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.
Baby
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mama it's cold outside
I've got to go away
I said it's cold outside
I wish I knew how
Tickled to death that you'd drop in
To break this spell
You'd better break that spell, oh God
My mother will start to worry
Mama, what's your hurry?
Father will be pacing the floor
And he's gotta go, he's gotta go
Really I'd better hurry
Please don't hurry
Well maybe just a half a drink more
Take some 'Swiss Kriss' while I pour
The neighbors might think
Mama, it's bad out there
Hey pops, (what's that?) what's in this drink?
Ain't no fun to be had out there, you know
This evenin' has been
It aint' even started yet
So nice and fine
Take another drink-a-wine
And maybe you'll change your mind
I ought to say no, no, no, sir
You don't have to call me sir
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
Give it up, give it up, give it up
I really can't stay
And, don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside
Look-a there honey, look at that window there
You can't go out there in all that bad weather
Not gonna let you go out there, it's stupid of me to do that
You at the wrong window anyway, that's a bay window there
See the one that's in the middle there, yeah the one that's boarded
See that out house there, ain't no use in you goin' out there
In all that bad weather, gettin' them two little skis all frost bitten
But pops, I didn't tell mama and papa where I was goin'
You didn't what
In fact, I sneaked outta the house
Oh, Velma, don't never do that to your mama and papa
You stay here three more days then you go back home to your people there
There's bound to be talk tomorrow
What about my sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied
Yeah, you tellin' me
I really can't stay
An-bol-eh-do-as
Ahh but it's cold outside
Hey pops, I'd really like to stick around
I wish you would
Well I live so far, I live way over on the other side of town
Over in the aristocratic part, way over, really
Where would that be honey
Over on Jackson Street
She ain't been in town two hours and she done found out what Jackson street is
She left on a plane owing me two dollars too
Yes indeed folks this is the place
You know where you can get two drinks for forty cents here
Then come outta the gate and fall flat-a-your face, that's what you do
Yeah your shoes are blusey, and let's get juicy
Yeah, but it's cold
Bah-da-da-dat outside
Bah-ba-da-do-de-da-da-day
The song Baby It's Cold Outside is a duet originally written by Frank Loesser in 1944. It has been covered by many artists throughout the years, including Louis Armstrong. The song features a man trying to convince a woman to stay with him for the evening because it's too cold to leave. She resists at first, worried about the reaction of her parents, but he uses his charm and persuasion to convince her to stay. The lyrics have been the source of some controversy in recent years, with some people interpreting them as being suggestive of date rape.
The lyrics of the song have a lot of back and forth between the man and woman, with each one playing off the other's words. The woman expresses her desire to leave, but the man tries to convince her to stay with him. He tells her that it's cold outside, and it's better to stay inside where it's warm. He also tells her that her parents will worry about her if she leaves, and he doesn't want her to get hurt in the bad weather. The woman resists, saying that her father will be pacing the floor if she doesn't come home soon. However, the man persists, offering her another drink and trying to sweet-talk her into staying.
One interpretation of the song is that it is about a man pressuring a woman into staying with him even though she doesn't want to. Some of the lyrics, such as "What's in this drink?" and "I ought to say no, no, no, sir," have been seen as problematic in this regard. However, others argue that the song is simply a playful and innocent back-and-forth between two people who are attracted to each other. Ultimately, the meaning of the song is in the eye of the beholder.
Line by Line Meaning
I really can't stay
I don't want to leave
Mama it's cold outside
It's too cold to go out
I've got to go away
I need to leave
I said it's cold outside
I already told you it's too cold to leave
I wish I knew how
I don't know how to stay
Tickled to death that you'd drop in
Happy that you came over
To break this spell
To end this moment
You'd better break that spell, oh God
Please leave now
My mother will start to worry
My mother will get concerned
Mama, what's your hurry?
Why are you rushing?
Father will be pacing the floor
My father will be anxious
And he's gotta go, he's gotta go
He is insisting on leaving
Really I'd better hurry
I should actually leave
Please don't hurry
Stay a little longer
Well maybe just a half a drink more
Have a bit more to drink
Take some 'Swiss Kriss' while I pour
Take this laxative while I pour the drinks
The neighbors might think
People might judge us
Mama, it's bad out there
It's dangerous outside
Hey pops, (what's that?) what's in this drink?
I am suspicious of what is in this drink
Ain't no fun to be had out there, you know
There's nothing fun to do outside
This evenin' has been
Tonight has been nice
It aint' even started yet
The night is still young
So nice and fine
Very pleasant
Take another drink-a-wine
Have another drink
And maybe you'll change your mind
You might change your decision
I ought to say no, no, no, sir
I should say no, but...
You don't have to call me sir
Don't be so formal
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
I'm trying to convince myself I tried
Give it up, give it up, give it up
Stop trying to convince me
And, don't hold out
Don't keep trying
Ahh, but it's cold outside
But it really is too cold to leave
Look-a there honey, look at that window there
Ignore that window
You can't go out there in all that bad weather
It's too dangerous outside
Not gonna let you go out there, it's stupid of me to do that
I won't let you do that, it's not smart
You at the wrong window anyway, that's a bay window there
You're looking at the wrong window
See the one that's in the middle there, yeah the one that's boarded
Look at the boarded up window in the middle
See that out house there, ain't no use in you goin' out there
There's no use going outside to that outhouse
In all that bad weather, gettin' them two little skis all frost bitten
You might get cold and hurt your feet
But pops, I didn't tell mama and papa where I was goin'
I didn't tell my parents where I was going
You didn't what
What do you mean you didn't tell them?
In fact, I sneaked outta the house
I left the house carefully
Oh, Velma, don't never do that to your mama and papa
Don't ever do that again to your parents
You stay here three more days then you go back home to your people there
Stay here for three more days then go back to your family
There's bound to be talk tomorrow
People will talk about what happened tonight
What about my sorrow
What will happen to me?
At least there will be plenty implied
People will say a lot even if it's not true
Yeah, you tellin' me
I agree with you
An-bol-eh-do-as
Nonsense words
Ahh but it's cold outside
But I really don't want to leave
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frank Loesser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sandrabook6072
The BEST version of this song ever. This is the true spirit of this song. Two friends sharing a fun moment that lasts a lifetime.
@davemccoy7340
Nothing beats this. Her voice with pops. Nothing better
@pkrones
Absolutely. Delughtful! And I listened to 6 before this!
@marianneprabel9651
About 1961, my husband was a student, 'Satchmo', his band and Velma were in Utah. I got Velma's autograph and she asked if I had Louis' yet. I told her 'Not yet!" On his break we went and saw his family in the back, he was so gracious, spoke briefly with us, gave me his autograph - I'll never forget!!! Perfect evening of listening, dancing until it was over Something I'll never forget - we still have the hanky and the memory. Thank you Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong, kind man.
@jaceyjacobs4013
She lasted SO long without cracking up. I would have died of laughter in the first minute.
@jojoUK120
Jacey Jacobs I so wish they’d filmed this! 😎
@Sara_Bear-ee
They had so much fun doing this number its a shame there is no video of the whole thing
@draiafitz6935
How could you not love Louis Armstrong! !!!! 💓💓💓
@UncleFishbits
The absolute definitive version and a live recording masterpiece. Velma and Louis singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside". The warmth and joy just crackles away through the song.
@UncleFishbits
Which is why I love when people arrange songs and cover... like Moon River. I have about 20 versions! =)