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.
Just a Gigolo
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People know the part I'm playing;
Paid for every dance, selling each romance
Every night some heart be-tray-ing.Was in a Paris cafe that first I found him
He was a Frenchman, a hero of the war
But war was over
And here's how peace had crowned him
A few cheap medals to wear and nothing more
And as he strolls by ladies hear him say
If you admire me, hire me
A gigolo who knew a better day
Just a gigolo, everywhere I go
People know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance
Selling each romance
Every night some heart betraying
There will come a day
Youth will pass away
Then what will they say about me
When the end comes I know
They'll say just a gigolo
As life goes on without me
Just a gigolo, everywhere I go
People know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance
Selling each romance
Every night some heart betraying
There will come a day
Youth will pass away
Then what will they say about me
When the end comes I know
They'll say just a gigolo
As life goes on without me
There will come a day youth will pass away
Then what will they say about me?
When the end comes, I know, they'll say, "Just a gigolo"
As life goes on without me.
Louis Armstrong's "Just a Gigolo" is a melancholic reflection of an aging man's past as a gigolo. The song reflects on how the man used to be popular with women, paid to dance and sell romance, but now, age has caught up with him, and the memories of his escapades haunt him. Through the lyrics, Armstrong highlights the fleeting nature of youth and the emptiness that comes with the passing of time.
The song's opening lines, "Just a gigolo, everywhere I go, people know the part I'm playing" set the tone for the entire track. The singer is well-known for his gigolo services, and it's no longer just a job; it has become a part of his identity. The reference to being "paid for every dance, selling each romance, every night some heart betraying" highlights the insincerity of his work and how it is driven by self-interest.
The man's reminiscence of his past starts in a Paris cafe where he met a war hero. The war was over, and the hero now is just a man with fake medals - a mere shadow of his former self. The gigolo's mentions in the song of how he is still present at the same cafe every night, despite being older, and how he still tries to attract women by saying, "If you admire me, hire me," suggests a sense of desperation and the fear of being forgotten.
Overall, "Just a Gigolo" portrays both the joys and the emptiness of life as a gigolo, emphasizing the fleeting nature of youth and the importance of cherishing meaningful connections.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a gigolo, everywhere I go
No matter where I go, people see me as a gigolo
People know the part I'm playing
Everyone knows that I'm playing the part of a gigolo
Paid for every dance, selling each romance
I get paid for every dance and sell the idea of romance to everyone
Every night some heart be-tray-ing
I break someone's heart every night
Was in a Paris cafe that first I found him
I met a Frenchman in a Parisian cafe once
He was a Frenchman, a hero of the war
The Frenchman I met was a hero of the war
But war was over
But the war had ended
And here's how peace had crowned him
Now that there was peace, he was living a mediocre life
A few cheap medals to wear and nothing more
All he had to show for his heroic deeds were a few cheap medals
Now every night in the same cafe he shows up
Nowadays, he comes to the same cafe every night
And as he strolls by ladies hear him say
And when he walks by, the ladies hear him say
If you admire me, hire me
If you like me, hire me as a gigolo
A gigolo who knew a better day
I'm a gigolo who was once better off
There will come a day
There will be a day in the future
Youth will pass away
My youth will fade away
Then what will they say about me
What will people say about me?
When the end comes I know
I know when my end is near
They'll say just a gigolo
They'll just call me a gigolo
As life goes on without me
As life goes on, I'll be forgotten
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Leonello Casucci, Julius Brammer, Irving Caesar
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Electrowave Z
Lyrics:Oh, I'm just a gigolo
That everybody knows
The people know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance
Selling each romance
Every night some heart betraying
Now there will come a day
Youth will pass away
Then what will they say about me,baby?
When the end comes I know
They'll say just another gigolo
As life goes on without me.
(PS:This version probably have the least amount of lyrics compare to other version,still my favorite though)
Windrammer
Lyrics
I'm just a gigolo and everywhere I go
People know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance, selling each romance
Ooh, what they're saying
There will come a day and youth will pass away
What, what will they say about me
When the end comes I know there's a just a gigolo's
Life goes on without me
I'm just a gigolo everywhere I go
People know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance, selling each romance
Ooh, what they're saying
And there will come a day and youth will pass away
What will they say about me
When the end comes I know there's a just a gigolo's
Life goes on without me
'Cause I ain't got nobody
Oh and there's nobody that cares for me
There's nobody that cares for me
I'm so sad and lonely
Sad and lonely, sad and lonely
Won't some sweet mama
Come and take a chance with me
'Cause I ain't so bad
Sing on, pretty love song, all of the time
She will only be, only be
I ain't got nobody
Oh and there's nobody that cares for me
There's nobody that cares for me
Nobody that cares for me
Nobody that cares for me
I ain't got nobody, nobody
Nobody that cares for me
There's nobody that cares for me
I'm so sad and lonely
Oh lonely, oh lonely
Won't some sweet mama
Come and rescue me
'Cause I ain't so bad
And I'll sing her three love songs all of the time
'Cause she will only be, only, only, only, only, only, only be my baby
Come on, sugar, darling, honey
[Incomprehensible]
And there's nobody, there's nobody
There's nobody, there's nobody
There's no one, there's no one
[Incomprehensible]
Nobody, no, no one
Nobody, nobody
Nobody, nobody
Nobody cares for me
oj shilinski
Satchmo is always great, and I love this song. Here's what I remember:
'Twas in a Paris cafe' that first I found him,
He was a Frenchman, a hero of the war,
But war was over, and here's how peace had crowned him.
A few cheap medals to wear was his reward.
Now every night in the same cafe you'll find him
And as he strolls by the ladies hear him say
"If you admire me, please hire me, a gigolo who knew a better day.
Just a gigolo, everywhere I go, people know the part I'm playing,
Paid for every dance, selling each romance, every night some heart betraying.
There will come a day, youth will pass away, then what will they say about me?
When the end comes I know they'll say "just a gigolo" as life goes on without me.
David Pressinger
I can hardly believe that he recorded this song in 1930 ! I am 84 , 7 years before I was born, amazing , even then he played and sung his repertore perfectly, no one will ever take his place. RIP .Louis you were the best.
Dee Okolo
Almost 100 yrs ago this song was recorded and about half a century ago Mr. Armstrong left this earth....and here we are still listening to this worldwide treasure. All I can say is Genius...Amazing. RIE Louis Armstrong!🌹🌹 ❤👍🏾
Esha A
Well Louis, now that you're end has come and gone, you're not just another gigolo. You've refined and defined American culture for forever. Well done.
William Cox
A wonderful vocal improviser, and song stylist, Louis was well worth all the hype given him.
Chicano Profe
Armstrong and hype not even in the same galaxy
Hellbound Rubber
I really understand the original feeling of this song above all the cover versions. He really conveys the after party feel of an entertainer. When the crowds go home and the only one left is the one who hosted the party. A sacrifice for people to enjoy life.
frank ploger
Fabulous...never forget Louis...his music lives forever
hyperfisk
I love this kind of music. I do enjoy some new stuff too, but this has soul. Standing in the kitchen, baking bread on a sunny autumn afternoon, listening to this, and the world is complete.
Electrowave Z
Lyrics:Oh, I'm just a gigolo
That everybody knows
The people know the part I'm playing
Paid for every dance
Selling each romance
Every night some heart betraying
Now there will come a day
Youth will pass away
Then what will they say about me,baby?
When the end comes I know
They'll say just another gigolo
As life goes on without me.
(PS:This version probably have the least amount of lyrics compare to other version,still my favorite though)
JamesToddGuitar
This is music. Pure music. It actually makes you feel emotion. Thanks guys