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 Was Doing All Right
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chuck a-chuck-chuck (huh! yeah!)
A-summertime
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin, don't you know my darling, I said a-right now
And the cotton is high
And your mommy's good-lookin', yeah
So hush, pretty little baby, don't you cry
One of these, one of these, one of these mornings, darlin'
You're gonna rise, you're gonna rise up singin'
Then you'll spread your little wings, your little wings
And-a take to the ska-da-da-da-dy
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, until-a that mornin'
There's nothin' gonna harm you, girl
With Mommy and Daddy standing by, yeah
Pretty little darlin', I said, a-right now
Don't let a tear, don't let a tear, don't let a tear
Little darlin', I said, fall a-from your eyes
So hush, pretty baby
Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on't
You-ooo
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...uck
Chuck a-chuck-chuck
Little darlin' do not let a tear fall-a from your ey-ey-ey-ey-eye
Whoa!
Louis Armstrong's "I Was Doing All Right" is a sweet, romantic song that describes a time in life when everything seems perfect. The song begins with the phrase "summertime and the living is easy," which immediately conjures up images of relaxation and leisure. The lyrics then transition to a description of someone's wealth and good looks, suggesting that the person being addressed is well taken care of.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more personal, with the singer addressing the listener directly as "little baby" and "pretty little baby." The message of the song is simple: even though life can be tough, there will always be someone there to support and comfort you. "So hush, pretty little baby, don't you cry," the singer croons in the chorus, "with Mommy and Daddy standing by."
The song's catchy melody and upbeat rhythm only add to its charm, making it an enduring classic. Louis Armstrong's smooth, soulful voice lends a sense of warmth and sincerity to the lyrics, making it easy to understand why "I Was Doing All Right" remains a beloved favorite among jazz enthusiasts and music lovers alike.
Line by Line Meaning
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...uck
Chuck a-chuck-chuck (huh! yeah!)
The singer makes a sound and a short phrase of encouragement to start the song with energy.
A-summertime
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin, don't you know my darling, I said a-right now
And the cotton is high
Like-a like-a like-a you're daddy's rich
And your mommy's good-lookin', yeah
So hush, pretty little baby, don't you cry
The season of summertime is marked by ease and abundance, with fish in the rivers and high cotton in the fields. The singer reassures a child, whose parents are wealthy and good-looking, not to worry or cry.
One of these, one of these, one of these mornings, darlin'
You're gonna rise, you're gonna rise up singin'
Then you'll spread your little wings, your little wings
And-a take to the ska-da-da-da-dy
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, until-a that mornin'
There's nothin' gonna harm you, girl
With Mommy and Daddy standing by, yeah
The child is told that one day they will wake up full of joy and ready to embrace the world, and will find freedom and happiness. Until that day, the child will be protected from harm by their loving parents.
Pretty little darlin', I said, a-right now
Don't let a tear, don't let a tear, don't let a tear
Little darlin', I said, fall a-from your eyes
The singer repeats phrases of encouragement to the child, urging them not to cry or be sad.
So hush, pretty baby
Do-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on't
You-ooo
The singer continues to comfort the child, telling them to be quiet and calm.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...uck
Chuck a-chuck-chuck
The song ends with the same sound and phrase as the beginning, bringing the song full circle.
Little darlin' do not let a tear fall-a from your ey-ey-ey-ey-eye
Whoa!
The singer repeats their encouragement one last time, telling the child not to cry and adding an exclamation of emphasis to end the song on a high note.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: . ROBERTS, JAMES JOHNSTON STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
William Cain
Every note on the trumpet, every syllable of the song--so full of intelligence and sensitivity. Armstrong is a great musical genius, and one of the wisest human beings, ever.
Achille Calise
LOUIS'S ARMSTRONG MASTERPIECES WILL OUTLIVE OUR MANY WORLDS!!!
The Infamous Space
He played so good his brother went to the moon
Rachel Fay
how superb and sublime :)
Flora Maria Scotto Di Uccio
BOY,I REALLY LOVE THIS MASTERPIECE,IT MAKES ME DREAMS AND FLY!!!👍👍👍
Achille Calise
GREAT SONG ,I WAS DOING ALL RIGHT ...WRONG!!!😎😎😎
maldoror74
you bet, this song are pretty much a example of that.
Scott McDowell
Listen to Oscar Peterson on piano, simply divine.
Flora Maria Scotto Di Uccio
LOUIS,LET ME DO ALRIGHT!!!!! RIP😎😎😎
kaarel kask
i learned it on piano