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.
Let’s Fall In Love
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why shouldn't we fall in love?
Our hearts are made of it
Let's take a chance
Why be afraid of it?
Let's close our eyes
And make our own paradise
Still we can try
To make a go of it
We might have been meant for each other
To be or not to be, let our hearts discover
Let's fall in love
Why shouldn't we fall in love?
Now is the time for it
While we are young
Let's fall in love
We might have been meant for each other
To be or not to be, let our hearts discover
Let's fall in love
Why shouldn't we fall in love?
Now is the time for it
While we are young
Let's fall in love
Louis Armstrong's Let's Fall in Love is a romantic tune about taking a chance on love. The song suggests that the hearts of lovers are made for each other, and hence they should not be afraid to fall in love. The lyrics say that even though we might know little about "it," we can still try to make a go of it. The singer encourages his partner to close their eyes and together, they can make their own paradise.
The lyrics point out that they might have been meant for each other, and to find out, they should let their hearts discover. The singer emphasizes that there is no better time to fall in love than the present, as they are young and have time on their side. Overall, the song is a perfect illustration of the feelings lovers experience when they are drawn to each other and are considering taking their relationship to the next level.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's fall in love
We should give love a chance and start a romantic relationship
Why shouldn't we fall in love?
There is no reason why we shouldn't experience the joy of being in love
Our hearts are made of it
Love is a natural feeling that is part of being human
Let's take a chance
We should be open to the possibility of love, despite the risks involved
Why be afraid of it?
There is no reason to let fear prevent us from experiencing the happiness that love can bring
Let's close our eyes
We can imagine and create our own perfect love story, regardless of reality
And make our own paradise
We can build a relationship that is beautiful and fulfilling for us
Little we know of it
Although we may not have much experience with love, we can still make it work
Still we can try
Despite the uncertainty, it is worth making an effort to find love
To make a go of it
Let's work hard to make our relationship successful
We might have been meant for each other
It is possible that we are perfectly matched for each other's love and companionship
To be or not to be, let our hearts discover
We should let our emotions guide us in deciding whether to pursue a relationship or not
Now is the time for it
We should not wait to pursue love, but start now while we have the chance
While we are young
We should take advantage of our youth and energy to experience love to the fullest
Let's fall in love
In summary, we should take the leap and begin our journey of love together
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLE PORTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cinnaplid
I notice this version has extra lyrics at the end. The last four stanzas have been added:
When the little blue bird who has never said a word
Starts to sing, "Spring, spring"
When the little blue bell in the bottom of the dell
Starts to ring, “Ding, Ding"
When the little blue clerk in the middle of his work
Sings a tune to the moon up above
It is nature that's all
Simply telling us to fall in love
And that's why birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
In Spain, the best upper sets do it
Lithuanians and Letts do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the Finns
Folks in Siam do it - think of Siamese twins
Some Argentines, without means, do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Romantic spongI’es, they say, do it
Oysters down in Oyster Bay do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish, do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Electric eels I might add do it
Though it shocks 'em I know
Why ask if shad do it - Waiter bring me shad roe
In shallow shoals English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
The dragonflies in the reeds do it
Sentimental centipedes do it
let's do it it, let's fall in love
Mos-qui-tos, heaven forbid, do it
Soon as every katydid do it
Let's do it, lets' fall in love
The most refined lady bugs do it
When a gentleman calls
Moths in your rugs do it
What's the use of moth balls
Locusts in trees do it
Bees do it, even over-educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love!
The chimpanzees in the zoos do it
Some courageous kangaroos do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love!
I’m sure that giraffes on the sly do it
Heavy hippopotomi do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love
Old sloths who hang down from the twigs do it
Though the effort is great
Sweet guinea pigs do it
Buy a couple and wait!
The world admits bears in the pits do it
Even pekingeses in the Ritz do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love!
Jazziz Café
Great rendition! Love it! Thanks for share it! Cole Porter compuso "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" en 1928 para el musical "París" y desde entonces han sido muchas las voces que la han interpretado, como Louis Armstrong en este caso, también lo hizo Ella Fitzgerald e incluso tienen una versión juntos. A Louis Daniel Armstrong, trompetista, compositor, cantante, e incluso actor, nacido en Nueva Orleans en 1901 se le conoció por muchos nombres... Satchmo, Satch o Pops, a lo largo de los más de cincuenta años que se mantuvo en activo. #classicmonday #jazzvocals
Ollie Turbitt
This is just the best. Thank you so much for uploading this. I bought the 'Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson' record on vinyl today and it's just unbelievably great...
Eric Van den Bossche
Great version of a great song
cinnaplid
No one, but no one, could write lyrics like Cole Porter. This is my favourite version by far. LOVE Louis Armstrong. Thanks for uploading. xx
Huxley Brentley
@Jake Zander Instablaster =)
Jake Zander
Sorry to be so off topic but does any of you know a trick to get back into an Instagram account??
I somehow lost the login password. I love any assistance you can give me!
cinnaplid
I notice this version has extra lyrics at the end. The last four stanzas have been added:
When the little blue bird who has never said a word
Starts to sing, "Spring, spring"
When the little blue bell in the bottom of the dell
Starts to ring, “Ding, Ding"
When the little blue clerk in the middle of his work
Sings a tune to the moon up above
It is nature that's all
Simply telling us to fall in love
And that's why birds do it, bees do it
Even educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
In Spain, the best upper sets do it
Lithuanians and Letts do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
The Dutch in old Amsterdam do it
Not to mention the Finns
Folks in Siam do it - think of Siamese twins
Some Argentines, without means, do it
People say in Boston even beans do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Romantic spongI’es, they say, do it
Oysters down in Oyster Bay do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Cold Cape Cod clams, 'gainst their wish, do it
Even lazy jellyfish, do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
Electric eels I might add do it
Though it shocks 'em I know
Why ask if shad do it - Waiter bring me shad roe
In shallow shoals English soles do it
Goldfish in the privacy of bowls do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love
The dragonflies in the reeds do it
Sentimental centipedes do it
let's do it it, let's fall in love
Mos-qui-tos, heaven forbid, do it
Soon as every katydid do it
Let's do it, lets' fall in love
The most refined lady bugs do it
When a gentleman calls
Moths in your rugs do it
What's the use of moth balls
Locusts in trees do it
Bees do it, even over-educated fleas do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love!
The chimpanzees in the zoos do it
Some courageous kangaroos do it
Let's do it, let's fall in love!
I’m sure that giraffes on the sly do it
Heavy hippopotomi do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love
Old sloths who hang down from the twigs do it
Though the effort is great
Sweet guinea pigs do it
Buy a couple and wait!
The world admits bears in the pits do it
Even pekingeses in the Ritz do it
Let’s do it, let’s fall in love!
Filmer Ado
Thanks fr this transcript. I might add this version is different from the one I have which I believe is from Louis meets Oscar LP.
Ladylourdes1000
I believe they are original to Cole Porter but we rarely hear the full versions of his songs.
Julio Cesar Serrano Mendez
Lo mejor de lo mejor.