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 Puttin' 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
Mama, I'm giving all my love to one baby
Lord 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
Lord 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'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I'm betting everything I've got on you
Yes, I'm giving all my love to one baby
Lord help me if my baby don't come through
I've got a great big amount
Saved up in my love account
Yes, 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'm betting everything I've got on you
Louis Armstrong's song "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" tells the story of a man who had previously led a life of being a "roaming Romeo", with multiple relationships occurring simultaneously. However, now he has decided to end that phase of his life and put all his faith and love into one person. He has accumulated a great deal of love and affection, represented by the "great big amount saved up in my love account", and he has decided that it is better to invest all of it in one person than to divide it amongst many.
He acknowledges the risk involved in betting everything on one person, asking for divine help if things don't work out, as he has no backup plan in this scenario. He also recognizes the danger of having too many options or "irons in the fire", as it can be overwhelming and ultimately unfulfilling. By deciding to focus all his attention and affection on one person, he hopes to find a deeper level of love and satisfaction. The female counterpart in the song tells a similar story, highlighting the commonality of this struggle to find love and stability.
The lyrics of the song resonate with people who have experienced the contradicting emotions of wanting to explore various options versus wanting to commit to one. The metaphor of putting all one's eggs in one basket can be interpreted to mean taking a significant risk or vulnerability. It's a reminder that love is a gamble, and there are no guarantees of success.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a roaming Romeo
I have had many romantic partners before.
My Juliets have been many
I have had many past girlfriends.
But now my roaming days have gone
I have decided to give up my old ways and settle down.
Too many irons in the fire
Having too many things going on at once can be a problem.
Is worse than not having any
It is better to focus on one thing than to spread yourself too thin.
I've had my share and from now on
I have had my fun, but now I am ready to commit.
I'm putting all my eggs in one basket
I am committing all of my romantic efforts to you.
I'm betting ev'rything I've got on you
I am putting all my hope and faith into our relationship.
Mama, I'm giving all my love to one baby
I am dedicating all my love to you.
Lord help me if my baby don't come through
I will be devastated if our relationship fails.
I've got a great big amount
I have a lot of love to give.
Saved up in my love account
I have been waiting for the right person to share my love with.
Honey and I've decided
I have thought carefully about this decision.
Love divided in two, won't do
I cannot love anyone else while I am committed to you.
Yes, I'm giving all my love to one baby
I am fully committed to you.
I'm betting everything I've got on you
I am putting all of my faith and trust into our relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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". ...