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.
The Five Pennies
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And make your wishes come true
This little penny is to dream on
Dream of all you can do
This little penny is a dancing penny
See how it glitters and it glows
Bright as a whistle
Quick, quick as a wink
Up on it's twinkling toes
This little penny is to laugh on
To see that tears never fall
This this little penny
Is the last little penny
Most important of all
For this penny is to love on
And where love is, heaven is there
So with just five pennies, if they're these five pennies
You'll be a millionaire
For this penny is to love on
And where love is, heaven is there
So with just five pennies, if they're these five pennies
You'll be a millionaire
The lyrics to Louis Armstrong and Danny Kaye's song The Five Pennies Finale and Battle Hymn of the Republic Finale are a combination of hope, dream, and love. The song begins with the idea of using a little penny to make a wish and for all dreams to come true. The dancing penny, glittering and glowing, represents the hope and optimism that comes with having dreams. The penny is light as a thistle and quick as a wink, on its twinkling toes, just like the dreams we have that seem light and fleeting, yet so quick to appear and vanish.
The lyrics then shift to the importance of laughter and avoiding tears in life. This little penny is the last little penny and the most important of all. It is the penny of love. For where love is, heaven is there. With just five pennies, these five pennies, one can become a millionaire, suggesting that the wealth of love is the ultimate treasure.
The song ultimately conveys the message that true wealth is found in love and happiness, not in money or material possessions. It is a message that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds and has remained relevant for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
This little penny is to wish on
This penny is a symbol of hope, and when you wish upon it, your dreams can come true.
And make your wishes come true
When you believe in your wishes and yourself, they have the potential to turn into your reality.
This little penny is to dream on
This penny represents imagination, and when you dream and visualize your potential, there are endless possibilities.
Dream of all you can do
When you let your mind envision limitless opportunities, it inspires you to strive for success and never give up.
This little penny is a dancing penny
This penny symbolizes movement and energy, and how every movement can bring a new experience or joy.
See how it glitters and it glows
It sparkles with potential and illuminates with possibility, inviting you to enjoy every moment.
Bright as a whistle
It shines with clarity, bridging the gap between your desires and your expectations.
Light as a thistle
It is effortless, like the free-floating qualities of a feather, inspiring you to let go of anything that may be weighing you down.
Quick, quick as a wink
It's swift, like a flash of light, reminding you that time is precious and that every moment should be savored.
Up on it's twinkling toes
It's light on its feet as if dancing, conveying the idea that every step counts and that it takes you closer to your goals.
This little penny is to laugh on
It's a coin whose value goes beyond its currency; it inspires joy and reminds you to embrace every moment with laughter and positivity.
To see that tears never fall
By finding lightness and joy in every situation, you can overcome hardships and difficulties, always seeking a brighter tomorrow.
This this little penny
This coin is special, with a unique power and importance, despite its small size and humble appearance.
Is the last little penny
This penny holds more value than all the others, underscoring the idea that it's not how many possessions you have, but how purposeful and meaningful they are.
Most important of all
This penny is the ultimate treasure, as it reminds us that true wealth is not measured in dollars, but in love and relationships.
For this penny is to love on
Above all, this penny champions the power of love and how it has the power to transform our lives and the world around us.
And where love is, heaven is there
With love as the driving force, we can create a world that embodies peace, acceptance, and endless goodness.
So with just five pennies, if they're these five pennies
It only takes a few meaningful experiences in life to make a genuine impact and positively transform your world.
You'll be a millionaire
When you invest in meaningful experiences and rich relationships, you'll find that true wealth and abundance will follow.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVIA FINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@echovarde
Yes.... one of the best films ever... great music done by great people with a great story... why do we no longer have music like this?
@Paulinerom1
One of my All time Favorite Films Ever ! Just Love the songs, When it first came out i bought the L.P. as soon as i could. sang "Goodnight' to my children when they were growing up and it was time for bed. The songs bring me right back to then. Beautiful,XXXXX
@renegross8240
Who else is here listening to this wonderful classic November 2020?
@utubeDaveutube
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE there are (3) songs going on here. So amazing!!!!
@andrewhornsby470
Probably my favorite song with with a masterful trio. Gets me every time
@papikito
a masterpiece!!! timeless!! thanks for upload, bring tears in my eyes...
@henkabbes3820
your wlcome.....!
@KarenKleiman
My dad was nuts about this movie, Lous and Danny Kaye, he showed me this movie when I was a kid and I was hooked for life
@mtlicq
Great to see love and respect all around. Great song compilation of 3 different ones putting together something phenomenal
@steve5856
Just beautiful.
I can only watch this movie on my very own as it stirs up too many beautiful memories of my upbringing with my singer / musician / compere dad.
Don't forget to check out the late Harry Nilsson's version too.