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.
Margie
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
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Here's one I must tell to you
All night long they sit upon the stairs
He holds her close and starts to coo
My little Margie
I'm always thinking of you
Margie, I'll tell the world I love you
I have bought a home and ring and every thing
for Margie you've been my inspiration
Days are never blue
After all is said and done
There is really only one Oh!
Margie, Margie, it's you
You can picture me most every night
I can't wait until they start
Every thing he says just seems all right
I want to learn that stuff by heart
My litle Margie
I'm always thinking of you
Margie, I'll tell the world I love you
Don't forget your promise to me
I have bought a home and ring and ev'ry thing
for Margie you've been my inspiration
Louis Armstrong's Margie is a classic love song that celebrates the singer's love for a woman named Margie. The lyrics are quite straightforward and easy to interpret. The first verse talks about how the singer is more interested in telling the story of his love for Margie than hearing about other people's love affairs. The second verse describes how Margie and her love interest sit on the stairs all night whispering sweet nothings to each other. The chorus then follows, where the singer emphatically declares his love for Margie and promises to keep his love for her at the forefront of his mind. He has bought a home and a ring as a symbol of his love and devotion to Margie. The final verse ends on a romantic note, with the singer expressing his eagerness to learn everything that Margie's love interest does and says so that he can also show her the love she deserves.
This song is a classic example of Louis Armstrong's ability to convey strong emotions through his music. The song is incredibly romantic and serves as a beautiful ode to love. The tune is upbeat and easy to hum along to, and the lyrics are simple yet poignant. Margie is a timeless song that has stood the test of time and remains popular among jazz enthusiasts to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
You can talk about your love affairs
While you may be able to speak about other relationships, there is one that I must share
Here's one I must tell to you
Allow me to tell you about Margie, the love of my life
All night long they sit upon the stairs
Margie and I spend long evenings together, sitting and talking outside
He holds her close and starts to coo
I draw Margie close to me and shower her with sweet words and affection
My little Margie
Margie is dear to my heart and holds a special place in my life
I'm always thinking of you
Margie is always on my mind and in my thoughts
Margie, I'll tell the world I love you
I want everyone to know that I love Margie and that she means everything to me
Don't forget your promise to me
I hope Margie will fulfill her promise to be with me and stay by my side
I have bought a home and ring and every thing
I have made a commitment to Margie and provided for her in every way
for Margie you've been my inspiration
Margie has been my source of inspiration and motivation in life
Days are never blue
Since I have Margie in my life, I am never sad or lonely
After all is said and done
Despite everything that has happened or may happen, the only one who matters is Margie
There is really only one Oh!
Margie is the only woman I need and want in my life
Margie, Margie, it's you
Margie, you are the one I love and cherish above all else
You can picture me most every night
Every night, I imagine myself with Margie and it brings me joy and comfort
I can't wait until they start
I eagerly anticipate being with Margie and spending time with her
Every thing he says just seems all right
Margie brings out the best in me and everything I say to her feels perfect
I want to learn that stuff by heart
I want to memorize everything there is to know about Margie and our love for each other
Lyrics © PAUL RODRIGUEZ MUSIC LTD.
Written by: CONRAD (DP), BENNY DAVIS (DP), J ROBINSON (DP), KENNY BALL, MONTY SUNSHINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tod Davis
Satchmo at his finest here!