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.
Body and Soul
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For you I sigh, for you, dear, only
Why haven't you seen it?
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending?
It looks like the ending
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for the very taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
The first verse of "Body and Soul" expresses the yearning and longing of the singer for their love interest. They feel both sadness and loneliness in their heart and only yearn for their lover, who does not seem to have noticed their feelings. This is an unrequited love scenario where the singer is entirely devoted to their partner, both physically and emotionally. The second verse reveals the confusion of the singer, who can't understand why their love interest is not reciprocating their feelings. Despite this confusion, the singer is committed to their love and remains ready to prove themselves whenever they get the chance. The chorus reinforces the message that the singer is 'all for' their love interest both physically and emotionally, no matter how heartbroken they are.
The lyrics of "Body and Soul" have a timeless quality. The song made its debut in the 1930 musical Threesome and became a standard performed by jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. Over the years, it has been covered by various artists, remaining a classic to this day. The song has a depth of emotion that speaks to the human experience of unrequited and intense love. Interestingly, the melody of "Body and Soul" has an unusual structure, deviating from the standard 32-bar AABA form. While it is still in the key of F Major, the song's unusual melody and structure distinguish it from other standards.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is sad and lonely
My heart is filled with sadness and loneliness
For you I sigh, for you, dear, only
I sigh only for you, my beloved
Why haven't you seen it?
Why haven't you noticed my love for you?
I'm all for you body and soul
I love you with every part of my being
I spend my days in longing
I spend my days filled with yearning and longing for you
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
And questioning why you are mistreating me
I tell you I mean it
I am sincere in my feelings for you
I'm all for you body and soul
I give you my love unconditionally
I can't believe it
I am in disbelief
It's hard to conceive it
It's difficult for me to understand
That you'd turn away romance
That you are rejecting my love
Are you pretending?
Are you pretending to love me back?
It looks like the ending
It seems like our love story is coming to an end
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
Unless you give me one more opportunity to demonstrate my love for you
My life a wreck you're making
You are causing chaos and turmoil in my life
You know I'm yours for just the taking
You know that I am completely devoted to you
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
I would willingly give myself entirely to you and your love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, John Green, Robert Sour
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@guevara7263
I'm still a youngster but I really love these early rare jazz songs💯💯
@brunoanastacio1512
86 years later...
Good music never dies...
@justsayknow7632
Louis Armstrong used to be on Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights. We'd watch him together as a family. That was a long time ago, before color tv. This makes me both sad and happy at the same time as my parents are gone now but this song and this music still lives.
Take care everyone!
@JohnBrown-ob8nx
This is great, haven't heard it for years- many, many thanks.
@bibi1944
you are welcome
@metonvieirafilhovieirafilh9184
I always loved this song and i'll Love it for all my lifetime...
@td1238
I have to agree. I have always loved Frances Langford's version, but this one is in a league of its own.
@elsadeliaculleton4073
Hermosa música
Y un grande.. Louis Amstrong...inolvidable...
@sergioguyman2813
Body and soul what a heavenly and soulful song!
@doobeedoo2
I was there that night and lemme tell you, it was incredible.