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.
Without A Song
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a song the road would never bend
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
Without a song
That field of corn would never see a plow
That field of corn would be deserted now
A man is born but he's no good no how
Without a song
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
I've-a got my trouble and woe and, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll-a never know what makes that rain to fall
I'll never know what makes the grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
The lyrics of Louis Armstrong's song "Without A Song" reflect on the profound importance and impact of music in one's life. The song explores the idea that without music, life would be lackluster and incomplete.
The first stanza emphasizes how music brings a sense of fulfillment and completion to each day. It suggests that without a song, the day would feel never-ending, lacking the joy and vibrancy that music can provide. Without music, the road of life would also be monotonous and straight, lacking the twists and turns that make the journey interesting and worthwhile. Additionally, the lyrics convey how music can be a friend and source of solace in times of trouble when one feels abandoned or alone.
The second stanza uses the metaphor of a field of corn to symbolize a life without music. It suggests that without a song, life's potential and beauty would go untapped, just like an empty and abandoned field. The lyrics go on to express the belief that a person is born incomplete and lacking value without music. Music brings depth and purpose to life, allowing individuals to discover their true worth and potential.
The song continues by acknowledging that even in the face of personal troubles and sorrows, there is hope and strength to be found through music. It acknowledges the inevitability of hardships ("I got my trouble and woe"), but asserts that with music in one's soul, strength can be found to endure these challenges. The reference to the Jordan rolling suggests that even in the depths of struggle, life and hope continue to flow.
The final stanza highlights the singer's realization that some aspects of life will always remain a mystery, such as what causes rain to fall or grass to grow. However, what they do know is that love is absent without a song. This suggests that music has the power to connect people and evoke emotions that are essential for a meaningful and love-filled existence.
Overall, Louis Armstrong's "Without A Song" portrays music as a vital force that brings joy, comfort, purpose, and love to one's life. It underscores the importance of music in providing solace during difficult times and in bringing fulfillment and meaning to everyday existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Without a song the day would never end
The presence of music gives meaning and purpose to each passing day.
Without a song the road would never bend
Music has the power to transform everyday experiences and turn a mundane journey into an exciting adventure.
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
During difficult times, music becomes a comforting companion and solace for a man who feels alone.
That field of corn would never see a plow
The absence of music would result in a lack of productivity and progress in the world, symbolized by the untended field of corn.
That field of corn would be deserted now
Without the inspiration and joy that music brings, people would abandon their endeavors, leaving fields barren and abandoned.
A man is born but he's no good no how
Without the influence of music, a man's life lacks purpose and meaning, rendering him ineffective and unremarkable.
I got my trouble and woe but, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
Despite facing challenges and hardships, the flowing river of music, symbolized by the Jordan, provides a sense of hope and carries the individual forward.
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
The inner strength derived from a song allows one to persevere and overcome obstacles, enabling them to navigate through life.
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
The complexities of the world and the forces that shape it remain a mystery, like the enigma behind why rain falls from the sky.
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
There are certain phenomena in nature, such as the growth of tall grass, that remains unexplained and beyond human understanding.
I only know there ain't no love at all
In the absence of music, there exists a void where love and emotional connection are absent in the world.
I've-a got my trouble and woe and, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
Despite experiencing personal difficulties, the unwavering presence of music assures the continuation of its transformative power and influence.
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
With the enduring strength of a song resonating within one's soul, they can find the strength to persevere and thrive in life.
I'll-a never know what makes that rain to fall
The inexplicable nature of certain aspects of the world remains, with rain falling being yet another phenomenon that defies comprehension.
I'll never know what makes the grass so tall
The growth and vitality of nature, represented by the tall grass, is a mystery that eludes human understanding.
I only know there ain't no love at all
In the absence of music, a sense of love and emotional connection is lacking, leading to a profound emptiness in life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, MUSIC.INFO FINLAND OY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
on What A Wonderful World
What A Wonderful World - Casey Abrams - Lyrics
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
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
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
Musical Interlude
The colors of the rainbow
So pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces
Of people going by
I see friends shaking hands
Singing how do you do
They're really singing
I love you
I hear babies cry
I watch them grow
They goin’ learn much more
Than I'll ever know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I think to myself
What a wonderful world