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.
Come Back Sweet Papa
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nine On A Ten Scale
Confession (Please Come Back)
Ron Nagle
---------
Oh yea
There's no need to get depressed
Won't you drop in anytime
Come in and get it off of your chest
It's a shame that I can't see you
When we're both inside of this box
Never knowing what your name is
When we have these private talks
Chorus:
Won't you please come back
Cause the sound of your voice has got me wondering why I'm so
distracted
So won't you please, please come back
I'll be waiting next time that you call to discuss how you've acted
Confession, come on baby
Now, was it her,
That sold you kisses at St. Patrick's last bazaar
Or the one who drank more whiskey
And drove off in a brand new car
Or the widow who was weeping
For the husband that she lost
Or the one at their reception
Who was dancing with the dogs
[Chorus]
Yes, I'll be waiting next time
I want your confession
Gimme your confession
You know that's my profession
So use your imagination
You know I'll be waiting
The song "Come Back, Sweet Papa" by Louis Armstrong is about longing for someone to return and confess their sins. The first verse of the song sets the stage for anyone who is feeling guilty and needs to get something off their chest. The lyrics convey a sense of comfort and reassurance that the person can come and find solace in the singer's presence. However, despite the fact that the two are together, the singer still cannot see the other person's face, and they remain anonymous to each other. The need for anonymity is emphasized by the fact that they both remain in the same box.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's desire for the other person to return. They are so preoccupied with the sound of the other person's voice that it's become a distraction for them. The second verse is a lyrical exploration of the various possibilities of who the guilty party could be - was it the kiss seller at St. Patrick's bazaar, the whiskey drinker who left in a new car, the weeping widow, or the dancer at a reception with her dogs? The verse is a playful exploration of the different characters that one might encounter in life, suggesting that the singer is open to hearing any confession, no matter how wild or unexpected.
Overall, the song is a gentle and empathetic call for anyone who is feeling guilty to come forward and confess their sins, no matter who they are or what they have done.
Line by Line Meaning
If you got a guilty conscience
If you are feeling remorseful
There's no need to get depressed
Don't feel down
Won't you drop in anytime
Please come by anytime
Come in and get it off of your chest
Tell me what's on your mind
It's a shame that I can't see you
It's unfortunate I can't physically see you
When we're both inside of this box
When we're both on the phone
Never knowing what your name is
I don't know who you are
When we have these private talks
When you confess to me
Won't you please come back
Please come back to me
Cause the sound of your voice has got me wondering why I'm so distracted
Your voice is all I can think about
So won't you please, please come back
Please come back to me
I'll be waiting next time that you call to discuss how you've acted
I'll be waiting for you to call again and confess your actions
Now, was it her, That sold you kisses at St. Patrick's last bazaar
Was it the woman who sold you kisses at the St. Patrick's Day Festival?
Or the one who drank more whiskey, And drove off in a brand new car
Or the one who drank too much whiskey and drove away in a new car?
Or the widow who was weeping, For the husband that she lost
Or the widow who was crying over her lost husband?
Or the one at their reception, Who was dancing with the dogs
Or the one at the wedding reception dancing with the dogs?
Yes, I'll be waiting next time
I'll be waiting for your call
I want your confession
I want you to confess your actions
Gimme your confession
Give me your honest confession
You know that's my profession
Confession is what I do
So use your imagination
Be creative with your confession
You know I'll be waiting
I'll be here waiting for you
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@guillermopena5656
Mi idolo Mr. Louis Amstrong seres que nunca deberían morir!!
@jessej7111
This is excellent! Thank you so much for sharing!
@phonatic
I have that record too and to me it's one of the very best songs the Hot Five ever recorded. Great transfer and condition!
@waltergray7722
Brilliant post. Can't get better than this.
Thank you for sharing this gem.
@SuoNagato
Like! Great music and video.👍
@bobboscarato1313
Jazz classics!