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've Got A Pockeful Of Dreams
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I've got a pocketful of dreams
It's my universe, even with an empty purse
'Cause I've got a pocketful of dreams
Wouldn't take the wealth on Wall Street
For the road where nature trodes
And I calculate, I'm worth my weight in golden roads
'Cause I've got a pocketful of dreams
In the song "I've Got A Pocketful Of Dreams" by Louis Armstrong, he sings about his optimistic outlook on life despite not being a millionaire or having a lot of money. He explains that he has something more valuable - a pocketful of dreams. This means that he has hopes and ambitions that keep him going and make him feel rich even without material wealth.
Louis goes on to say that his dreams are like a universe to him, even though he may not have money in his purse. He values the simple things in life such as nature and sees himself as being worth his weight in golden roads. He feels lucky because he can live luxuriously with his pocketful of dreams, and doesn't need a lot of money to feel wealthy.
Overall, the song is about finding happiness and contentment in life, even if you don't have a lot of money. It's a reminder to appreciate the little things in life and to chase your dreams, as they can make you feel rich in ways that money cannot.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, I'm no millionaire but I'm not the type to care
Although I may not have a lot of money, I am content with what I have and do not worry about what I lack.
'Cause I've got a pocketful of dreams
I have a rich imagination and many aspirations that keep me inspired and motivated.
It's my universe, even with an empty purse
My dreams and ambitions give me a sense of purpose and make me feel like a part of something bigger than myself, regardless of my current financial situation.
Wouldn't take the wealth on Wall Street
I would never trade my dreams and values for monetary wealth or conform to societal norms and expectations that do not align with my own beliefs.
For the road where nature trodes
I find more fulfillment in being surrounded by the beauty and wonders of nature than in superficial displays of wealth and status.
And I calculate, I'm worth my weight in golden roads
I believe that the richness and depth of my dreams and desires are a valuable currency that hold more weight and importance than material possessions.
Oh, lucky, lucky me, I can live in luxury
I feel fortunate to have a rich inner life and derive joy and satisfaction from my dreams and passions, even if they do not manifest in external forms of luxury.
'Cause I've got a pocketful of dreams
Once again, I emphasize the endless possibilities and creative power of my dreams and aspirations.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY BURKE, JAMES V. MONACO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thien Di Pham
Sounds so fun to listen