer is in a state of despair and that they are likely to continue feeling unhappy if they do not take any action. In the following lines, the singer resolves to leave town if he feels as bad tomorrow as he does today, suggesting that he is contemplating a fresh start and leaving behind the pain of his lost relationship.
The song's chorus talks about a St. Louis woman who has a diamond ring, and it is implied that she is the cause of the singer's heartbreak. It appears that the woman has a hold over the man that the singer loves, and if it weren't for her, he would still be with her. The final stanzas express the singer's deep love for her partner, indicating that she will always love him, despite his absence.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down
The singer is upset to see the sun setting because it signifies that their loved one has left town.
Cause my baby, he's gone left this town
The singer's significant other has left town, causing the singer a great deal of sadness.
Feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
The singer anticipates feeling melancholy tomorrow, much like they are feeling now.
If I'm feelin' tomorrow like I feel today
The artist is unsure if they'll be able to cope with their current sadness and may leave town if they feel the same the next day.
I'll pack my truck and make my give-a-way
The artist intends to leave town if their sadness persists.
St. Louis woman with her diamond ring
The woman in St. Louis who has a diamond ring is the cause of the singer's significant other leaving town.
Pulls that man around by her, if it wasn't for her and her
The St. Louis woman is controlling the singer's significant other, and if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have left town.
That man I love would have gone nowhere, nowhere
Without the St. Louis woman, the artist's significant other would have stayed with the artist and not left town.
I got the St. Louis blues, blues as I can be
The artist is incredibly sad and feels the weight of the St. Louis blues.
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
The artist's significant other has a cold, unfeeling heart that is not easily swayed or changed.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
The singer believes that if their significant other had a more empathetic heart, he wouldn't have left town and hurt the singer.
I love my baby like a school boy loves his pie
The artist loves their significant other with a great amount of affection.
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his mint 'n rye
The singer's love for their significant other is strong and unwavering, like a Kentucky colonel's love for a favorite drink.
I love my man till the day I die
The singer's love for their significant other is so strong that it will last until the end of their life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: William Christopher Handy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind