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: āYou canāt play nothing on modern trumpet that doesnāt 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.
Muskrat Ramble
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's the reason for this celebration?
Man, ya look at all those people there
Hanging round this station
Say, what's the big event?
An essential train is coming
Well, it's got to be the Pittzburg Pirates
No, it's more important, son
Is it the President?
No no no no
Brigitte Bardot?
No no no no
Then tell me who's about to arrive?
Ee-hee!
There he is now, Satch-a-mo and The Dixieland Five
Oh, look at them shuffling, shuffling down
A-rambling, scrambling over the town
Hustling, bustling, buzzing around
Never saw a bigger celebration
Oh, look at the train, a number seven-o-nine
Just a hugging and a-puffing
And arriving on time
Changing the town from dead to alive
Satchmo and His Five
We're gonna play that Muskrat Ramble tune
And Mr Bing, the moment that it's played
You lead us on the big parade
Altogether now, one and two
Join the happy throng
Everyone start mushing, swinging the Muskrat song
We'll be singing along
Oh, Mr Bing, when you sing, that's the thing we do enjoy
Well, Mr A, when you play, Gabriel say, Who that for?
Everybody's walking, talking
That Muskrat song
While we amble that Muskrat Ramble
While we amble along
Oh, that's the best parade I ever been on, Satch!
Natch! You are in New Orleans!
While we amble along
The song "Muskrat Ramble" is an upbeat, lively tune about the anticipation and excitement of a celebration for a special visitor arriving in town. The lyrics imply that a train is arriving in the station, and everyone is buzzing with excitement to see who it could be. The lyrics playfully suggest that it could be the Pittsburgh Pirates or even Brigitte Bardot, but the real reason for the celebration is the arrival of Louis Armstrong and The Dixieland Five, also known as Satchmo.
The song talks about the energy and liveliness of the crowd, with people shuffling, bustling, and buzzing around, and the train arriving exactly on time. They are eager to hear the group play their signature tune, "Muskrat Ramble," and Bing Crosby is asked to lead them in a big parade. The lyrics have playful banter between Crosby and Armstrong, with Armstrong acknowledging that everyone loves Crosby's singing, and Crosby pointing out that everyone loves Armstrong's playing. The song ends with everyone singing and ambling along to the Muskrat song, while Armstrong and The Dixieland Five provide the energetic soundtrack.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey now, heh!
An expression used to catch attention and start a conversation
What's the reason for this celebration?
Asking to know the purpose behind the festivities
Man, ya look at all those people there
Hanging round this station
Commenting on the large number of people gathered at the station for the celebration
Say, what's the big event?
Asking to know what the main attraction of the celebration is
An essential train is coming
On track number one
Informing that an important train is about to come on the first track
Well, it's got to be the Pittsburg Pirates
No, it's more important, son
Is it the President?
No no no no
Brigitte Bardot?
No no no no
Then tell me who's about to arrive?
Ee-hee!
There he is now, Satch-a-mo and The Dixieland Five
Speculating on who the important arrival could be, but excitedly revealing that it's Louis Armstrong and his band
Oh, look at them shuffling, shuffling down
A-rambling, scrambling over the town
Hustling, bustling, buzzing around
Never saw a bigger celebration
Describing the lively movement and commotion of the crowd heading towards the train station and how it's the biggest celebration ever witnessed
Oh, look at the train, a number seven-o-nine
Just a hugging and a-puffing
And arriving on time
Changing the town from dead to alive
Satchmo and His Five
Gazing upon the train as it approaches with its picturesque, puffing engine and on-time arrival, it's uplifted the previously silent town to life again along with Louis Armstrong's band
We're gonna play that Muskrat Ramble tune
And Mr Bing, the moment that it's played
You lead us on the big parade
Altogether now, one and two
Join the happy throng
Everyone start mushing, swinging the Muskrat song
We'll be singing along
Announcing the plan to play a celebratory tune called Muskrat Ramble and asking Bing Crosby, when the tune is played, to lead them in the big parade. Everyone is urged to join in and sing the song in unison
Oh, Mr Bing, when you sing, that's the thing we do enjoy
Complimenting Bing Crosby's singing ability and expressing how much they enjoy it
Well, Mr A, when you play, Gabriel say, Who that for?
Praising Louis Armstrong's trumpet playing skills and how it's sure to impress even the archangel Gabriel
Everybody's walking, talking
That Muskrat song
While we amble that Muskrat Ramble
While we amble along
Commenting on how everyone is enjoying the tune Muskrat Ramble, and they are all walking, talking, and ambling along to the music
Oh, that's the best parade I ever been on, Satch!
Natch! You are in New Orleans!
Fondly reflecting on how this parade is the best one they've ever been to, and Louis Armstrong's pointing out that they are in New Orleans, which is world-renowned for its colorful and lively parades
Lyrics Ā© Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Gilbert, Edward Ory
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@langleybryant8641
Just sat in Jackson Square yesterday and listened to this gem
@jmrodas9
I had heard this melody's title somewhere, remebered it, and decided to hear it now, it is good despite it is nearly a Century old. Timeless really.š
@bobboscarato1313
Ninety three years later sounds as fresh and invigorating as yesterday,s breeze!
@langleybryant8641
There is something so magical about these recordings. The energy, brilliance, subtlety, and expression never comes thru on those later cuts of Louis Armstrong and his groups like it did for the 5 and 7
@dhanimcca411
Excelente
@joehughes
Great write up on Ory he was the best in the Jan 2012 Smithsonian.
@user-hj2mx6vp1x
Just heard this on BBC Radio 3. It reminded me of "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" by Country Joe and the Fish. And, yes, Wikipedia confirms that there was a lawsuit in 2001 for copyright infringement. It was dismissed - obviously wrongly (morally, not legally) - on account of the lateness of the claim.
@1223jamez
Itās almost identical and heard of the lawsuit also.
@josebelen69
One 97 years old song...
@mcareyop
Great. Perfect for a Foxtrot with a kick, which developed into the Collegiate Shag ten years later.