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.

Whistle While You Work
Louis Armstrong Lyrics

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Whistle while you work
Put on that grin and start right in,
To whistle loud and long

Just hum a merry tune
Just do your best,
Then take a rest and sing yourself a song

When there's too much to do,
Don't let it bother you,
Forget your troubles, try to be just like the cheerful chick-a-dee,
And whistle while you work

Come on get smart
Tune up and start
To whistle while you work

Yes, when there's too much to do,
Don't let it bother you,
Forget your troubles, try to be just like that cheerful chick-a-dee,
And whistle while you work

Come on get smart

Tune up and start
To whistle while you work

Overall Meaning

Louis Armstrong's song "Whistle While You Work" is a classic song that is all about the power of positive thinking and working hard. The lyrics encourage listeners to approach their work with a cheerful attitude and to remember that they can overcome any obstacle if they put in the effort. The song begins by urging listeners to put on a happy face and get to work, whistling along to the tune. The tone of the lyrics is upbeat and positive, emphasizing the idea that success is all about attitude and hard work.

As the song progresses, the lyrics become more specific in their advice, encouraging listeners not to let the pressures of work get to them. Instead, the song recommends taking breaks and singing to oneself in order to keep a positive outlook. The song also references the cheerful chick-a-dee bird, suggesting that listeners should try to be like this bird and find joy in their work. The song ends with a repetition of the idea that whistling and singing can help listeners overcome their difficulties and achieve their goals.

Overall, "Whistle While You Work" is a song that encourages listeners to approach their work with a positive, can-do attitude. By emphasizing the importance of staying upbeat and resilient even in the face of tough challenges, the song serves as a powerful reminder of the power of the human spirit.

Line by Line Meaning

Whistle while you work
Be happy and content while you do your job

Put on that grin and start right in
Begin working with a joyful attitude

To whistle loud and long
Sing or hum to express your contentment while working

Just hum a merry tune
Sing joyfully while you work

Just do your best
Put in your best effort

Then take a rest and sing yourself a song
Reward yourself after a job well done by singing a song or taking a break

When there's too much to do
When the workload is overwhelming

Don't let it bother you
Do not be stressed about the workload

Forget your troubles, try to be just like the cheerful chick-a-dee
Don't worry, be happy like the bird called chick-a-dee

Come on get smart
Be clever and figure out a way to make the workload easier

Tune up and start
Adjust your attitude and begin working