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.
What Awonderful World
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They're really saying I love you
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world
Louis Armstrong's song "What A Wonderful World" expresses the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the human experience. The lyrics convey a message of hope, love, and appreciation for life. The first two lines describe the beauty of nature, with the greenness of trees and the color of blooming red roses. Armstrong says that these natural wonders are not just for him but for everyone to see and experience.
The second stanza continues to describe the beauty of nature, highlighting the blue skies and white clouds, that make every day a bright and blessed day. The contrast of this statement with the mention of the dark and sacred night adds another element of beauty to this world. The next set of lyrics emphasize the beauty of human connection. The colors of the rainbow are not just in the sky but are also reflected in the faces of people who pass by while the friends who shake hands are not just saying hello but expressing love towards one another.
The final set of lyrics depicts the cycle of life with the sound of babies crying and eventually growing up to learn, explore, and experience the world. Armstrong acknowledges that there is much he may never know, but despite this, he still sees this world as beautiful, and he acknowledges what a wonderful world it truly is.
Line by Line Meaning
I see trees of green, red roses too
I observe the lush greenery of trees and the beautiful blossoming red roses
I see them bloom for me and you
I witness the graceful unfolding of these flowers for both myself and others to appreciate
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
These simple and natural delights make me reflect on the beauty of the world we live in
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
I observe the clear, blue skies and the white, fluffy clouds that decorate them
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
Both the bright daylight and the peaceful darkness of night are a true blessing to behold
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
These natural marvels continue to fill me with a deep sense of appreciation and wonder
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
The vibrant and diverse colors of the rainbow that shine in the sky are truly beautiful
Are also on the faces of people going by
Those same bright colors and emotions can also be seen on the faces of people I encounter each day
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
I notice friends greeting each other with a warm handshake and kind words
They're really saying I love you
This simple gesture of greeting is really an expression of love and care for one another
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
I listen to the cries of newborn babies and watch them as they grow and learn about the world around them
They'll learn much more than I'll never know
These young children have so much to learn and experience, far beyond what I am capable of understanding
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Even in the midst of challenges and difficulties, I am continually amazed and grateful for the wonders of the world around me
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world
My appreciation for life and its many joys and blessings continues to grow with each passing moment
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: GEORGE DAVID WEISS, ROBERT THIELE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@letticeramos9954
I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Ooh, yes
@Ilovemonkey123
Verse 1]
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
[Verse 2]
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
[Bridge]
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands, saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I love you"
[Verse 3]
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world
@kingerdinger
this song genuinely makes me cry, not out of sadness, not out of happiness either
it makes me remember how much i've experienced in my life, how much i've grown and how much i've lost, i feel regret for things i had done wrong but i feel good that i have helped people with their struggles
even though everything i've done will never matter to the world in the end, i am truly at peace when i listen to this
it makes me think my life over, every year, every minute of everything
i love this song. i want to listen to this in my final moments, i want to feel like a warm blanket is being put over me
@belledelphine7303
Lyrics:
I see trees so green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
I see skies so blue and clouds so white.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do.
They're really saying I love you.
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow.
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.
@dantheman1508
Louis Armstrong Isn't Dead, He's Just In Another Wonderful World.
@tangoaustin7998
Wdym about that
@sunnydasheep
Whyyyyyyy did u need to make me cry 😢
@tangoaustin7998
But it made me cry too lol
@bobanderson9076
Tango Austin kkk
@sunset_4625
Awwww
@squishee5890
"I'm not singing about the world as it is now. I'm singing what it could be"
-Louis Armstrong
@zsar_official
True
@zsar_official
What a wonderful world it could be
@secludedsnail3424
@@rbloobloo16 BLM protesting is a good thing, the violence is not but it’s message is, and people doing weed is not on the same level as rapists, not to mention, it’s a much safer drug than most others