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.
How Long Has This Been Going On
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Often I've had to caress men
Five or ten, dollars then, I'd collect from all those yes-men
Don't be sad, I must add, that they meant no more than chess-men
Darling, can't you see?
'Twas for charity?
Though these lips have made slips, it was never really serious
I could cry salty tears
Where have I been all these years?
Little wow, tell me now
How long has this been goin' on?
There were chills up my spine
And some thrills I can't define
Listen sweet, I repeat
How long has this been goin' on?
Oh, I feel that I could melt
Into Heaven I'm hurled
I know how Columbus felt
Finding another world
Kiss me once, then once more
What a dunce I was before
What a break, for Heaven's sake
How long has this been goin' on?
Kiss me twice, once more, thrice, make it four
What a break, for Heaven's sake
How long has this been goin' on?
The lyrics of Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson's song "How Long Has This Been Going On" are complex and full of double meanings. The song tells the story of a woman who has had to resort to making money by entertaining men in exchange for small amounts of money. She downplays the significance of these interactions, describing the men as "yes-men" and suggesting that it was all in good fun.
Despite the casual way in which she describes her past exploits, it is clear that the woman is deeply affected by her experiences. The song hints at a sense of regret and a longing for something more meaningful. The chorus is a plea for someone to explain how long this situation has been going on, suggesting that the woman is looking for a way out of her current circumstances.
The lyrics of "How Long Has This Been Going On" are open to interpretation, but they suggest a sense of disillusionment and the search for deeper connections. The woman in the song is looking for something more than just money and sex, and the chorus suggests that she is looking for someone who can help her find it.
Line by Line Meaning
'Neath the stars, at bazaars
Under the sky and at different public events
Often I've had to caress men
I've had to charm many men
Five or ten, dollars then, I'd collect from all those yes-men
I used to collect five or ten dollars from those men who showed interest in me
Don't be sad, I must add, that they meant no more than chess-men
Those men didn't have any significance in my life
Darling, can't you see?
Honey, don't you realize?
'Twas for charity?
It was for a good cause, right?
Though these lips have made slips, it was never really serious
Even though I have flirted with them, it was never serious
Who'd have thought, I'd be brought to a state that's so delirious?
Who would have guessed that I would be so excited?
I could cry salty tears
I'm overwhelmed with emotions
Where have I been all these years?
I was missing out on something special for all these years
Little wow, tell me now
Oh my goodness, please share with me
How long has this been goin' on?
How long has this been happening?
There were chills up my spine
I was moved deeply
And some thrills I can't define
And it was indescribable
Listen sweet, I repeat
Listen carefully, I'm telling you again
How long has this been goin' on?
How long has this been happening?
Oh, I feel that I could melt
I feel like I could dissolve
Into Heaven I'm hurled
I'm in paradise
I know how Columbus felt
I can relate to how Columbus felt when he discovered America
Finding another world
Discovering something extraordinary
Kiss me once, then once more
Kiss me twice
What a dunce I was before
How foolish I was previously
What a break, for Heaven's sake
What a fortunate turn of events
How long has this been goin' on?
How long has this been happening?
Kiss me twice, once more, thrice, make it four
Keep kissing me more and more
What a break, for Heaven's sake
What a fortunate turn of events
How long has this been goin' on?
How long has this been happening?
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IRA GERSHWIN, GEORGE GERSHWIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thethreefriends3002
Louis Armstrong is an awesome musician
Thanks for sharing
@beforeourveryeyes
my favorite version; thank you!
@quentincollins1825
If you're having a really, really bad day, just envision Louis trotting around in "little velvet panties" as a kid. Works every time. 😂😌
@evertondebrito4633
Simplesmente linda essa canção.
@TheCmagalhaes
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