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 Can’t Give You Anything but Love Baby
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's the only thing there's plenty of, baby
Dream a while, scheme a while
You're sure to find happiness and I guess
All those things you've pined for
Gee, I love to see you lookin' swell, baby
Diamond bracelets Woolworth's doesn't sell, baby
I can't give you anything but love
Well, I can't give you anything but love, oh, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, pretty baby
Dream a while, then you scheme a while
You're sure to find happiness and I guess
All them things you've always wanted
Gee, it's great to see you lookin' swell, baby
With rings and bracelets Penny's didn't sell, baby
Until that lucky day you'll know darn well, baby
I can't give you anything
Wish I could give you everything
But I can't give you anything but love, baby
Louis Armstrong's You Can't Lose is a classic tune that evokes a sense of hope and optimism despite life's challenges. The song's main theme revolves around giving the most precious gift of all to a loved one, which is love. Throughout the song, Armstrong reassures his significant other that he may not have material things to give her, but his love is more than enough to guarantee her happiness. The lyrics "I can't give you anything but love, baby. That's the only thing there's plenty of, baby. Dream a while, scheme a while. You're sure to find happiness, and I guess all those things you've pined for" emphasizes the idea that love is the only thing one needs to have a fulfilling life.
Armstrong's use of "diamond bracelets Woolworth's doesn't sell" and "rings and bracelets Penny's didn't sell" highlights the fact that the worth of a person is not in the material things they have but rather in who they are internally. Armstrong's words remind us that material things come and go but love, compassion, and kindness are everlasting. The chorus "I can't give you anything but love" emphasizes the main theme of the song effectively.
In conclusion, You Can't Lose is an inspiring song that conveys an essential message of the importance of love, hoping and dreaming despite life's challenges, and the idea that material things do not bring happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't give you anything but love, baby
The singer admits to not being able to provide material wealth or possessions, but expresses a willingness to provide love.
That's the only thing there's plenty of, baby
While the singer may lack material possessions, they believe they have an abundance of love to offer.
Dream a while, scheme a while
The singer encourages the listener to spend time imagining and planning their future.
You're sure to find happiness and I guess
The artist is optimistic that the listener will find happiness despite their current lack of material possessions.
All those things you've pined for
The artist acknowledges that the listener may have desires for material possessions, but suggests that love is more important.
Gee, I love to see you lookin' swell, baby
The singer expresses joy in seeing the listener looking happy and well.
Diamond bracelets Woolworth's doesn't sell, baby
The singer notes that the listener has expensive taste, but suggests that their love is worth more than material possessions.
Till that lucky day, you know darn well, baby
The artist recognizes that the listener may hope for more material wealth in the future, but suggests their love is enough in the present.
Well, I can't give you anything but love, oh, baby
The artist reiterates their inability to provide material possessions but emphasizes their willingness to provide love.
That's the only thing I've plenty of, pretty baby
The artist again emphasizes their abundance of love.
Dream a while, then you scheme a while
The singer repeats their encouragement for the listener to dream and plan for their future.
All them things you've always wanted
The artist acknowledges the listener's desires for material possessions.
Gee, it's great to see you lookin' swell, baby
The singer reiterates their joy in seeing the listener looking happy.
With rings and bracelets Penny's didn't sell, baby
The singer notes that the listener has acquired even more expensive possessions but emphasizes their own inability to do so.
Until that lucky day you'll know darn well, baby
The singer suggests that the listener may one day be able to acquire more wealth, but for now, their love is enough.
I can't give you anything
The artist emphasizes their lack of material possessions to offer.
Wish I could give you everything
The artist expresses a desire to provide everything the listener desires.
But I can't give you anything but love, baby
The singer concludes by reiterating that their love is the only thing they have to offer.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOROTHY FIELDS, JIMMY MC HUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BosSHuAhiN
I can't give you anything but love, baby
That's the only thing I've plenty of, baby
Scheme a while dream a while
We're sure to find
Happiness and I guess
All those things you've always pined for
Gee, I'd like to see you looking swell, baby
Diamond bracelets woolworth doesn't sell, baby
Till that lucky day
You know darned well, baby
I can't give you anything but love
@CheekandBluster
Beyond his unmistakable genius as a musician, Louis Armstrong had another, simpler quality that is so rare: he's having so much fun performing that you can't help but have fun watching him. If this clip doesn't make you smile, check yourself for a pulse.
@swingboutique
there are thousands of covers of this tune (justifiably!) but NOTHING compares to Louis Armstrong. Love you, Pops! 😍
@MickKingOfficial
My grandma is 3rd from the left at the bar :) My dad's mom. <3
@ibrahimamansare3663
Michaela Damn no wonder u georgeous
@akheem7515
WOW!❤❤❤
@bradley5800
What!
@mcdonoghrahloh459
Your twin!!
@roghabhrideradioshow
What??? Waow!!! Brilliant!
@mechmusicman
The New Orleans of my Grandmothers day. I can hear her voice in his.
@sizzurp6198
I wish more people today listened to these oldies