Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 - July 6, 1971) nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, … Read Full Bio ↴Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 - July 6, 1971) nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana.
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.

That´s my home
Louis Armstrong Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the sunsets in the sky
And the flowers never die, yes
Friends don't pass you by
Cause that's my home

When the folks say how do you do
And they really mean it too, yes
With a love that's true

That's my home

I'm always welcomed back
No matter where I roam, yes
It's just a little old shack
To me it's home sweet home

Where the Suwanee river flows
And the shady pine trees grow, yes

You needn't say no more
Cause that's my home

Overall Meaning

Louis Armstrong’s song “That’s My Home” is a heartwarming composition that reflects on the sentimental value of a place where one has experienced genuine love and warmth. The lyrics convey the strong emotional bond that the singer has with his home and its people. The first verse starts with the depiction of a beautiful sunset and the flowers that never die, indicating the natural beauty that surrounds the singer’s home. The second line “Friends don't pass you by” signifies the tight-knit community where people are friendly and accommodating. The refrain “That’s my home” emphasizes the emotional connection the singer has with his home that makes him feel safe and comfortable.

The second verse of the song further sheds light on the sincerity and kindness of the people living in the singer's home. The greeting “how do you do” is not just a formality but expressed with genuine love and care. The singer acknowledges the truthfulness of their love for him, which makes his home a special place to live. The bridge is where the singer admits that no matter where he goes, he is always welcomed back home like the proverbial “prodigal son.” The last verse of the song emphasizes the natural beauty of his home, with the Suwanee river flowing and the shady pine trees growing, symbolizing the peace and tranquility it offers.

Line by Line Meaning

When the sunsets in the sky
As the day comes to an end and the sun sets in the sky

And the flowers never die, yes
And the flowers continue to bloom, forever living on

Friends don't pass you by
Both new and old friends always greet and acknowledge one another

Cause that's my home
Because that place, wherever it may be, is considered home

When the folks say how do you do
When people genuinely inquire about one another's wellbeing

And they really mean it too, yes
Sincerity is felt in their words and actions

With a love that's true
A genuine and honest love is present

That's my home
That's where the roots are and where the heart is

I'm always welcomed back
There is always a place for one to return to and be welcomed with open arms

No matter where I roam, yes
No matter where life may take me, that place will always be home

It's just a little old shack
The physical structure of the home may be small or modest