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.
Boogie Woogie On St. Louis Blues
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ser El Dueño De Tu Amor
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque No Puedo Yo Creer
Que Este Mundo Sea Mejor
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque Me Ahogo En Este Momento
Están Ardiendo Mis Sentimientos
Y Yo No Pienso Perder Mi Tiempo
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque No (Why Not)
Si Tienes Esa Magia
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Salgamos De Este Mundo
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
Why Not Baby
Porque No Puedo Yo Soñar Contigo
Y Nunca Despertar
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque No Puedo Cautivar Tu Silueta Angelical
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque No Puedo Decir Lo Que Siento
Porque Me Ahogo En Este Momento
Están Ardiendo Mis Sentimientos
Y Yo No Pienso Perder Mi Tiempo
Why Not (Porque No)
Si Tienes Ese Cuerpo
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Vamos A Otro Planeta
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
Porque No
Dime Porque No Me Darías Tu Amor
Porque Te Me (...) Entrega Tu Corazón
Yo Te Haría Feliz No Sentirías Dolor
Dime Porque No Baby
Lo Que No Parece Suficiente
Todo Eso Se Encuentra En Tu Mente
Lucha Duro Y Se Muy Valiente
Para Salir Siempre Hacia A Delante
Baby Porque No
Nunca Digas No
Y Vámonos Hacia Adelante
Baby Porque No
Nunca Digas No
Y Vámonos Hacia Adelante
Why Not (Porque No)
Si Tienes Esa Magia
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Salgamos De Este Mundo
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Si Tienes Ese Cuerpo
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Vamos A Otro Planeta
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Solo Es Una
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
The lyrics to Louis Armstrong's Boogie Woogie On St. Louis Blues describe the intense feelings of love and desire towards someone. The singer acknowledges that they cannot be the eternal owner of the other's love, but wonders why they can't dream of being together forever. The chorus repeats the phrase "Why not" as a way of questioning why they can't express their emotions and feelings for the other person. Throughout the song, the singer expresses a deep longing to be with the other person, to escape together to another dimension or planet where they can be happy without any restrictions.
The lyrics are reflective of the themes of love and longing that are often present in boogie-woogie music. The song's fast-paced, upbeat music coupled with the lyrics' sentiments of desire and yearning create an energetic yet poignant tone. The lyrics also convey a sense of urgency and passion, as the singer is determined not to waste any more time and express their love.
Line by Line Meaning
Porque No Puedo Eternamente
Ser El Dueño De Tu Amor
Why Not (Why Not)
Why can't I always be the owner of your love? Why not (why not)?
Porque No Puedo Yo Creer
Que Este Mundo Sea Mejor
Why Not (Why Not)
Why can't I believe that this world can be better? Why not (why not)?
Porque No Puedo Decir Lo Que Siento
Porque Me Ahogo En Este Momento
Están Ardiendo Mis Sentimientos
Y Yo No Pienso Perder Mi Tiempo
Why Not (Why Not)
Porque No (Why Not)
Why can't I express what I feel? Because I'm drowning in this moment, and my feelings are burning. And I won't waste my time. Why not (why not)?
Si Tienes Esa Magia
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
If you have that magic that steals my heart, why not (why not)?
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
I'm addicted to your kisses, addicted to your love. Why not (why not)?
Salgamos De Este Mundo
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
Why Not Baby
Let's leave this world and go to another dimension. Why not (why not)? Life is only one, and my love is running out. Why not, baby?
Porque No Puedo Yo Soñar Contigo
Y Nunca Despertar
Why Not (Why Not)
Why can't I dream of you and never wake up? Why not (why not)?
Porque No Puedo Cautivar Tu Silueta Angelical
Why Not (Why Not)
Why can't I captivate your angelic silhouette? Why not (why not)?
Porque No Puedo Decir Lo Que Siento
Porque Me Ahogo En Este Momento
Están Ardiendo Mis Sentimientos
Y Yo No Pienso Perder Mi Tiempo
Why Not (Porque No)
Why can't I express what I feel? Because I'm drowning in this moment, and my feelings are burning. And I won't waste my time. Why not (why not)?
Si Tienes Ese Cuerpo
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
If you have that body that steals my heart, why not (why not)?
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Vamos A Otro Planeta
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
I'm addicted to your kisses, addicted to your love. Why not (why not)? Let's go to another planet, let's go to another dimension. Why not (why not)? Life is only one, and my love is running out.
Porque No
Dime Porque No Me Darías Tu Amor
Porque Te Me (...) Entrega Tu Corazón
Yo Te Haría Feliz No Sentirías Dolor
Dime Porque No Baby
Why not? Tell me why you wouldn't give me your love. Why not give me your heart? I would make you happy, you wouldn't feel pain. Tell me why not, baby?
Lo Que No Parece Suficiente
Todo Eso Se Encuentra En Tu Mente
Lucha Duro Y Se Muy Valiente
Para Salir Siempre Hacia A Delante
Baby Porque No
Nunca Digas No
Y Vámonos Hacia Adelante
Baby Porque No
Nunca Digas No
Y Vámonos Hacia Adelante
What doesn't seem enough, all of that is in your mind. Fight hard and be brave to always move forward. Baby why not, never say no, and let's move forward. Baby why not, never say no, and let's move forward.
Si Tienes Esa Magia
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Salgamos De Este Mundo
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Es Una Sola
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Si Tienes Ese Cuerpo
Que Me Roba El Corazón
Why Not (Why Not)
Soy Adicto De Tus Besos
Soy Adicto De Tu Amor
Why Not (Porque No)
Vamos A Otro Planeta
Vamos A Otra Dimensión
Why Not (Why Not)
La Vida Solo Es Una
Y Se Me Acaba Mi Amor
If you have that magic that steals my heart, why not (why not)? I'm addicted to your kisses, addicted to your love. Why not (why not)? Let's leave this world and go to another dimension. Why not (why not)? Life is only one, and my love is running out. Why not (why not)? If you have that body that steals my heart, why not (why not)? Let's go to another planet, let's go to another dimension. Why not (why not)? Life is only one, and my love is running out.
Writer(s): W.c. Handy, E. Hines
Contributed by Xavier E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anonymous
on What A Wonderful World
What A Wonderful World - Casey Abrams - Lyrics
I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Musical Interlude
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They goin’ learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I think to myself
What a wonderful world