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.
Take Two to Tango
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why?
'Cause it takes two to do this dance
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do the dance of love
You can sail on a ship by yourself
Take a nap or a nip by yourself
You can get into debt on your own
There's a lot of things that you can do alone
But
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do the dance of love
You can stare at the moon by yourself
Take a laugh like a loon by yourself
Spend a lot, go to pot on your own
There's a lot of things that you can do alone
But, listen here
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Do the dance of love
Oh, see0
Louis Armstrong's song "It Takes Two to Tango" is a charming and witty tune about the nature of love and relationships. The first verse sets the scene for the listener: Louis is inviting a woman to dance with him, and when she asks why they should, he responds that it takes two to tango. The metaphor of the dance is used to illustrate the importance of collaboration and mutual effort in a romantic relationship; just as two dancers must work together to create the grace and passion of the tango, so too must lovers cooperate and communicate to make their partnership successful.
Louis continues the analogy in the following verses, enlisting a series of humorous examples to emphasize the role of teamwork in various aspects of life. He notes that it is possible to sail a ship or stare at the moon alone, but that most enjoyable experiences are amplified when shared with someone else. This idea is summed up in the repeat chorus of the song, which urges the listener to "do the tango" - that is, to embrace the beauty and joy of love with someone special.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, baby, how about this dance?
Asking the partner if they are willing to dance the tango together.
Why?
Wondering the reason for the partner's hesitation.
'Cause it takes two to do this dance
Explaining that the dance requires both partners to participate and create the feeling of romance.
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Reiterating that the tango is a dance that requires two people to execute effectively.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Emphasizing that a successful tango dance creates a romantic feeling that both partners can feel.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Suggesting that they participate in the dance together.
Do the dance of love
Implying that the tango is a dance that can elicit feelings of love and passion.
You can sail on a ship by yourself
Illustrating that certain experiences can be done alone, such as sailing on a ship.
Take a nap or a nip by yourself
Further emphasizing that some activities can be done alone, like taking a nap or having a drink.
You can get into debt on your own
Pointing out that some negative experiences, like going into debt, can happen alone.
There's a lot of things that you can do alone
Concluding that there are many activities that can be done without a partner.
But
However, there are some experiences that require a partner.
Takes two to tango, two to tango
Reiterating the main point that the tango dance requires two partners.
Two to really get the feeling of romance
Emphasizing that the romantic feeling is only possible with two participants in the dance.
Let's do the tango, do the tango
Encouraging the partner to join in and dance the tango together.
Do the dance of love
Highlighting the romantic aspect of the tango dance.
Oh, see
An exclamation of excitement to begin the dance.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: AL HOFFMAN, DICK MANNING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julio Caro
Louis is a genius!! I love the way he sings. I've been in his house at N. York City in Queens. It's a museum.
ELEONORA SONEIRA
One of my favorite memories is listening this song on my grandpas house on a vinyl record
Lia de Russo
It's just so sweet ^.^ I just want to go back to the 1950's, throw on a polka-dotted dress, and dance to Louis :)
mimi bracic
Great song !
Milseogra Celtic: Ceol & Fuaimeanna
Jazz (Africa/Chicago) & Tango ('Eireland/Rio/Argentina) are legends of Sound
Gerome Moerad Singer
I would give my love to be an Armstrong!
bathingatbaxters
i see 8 people tried to press the like button while they were dancing tango
Queen In Italiano
1:56 MI SENTO MALE AHAAHAHHAHAHA
Giulia Rabellino
1:58 "Che cazzo di robe mi dai? ahahahahaha
Nico Agustoni
1:58 "oooh che cazzo de robba me dai!!!
Daje roma