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.
Bye and Bye
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never dreamed that it could be
But now I realize since I saw you smile
There's only happiness for me
So
Bye bye blues
Bye bye blues
Birds sing
Sun is shining
No more pining
Just we two
Smiling thru
Don't sigh
Don't cry
Bye bye blues
Blues
The lyrics of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby's song Bye Bye Blues describe the joy and elation the singer feels when they catch sight of the person they love smiling. The singer expresses amazement at the power of this simple gesture to make them feel happy and fulfilled. They have realized that being with the person they love is the only thing that matters, and all their sadness and worry (blues) disappear when they are together. The chorus is an upbeat farewell to sorrow and an affirmation of the power of love to bring happiness.
The verses describe a world transformed by love. The bells ring, birds sing, and the sun shines in a way that reflects the singer's newfound joy. They are no longer pining or suffering, but instead, they are smiling and happy. The song encourages listeners not to dwell on their troubles (Don't sigh, don't cry) but instead to embrace the power of love (Bye bye blues).
Overall, the song is a celebration of the transformative power of love to bring happiness and hope in the midst of sadness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a big surprise when I saw you smile
Your smile caught me off guard and took me by surprise
I never dreamed that it could be
I never thought that I would be lucky enough to see you smile at me
But now I realize since I saw you smile
Now I understand that your smile brings me joy and happiness
There's only happiness for me
I know that happiness is all I'll feel when I'm with you
So
As a result of seeing you smile, I feel content and happy
Bye bye blues
I am saying goodbye to my sadness and sorrow
Bells ring
The sound of bells reminds me of your lovely smile
Birds sing
The chirping of birds fills me with joy and reminds me of the happiness I feel when I see you smile
Sun is shining
The bright sun is like your smile - it lights up the day
No more pining
I am no longer longing for something I can't have, because I have your smile
Just we two
It's just you and me, and that's all that matters because you make me happy
Smiling thru
We're both smiling and happy because we have each other
Don't sigh
I won't sigh or feel sad anymore because seeing you smile brings me happiness
Don't cry
There's no need for tears because you make me so happy
Bye bye blues
I am saying goodbye to my sadness and sorrow once and for all
Blues
The sadness I once felt
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bert Lown, Chauncey Gray, David Bennett, Frederick L Hamm
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luispintak9377
One of my favourite versions. Gordon Jenkins' orchestra featuring Louis and even a choir. It has so much energy, it is simply impressive! Starting with the brass, the strong drummer, and Louis' singing, the choir, the solo and, in the very end, a piano and even a violin. That's what I call music.
@michaelf.150
Such amazing voice 🎺🎺🎺🎺
@Trombonology
With golden trumpet or gravel voice, Louis Armstrong, the most important musical figure of the 20th century, can preach to me any time!
@keyowens
My favorite song by Lou ❤️ 💙, it's my wake up song in the morning