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.
It Takes Two to Tango
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why? 'Cause it takes two to do this dance
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do the dance of love
And take a nap or a nip by yourself
You can get into debt on your own
There's lots of things that you can do alone
But takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do the dance of love
You can croon to the moon by yourself
Take a laugh like a loon by yourself
Spend a lot, go to pot on your own
There's lots of things that you can do alone
But, listen here, takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do that dance of love
Oh, Zed
Yeah, them cats are rockin' that now
Look here, who's gonna dance with me now?
'Cause it takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do that dance of love, ooh
Takes two to tango
'Cause that's the song of love
Louis Armstrong's song "It Takes Two to Tango" is a love song that expresses the idea that in order to truly experience romance and love, it takes two people. The song begins with a line asking for a dance, suggesting that the dance in question is the tango. The singer then explains that, unlike some things that can be done alone, the tango requires two people to truly appreciate its beauty and passion.
The chorus repeats the line "takes two to tango" emphasizing the idea that the dance is a metaphor for love itself. The singer suggests that it is possible to do many things alone, such as sailing a ship, taking a nap or getting into debt, but that experiencing love requires the participation of another person. The lyrics use playful and humorous language to describe the many things that can be done alone but emphasizes the ultimate need for a partner.
The final verse repeats the idea that it takes two to tango and ends with the line "that's the song of love." This last line highlights the idea that love is a dance that requires two people, hinting that the joy and passion of falling in love is one of life's most beautiful and fulfilling experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, how about this dance?
Asking someone to dance.
Why? 'Cause it takes two to do this dance
Explaining that the tango is a dance that requires a partner.
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Reiterating the importance of having a partner to dance the tango.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Emphasizing that dancing with a partner enhances the romantic aspect of the dance.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Further encouraging the idea of dancing with a partner.
Do the dance of love
Describing the tango as a dance that represents love.
You can sail on a ship by yourself
Acknowledging that there are activities that can be done alone.
And take a nap or a nip by yourself
Listing some activities or actions that can be taken alone.
You can get into debt on your own
Noting that there are negative consequences that can come from doing things alone.
There's lots of things that you can do alone
Stressing that there are many solo activities available.
But takes two to tango, two to tango
Returning to the main point of the song, that the tango requires a partner.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Reiterating that dancing with a partner enhances the romantic aspect of the dance.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Encouraging the idea of dancing with a partner.
Do that dance of love
Describing the tango as a dance that represents love.
You can croon to the moon by yourself
Pointing out another solo activity.
Take a laugh like a loon by yourself
Listing more activities or actions that can be taken alone.
Spend a lot, go to pot on your own
Noting that there are negative consequences that can come from doing things alone.
Listen here, takes two to tango, two to tango
Emphasizing once again that the tango requires a partner.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Repeating the importance of dancing with a partner for the romantic aspect of the dance.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Encouraging the idea of dancing with a partner.
Do that dance of love
Describing the tango as a dance that represents love.
Oh, Zed
A vocal interjection.
Yeah, them cats are rockin' that now
A comment about other people enjoying the tango.
Look here, who's gonna dance with me now?
Asking someone to be their partner for the dance.
'Cause it takes two to tango, two to tango
Reiterating once again that the tango requires a partner.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Reemphasizing that dancing with a partner enhances the romantic aspect of the dance.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Encouraging the idea of dancing with a partner.
Do that dance of love, ooh
Describing the tango as a dance that represents love.
Takes two to tango
Repeating the main point of the song.
'Cause that's the song of love
Explaining that the tango is an expression of love.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Al Hoffman, Dick Manning
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julio Caro
Louis is a genius!! I love the way he sings. I've been in his house at N. York City in Queens. It's a museum.
ELEONORA SONEIRA
One of my favorite memories is listening this song on my grandpas house on a vinyl record
Lia de Russo
It's just so sweet ^.^ I just want to go back to the 1950's, throw on a polka-dotted dress, and dance to Louis :)
mimi bracic
Great song !
Milseogra Celtic: Ceol & Fuaimeanna
Jazz (Africa/Chicago) & Tango ('Eireland/Rio/Argentina) are legends of Sound
Gerome Moerad Singer
I would give my love to be an Armstrong!
bathingatbaxters
i see 8 people tried to press the like button while they were dancing tango
Queen In Italiano
1:56 MI SENTO MALE AHAAHAHHAHAHA
Giulia Rabellino
1:58 "Che cazzo di robe mi dai? ahahahahaha
Nico Agustoni
1:58 "oooh che cazzo de robba me dai!!!
Daje roma