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: βYou canβt play nothing on modern trumpet that doesnβt 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.
Winter Wonderland
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the lane snow is glistening
A beautiful sight; oh, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He's singing a song as we go alongWalking in a winter wonderland
Well, in the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say, are you married? We'll say no man
But you can do the job when you're in town
Later on we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid of the plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
Until the other kiddies knock him down
Oh, when it snows, ain't it filling
Though your nose gets a chilling?
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland
(Wonderland wonderland)
The lyrics to Louis Armstrong's song Winter Wonderland describe the joy and wonder of being outside on a snow-filled winter day. The opening lines of the song set the scene, describing the sound of sleigh bells and the sparkling of snow-covered lanes. The imagery is vivid and dreamy, conjuring a sense of peace, beauty, and happiness.
The second part of the song introduces the idea of new beginnings, as the bluebird symbolizing the warm season has gone away to be replaced by a new bird singing a sweet melody as we walk in the winter wonderland. The lyrics then invite us to create our own winter wonderland, with the possibility of building a snowman in the meadow or pretending he's a circus clown. These whimsical suggestions remind us of the childlike joy that winter can bring.
Finally, the song brings us back to the present moment, inviting us to take pleasure in the simple act of being outside in the snow. The lyrics encourage us to play and frolic, enjoying the winter weather in our own unique way. Overall, the song captures the magic of the winter season and reminds us to embrace its beauty and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleigh bells ring; are you listening?
Can you hear the joyful sound of the bell on the sleigh?
In the lane, snow is glistening
The snow in the lane is sparkling and shining, creating a beautiful sight.
A beautiful sight; oh, we're happy tonight
The beautiful sight of the glistening snow is making us feel elated and content tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland
We are walking around in a lovely snow-covered area - a winter wonderland.
Gone away is the bluebird
The bluebird that used to be around has migrated and is no longer here.
Here to stay is a new bird
A new bird has come to stay now that the bluebird has gone away.
He's singing a song as we go along
The new bird is singing a beautiful song as we walk along.
Walking in a winter wonderland
We continue to walk in this lovely winter wonderland as the new bird sings.
Well, in the meadow we can build a snowman
We can make a snowman in the meadow nearby.
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
We can make believe that the snowman is actually named Parson Brown.
He'll say, are you married? We'll say no man
We'll pretend that the snowman is asking us if we're married, and we'll reply playfully that we aren't.
But you can do the job when you're in town
However, if someone else comes along, we can pretend that the snowman is offering his services to them.
Later on we'll conspire
Later, we'll make secret plans together.
As we dream by the fire
We'll sit by the fire and let our minds wander and imagine all sorts of things.
To face unafraid of the plans that we made
We'll be confident and unafraid when it comes time to put our plans into action.
Walking in a winter wonderland
Even as we dream and plan, we're still walking through this winter wonderland.
In the meadow we can build a snowman
We'll continue with our plans to build a snowman in the meadow.
And pretend he's a circus clown
This time, we'll make believe that the snowman is a circus clown.
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
We'll have a blast playing around with our new snowman creation.
Until the other kiddies knock him down
Unfortunately, other children may come along and knock our snowman down - but we'll continue to enjoy the time we have with him while it lasts.
Oh, when it snows, ain't it thrilling
There's something truly thrilling about the experience of the snowfall.
Though your nose gets a chilling?
It's true that the cold air can make your nose a little chilly - but it's worth it for the fun and beauty of the snow.
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
We'll have a blast playing around in the snow like the Eskimo people do.
Walking in a winter wonderland
As we continue to frolic and play, we're still walking through this magical winter wonderland.
(Wonderland wonderland)
This is a chant or refrain, inviting people to join in on the fun of the winter wonderland.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lynnspensley6563
Every time I hear his beautiful voice I think of my Dad. I learned to appreciate Louis from him.β€
@alanbstard9301
Definitely one of the definitive covers of this song, always keep coming back to it
@rabiademir1729
I love you Louis Armstrong!βοΈπ
@M007qtrvlogs
Love u 2
@hph_88
Me too. He is amazing!
@christinamarti4441
You are totally missed πβ₯οΈthank you for the love
@pippilotta4468
This is the best Winterworldsong. Love Louis Armstrong
@beebatman6608
I love you Louie Armstrong!β€οΈ
you make everything seem so Happy π
Love walking in the winter wonderlandππβ¨οΈπ πππ§βππ
@markherron1407
Congratulations on your 700th milestone and Happy Birthday to Louis Armstrong REST IN POWER and Merry Christmas ππ Blessings and Hugs ππππππππππππππππ
@andrewfleming2892
The advantage now of online shopping is that I can decide what Christmas songs that I listen to.
Louis Armstrong Winter Wonderland is right at the top of this fans Christmas playlist