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.
There Must Be A Way
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
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There must be a way to stop me from dreamin' of you
There must be a star in the skies that isn't reflecting your eyes
I just don't know how to disguise how much I miss you
There must be a song that doesn't remind me of you
There must be a kiss that'll thrill me like yours used to do
I look for a way to be happy, happy with somebody new
There must be a song that doesn't remind me of you
Yes, there must be a kiss that'll thrill me like yours used to do
I look for a way to be happy, happy with somebody new
Oh, there must be a way, but I can't find a way without you
Louis Armstrong's song "There Must Be A Way" is a standard of the jazz and pop repertoire. This song is a prime example of a heartbreak song that deals with the aftermath of a failed relationship. The lyrics are very powerful and evoke a feeling of pain, loss, and longing for something that is lost. The song talks about the need to forget about past love and to move on with life, but also the difficulty that comes with it. The lyrics suggest that the singer is having trouble finding a way forward and that they are struggling to cope with the breakup.
The song opens with the phrase "There must be a way to help me forget that we're through," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics suggest that the singer is desperate to find a way to forget about their lost love, but they are struggling to do so. The next line says "There must be a way to stop me from dreaming of you." Here, the singer implies that even in their sleep, their mind is preoccupied with thoughts of their lost love. The following two lines suggest that even the stars in the sky reflect memories of the lost love.
The second verse talks about the search for new love to replace the old love. The lyrics say "I look for a way to be happy, happy with somebody new." The singer concedes that they need to move on with their life and find joy with someone else, but they are struggling to do so. The phrase "Oh, there must be a way, but I can't find a way without you" represents the desperation of the singer's situation. The singer understands that they need to move on, but they cannot seem to find a path forward.
Overall, "There must be a way" is a song that captures the pain and struggle of a heartbreak. The lyrics are very relatable and powerfully delivered by Louis Armstrong. The song remains a popular and enduring masterpiece and is a reminder that while love is beautiful, it can also be incredibly painful.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be a way to help me forget that we're through
I need help finding a way to forget about our breakup
There must be a way to stop me from dreamin' of you
I wish I could stop dreaming about you
There must be a star in the skies that isn't reflecting your eyes
I hope to find a star that does not remind me of your eyes so I can forget about you
I just don't know how to disguise how much I miss you
It's hard to hide how much I miss you
There must be a song that doesn't remind me of you
I need to find a song that doesn't remind me of you so I can move on
There must be a kiss that'll thrill me like yours used to do
I hope to find a kiss that will excite me like yours used to
I look for a way to be happy, happy with somebody new
I am searching for a way to be happy with someone else
Oh, there must be a way, but I can't find a way without you
I know there must be a way to move on without you, but I am struggling to find it
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID SAXON, SAMMY GALLOP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@clarkelaidlaw1678
Very late Armstrong recording..1968..we lost him (Physically)in 1971.Still it's one of my all time favorites.Beautiful song,beautiful vocal,beautiful trumpet and Tyree Glenn's beautiful trombone...we have had to find a way without you Louis.
@thedetective9631
Absolutely beautiful
@claudioricardez6614
I don't know what the hell is wrong with me that haven't listened to Loui since high school but this album is bringing back great memories and a renewed love for old skool jazz, his horn just talks to you. Thanks!!
@ljjdcm
Love this song!!
@patrickryan1515
Great song' great and gravely delivery. 😏👍
@roxanaioana4546
Bro nu reușesc sa dau de tine))))