Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly-recognizable gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also skilled at scat singing (vocalizing using sounds and syllables instead of actual lyrics).
Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extends well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general. Armstrong was one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to "cross over", whose skin-color was secondary to his music in an America that was severely racially divided. He rarely publicly politicized his race, often to the dismay of fellow African-Americans, but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation during the Little Rock Crisis. His artistry and personality allowed him socially acceptable access to the upper echelons of American society that were highly restricted for a black man.
Armstrong was born and brought up in New Orleans, a culturally diverse town with a unique musical mix of creole, ragtime, marching bands, and blues. Although from an early age he was able to play music professionally, he didn't travel far from New Orleans until 1922, when he went to Chicago to join his mentor, King Oliver. Oliver's band played primitive jazz, a hotter style of ragtime, with looser rhythms and more improvisation, and Armstrong's role was mostly backing. Slow to promote himself, he was eventually persuaded by his wife Lil Hardin to leave Oliver, and In 1924 he went to New York to join the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. At the time, there were a few other artists using the rhythmic innovations of the New Orleans style, but none did it with the energy and brilliance of Armstrong, and he quickly became a sensation among New York musicians. Back in Chicago in 1925, he made his first recordings with his own group, Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five, and these became not only popular hits but also models for the first generation of jazz musicians, trumpeters or otherwise.
Other hits followed through the twenties and thirties, as well as troubles: crooked managers, lip injuries, mob entanglements, failed big-band ventures. As jazz styles changed, though, musical purists never lost any respect for him -- although they were sometimes irritated by his hammy onstage persona. Around the late forties, with the help of a good manager, Armstrong's business affairs finally stablilized, and he began to be seen as an elder statesman of American popular entertainment, appearing in Hollywood films, touring Asia and Europe, and dislodging The Beatles from the number-one position with Hello Dolly". Today many people may know him as a singer (a good one), but as Miles Davis said: “You can’t play nothing on modern trumpet that doesn’t come from him."
The 62-year-old Armstrong became the oldest act to top the US charts when "Hello Dolly" reached #1 in 1964. Four years later Satchmo also became the oldest artist to record a UK #1, when "What a Wonderful World" hit the top spot.
02
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just because my teeth are pearly
Just because I always wear a smile
Like to dress up in the latest style
'Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
I take these troubles all with a smile
Just because my color's shady
Shine, sway your bluesies
Why don't you shine?
Start with your shoesies
Shine each place up, make it look like new
Shine your face up; I want to see you wear a smile or two
Why don't you shine your these and thoseies?
You'll find everything gonna turn out right fine
Folks will shine up to ya
Everybody's gonna howdy doody do-ya
You'll make the whole world shine
Oh, chocolate drop, that's me
'Cause my hair is curly (man's got curly hair)
Now just because my teeth are pearly (also got pearly teeth)
Just because I always wear a smile (oh, keep on smiling)
Like to dress us, babe, in the latest style
'Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
I take these troubles all with a smile
Now just because my color's shady (you's a shady baby)
That's the difference, maybe, why they call me
Shine away your bluesies
Shine, start with your shoesies
You'll make the whole world shine
The lyrics to Louis Armstrong's song 'Shine' are about the singer's positive attitude towards life regardless of his physical traits and race. The opening lines describe his features, such as curly hair and pearly teeth, which he believes are irrelevant to the way he chooses to live - full of happiness and with a current fashion sense. The song's message is that despite obstacles or struggles faced in life, one should always try to maintain a positive outlook and wear a smile. The reference to his 'shady' color alludes to being Black and how that might make him different, but he still chooses to spread positivity through his music and presence. He encourages others to do the same and to shine away their 'bluesies' or negative thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
Cause my hair is curly
The singer mentions having curly hair as just a characteristic, without any deeper meaning.
Just because my teeth are pearly
Similarly, the singer mentions having pearly teeth as just a characteristic, without any deeper meaning.
Just because I always wear a smile
The singer explains that they always smile, not because they are trying to put on a front, but because they genuinely enjoy life and choose to see the good in it.
Like to dress up in the latest style
The artist enjoys keeping up with current fashion trends and dressing well.
Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
The artist expresses their genuine happiness and gratitude for being alive.
I take these troubles all with a smile
The singer explains that when facing difficulties, they choose to stay positive and smile through it all.
Just because my color's shady
The singer acknowledges that their skin color may be a reason why they are treated differently by others.
That's the difference, maybe, why they call me
The artist suggests that their skin color could be the reason why they are referred to as 'shady'.
Shine, sway your bluesies
The artist encourages listeners to shine and be positive, even in difficult times (bluesies).
Why don't you shine?
The artist asks the listeners to join them in shining and being positive.
Start with your shoesies
The singer suggests beginning the shining process by taking care of personal appearance, starting with shining one's shoes.
Shine your face up; I want to see you wear a smile or two
The artist encourages listeners to have a positive attitude and smile, which will make both themselves and others feel better.
Why don't you shine your these and thoseies?
The singer suggests shining everything else in one's life, including possessions and surroundings, to create a positive vibe.
You'll find everything gonna turn out right fine
The singer suggests that the more positive a person is, the better things will work out.
Folks will shine up to ya
The singer suggests that being positive and shining will attract positive attention from others.
Everybody's gonna howdy doody do-ya
The artist suggests that creating a positive vibe will lead to a joyful atmosphere.
You'll make the whole world shine
The artist suggests that spreading positivity will make the world a brighter place for everyone.
Oh, chocolate drop, that's me
The singer affectionately refers to themselves as a 'chocolate drop', likely as a playful nod to their skin color.
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: CECIL MACK, FORD DABNEY, LEW BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@innocentgomez8401
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
Oh, what a couple in love
Frankie was loyal to Johnny
Just as true as the stars above
He was her man
But he done her wrong
Frankie went down to the drugstore
Some ice cream she wanted to buy
The soda jerk told her that Johnny
Was making love to Nellie Bligh
He was her man
But he was doing her wrong
Now Frankie's dad was a policeman
She stole his old forty-four gun
Then back to the drugstore she beat it
Just as fast as she could run
After her man
Who was doing her wrong
Now Frankie peaked in on the party
She got a surprise when she saw
That Nellie and Johnny were making love
And sipping soda through a straw
He was her man
But he was doing her wrong
So Frankie flew into a tantrum
She whipped out that old forty-four
And her rootie-toot-boom, that gal did shoot
Right through that hardwood swinging door
She shot her man
'Cause he was doing her wrong
So bring on your crepe and your flowers
Bring on your rubber-tired hack
'Cause there's eight men to go to the graveyard
But only seven are coming back
She shot her man
'Cause he was doing her wrong
Now this is the end of my story
And this is the end of my song
Frankie is down in the jailhouse
And she cries the whole night long
"He was my man
But he was doing me wrong"
@thomasrexdale3706
this is it!! i saw Pops twice in the late 50s w his All Stars at the Capitol Theatre in Davenport IA. Thats where Bix Beiderbeck came from --the have a jazz festivial there every year . i was the pianist for the recreation of the recordings of The Original Dixieland Jazz band for its 70th anniversary--what a pleasure--Thx for posting this true American artist--the incredible forever ours!! RIP ,,,
@philpots48
This is a wonderful version and the piano has the right sound too.
@jaec45
I find this version (rendition) by far the best, as compared to others.
Booyah Louis!
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@alvileppala316
Alvi's Dixie Stompers has this fantastic story of Frankie and Johnny in its repertoire. I've got that at Traditional New Orleans Jazz Camp 2010 when visiting the first time NOLA.That is unknown in Finland. I'm reading at the moment about their sad lovestory witten by William Faulkner.
@gonzalogetselteris3662
Fantástico! Hace años que no lo encontraba... lo escuchaba de chico (hace poco más de 20 años)
@Planktontube
great song, perfect version, thanks alot.
@blackacgomes9708
Brasil gosta de Jazz e blues !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@worldofnana1
Love this great Memories .love the Piano to .
@SortirDunLarme
Love this song! Been looking for it. Thanx for posting it!
@jenniferjuniper97
Thank you for sharing.