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.
I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My Juliets have been many
But now my roaming days have gone
Too many irons in the fire
Is worse than not having any
I've had my share and from now on:
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm giving all my love to one baby
Heaven help me if my baby don't come through
I've got a great big amount
Saved up in my love account
Honey
And I've decided
Love divided
In two
Won't do
So
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm betting everything I've got on you
I've been a roaming Juliet
My Romeos have been many
But now my roaming days have gone
Too many irons in the fire
Is worse than not having any
I've had my share and from now on:
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm betting everything I've got on you
I'm giving all my love to one baby
Heaven help me if my baby don't come through
I've tried to love more than one
Finding it just can't be done
Honey
There's one I lie to
When I try to
Be true
To two
So
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm betting everything I've got on you
Louis Armstrong's song "I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket" is a romantic tune about two people who have been roaming around in search of love and now have decided to commit to one person. The lyrics suggest that the singers have had multiple partners in the past, but have now realized that they cannot continue to divide their love among so many people. They have finally found the one they want to commit their everything to, even if it means taking a risk and putting all their eggs in one basket.
The singer seems to acknowledge the risks of committing to just one person, using the metaphor of having all his/her eggs in one basket. The singer is aware that if the relationship fails, he/she will lose everything, but still takes the risk because it's worth it. The lyrics are full of honesty and vulnerability, with the singers admitting their faults and past mistakes. They have both had their share of failed relationships and are finally ready to prioritize their love and give it all to one person.
Overall, the song is a declaration of love and commitment. It encourages listeners to take chances in love and commit to the person they truly want to be with, acknowledging that there are risks and challenges, but ultimately, it's worth it.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a roaming Romeo
I've been a player and have had many past loves
My Juliets have been many
I have had many female love interests in my past
But now my roaming days have gone
I'm ready to settle down and commit to one person
Too many irons in the fire
Focusing on too many things at once can be detrimental
Is worse than not having any
It's better to have no options than to have too many
I've had my share and from now on:
I've had enough experiences and I'm ready for a change
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm committing all my efforts to one person
I'm betting ev'rything I've got on you
I'm putting all my trust and hope in you
I'm giving all my love to one baby
I'm focusing all my affection on one person
Heaven help me if my baby don't come through
I'm counting on this person and I'm in trouble if they don't reciprocate
I've got a great big amount
I have a lot of love to give
Saved up in my love account
I have been holding back affection for the right person
Love divided
Splitting affection between multiple people is problematic
In two
Two love interests is not enough for me
Won't do
I need to focus my love on just one person
I've been a roaming Juliet
I have played the field and had many romantic interests
My Romeos have been many
I have had many male love interests in my past
I've tried to love more than one
I have attempted to have feelings for multiple people
Finding it just can't be done
I've realized that this is not possible
There's one I lie to
I have been dishonest and have not been faithful to one person
When I try to
When I attempt to love multiple people
Be true
By being honest and loyal to them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marshaliladebi5773
My dad had these tapes for years, one day I played the album and completely loved this song, been searching for it for years.
@BROWL911
Thank you so much for the great video music like this inspires all generations
@nickyg6164
Best duo ever
@sorenkarlsson6279
Another one of my favorite songs with this lovely couple
@nickyg6164
Greatest duo every
@rowh91
Random Movement - Scotch Bonnet ♥
@alexdesslin
Je sur kiffe !! bravo !
@joaojavi832
🤚
@anninamiastaizitta
a memoria!
@fillra01
Wonderful music! Thanks for this! The song was written by Irving Berlin. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, August 13, 1957, Los Angeles, CA ... Armstrong, Louis (Vocal) Fitzgerald, Ella (Vocal) Peterson, Oscar (Piano) Ellis, Herb (Guitar) Brown, Ray (Bass) Bellson, Louis (Drums) ... The "michaelminn armstrong" discography is excellent for Louis for the years 1923-1970, as is "dippermouth blog". ...