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.
Jump Jive an' Wail
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Mama's in the backyard
Learning how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotto jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
One good thing about him
He knows how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jill stayed up
She wants to learn how to jive and wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
Louis Armstrong's song "Jump, Jive and Wail" is a high-energy, upbeat piece that encourages listeners to let loose, dance and have a good time. The opening lyrics suggest that the weather outside is dreary or even dangerous, with the threat of hail looming large. In response, the singer suggests that the listener come inside and learn how to "jive and wail" - a phrase that likely refers to a style of dancing that incorporates fast footwork and exuberant movements.
As the verses progress, various characters are introduced who are all caught up in the same joyful activity. Mama is in the backyard learning to "jive and wail," while Papa looks for a drink of ale in the icebox. The lyrics suggest that regardless of gender, everyone can benefit from learning how to "jive and wail". This is reinforced by the mention of Jack and Jill going up the hill to fetch a pail of water; while Jack returns with the drink, Jill stays behind to learn some new dance moves.
Overall, the song is a celebration of music, movement, and the connections that are forged through shared experiences. The recurring refrain of "jump, jive and then you wail" serves as a mantra for anyone looking to let their hair down and have some fun.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail
It seems like a storm is coming, and you should come inside.
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive and wail
Come inside and I will show you how to dance to this upbeat music.
You gotta jump, jive and then you wail
To dance to this music, you need to jump up and down, dance, and then let out a big yell or scream of excitement.
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Mama's in the backyard
Learning how to jive and wail
Dad is looking for a drink, while mom is outside learning how to dance to this music.
A women is a women and a man ain't nothin' but a male
One good thing about him
He knows how to jive and wail
Men and women are different, but the one good thing about men is that they can dance to this music.
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail
Jill stayed up
She wants to learn how to jive and wail
Jack and Jill went up to get water, but Jill stayed up to learn how to dance to this music.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LOUIS PRIMA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
n00se
Baby, baby it looks like it's gonna hail [2x]
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive an' wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail [4x]
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away!
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale [2x]
Mama's in the backyard
Learning how to jive an' wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail [4x]
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away!
A woman is a woman and a man ain't nothin' but a male [2x]
One good thing about him
He knows how to jive an' wail
Jack and Jill went up the hill to get a pail [2x]
Jill stayed up
She wants to learn how to jive an' wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail [4x]
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away!
Arjun Sapkota
Baby, baby, it looks like it's gonna hail
Baby, baby, it looks like it's gonna hail
You better come inside
Let me teach you how to jive an' wail
Oh, you gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Papa's in the icebox lookin' for a can of ale
Mama's in the backyard
Learnin' how to jive an' wail
Oh, you gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail
You gotta jump, jive, and then you wail away
A woman is a woman and a man ain't nothin' but a male
A woman…
lmunson1946
Grew up with this music and still love it. When it gets popular again I'll be a happy camper. Brian Setzer rocks with this number.
haineux
One of Louis's masterpieces. Wish I knew who played the piano solo -- sounds like something Brubeck would do.
AaronFarquhar96
this song is just one of those songs that you just can't resist jamming to
Seeker After Truth
Classic. This music will live forever.
sturdleyburdeux
All of Sam Butera's crew are outstanding musicians. The trombone player was just great. A wild bunch. Louie,(could play that trumpet),Keely,(sang like a bird), Sam and the Witnesses were the hot group in Las Vegas during the '50's and 60's.
Nicole
They played this song at my big sister's wedding to her now ex-husband in memory of our dad! I barely remember that wedding (I was only 6 years old), but I remember that my sister's stepfather started to dance with me to this song haha.
aartmark
I grew up listening to Louis Prima and Keely Smith.
It will always be some of my favorite music.
R D
this is some old school music and it still rocks
SoulShine82
It's been 36 years since I danced to the Brian Setzer Orchestra version of this song, but it still brings me a smile and happy feet!
travis7310
How could it be 36 years when his version is only from 1998?