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.
yes! yes! my! my!
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
desde temprano hay bailata y serenatas dan lugar
se rebela la amargura, se prohibe la mesura
se castiga si el espíritu no sale del hogar
aaay la balanza se rompe
ya no hay que medir, ya no hay que pesar
ya no hay que fingir, ya no hay que callar
inviten a los más ricos, a los pobres y mendigos
los nobles o insalubres, aquí no hay clase social
inviten a todos los santos, los diablos, los espantos
payasos, perros, gatos no se pueden demorar
"fiesta popular, la comparsa, la orquesta, el castillo va a estallar"
hoy se junta la vecina con el que siempre la espía
la señora del rosario con la de oficios varios
la de la vida alegre con la de la vida triste
la que es crítica del prójimo y el vendedor de alpiste
aaay la balanza se rompe
ya no hay que medir, ya no hay que pesar
ya no hay que fingir, ya no hay que callar
agarren sus sombreros, paraguas y carteras
salgan como bomberos que el mundo se va a quemar
ajusten el sonido y lustren los oídos
mejor haber comido, ya la fiesta va a empezaaa
aaay la balanza se rompe
ya no hay que medir, ya no hay que pesar
ya no hay que fingir, ya no hay que callar
"una vez al año no hace daño"
fiesta popular! nadie sabe en qué va a parar
fiesta popular! todo sale de su lugar
Zapatéalo!
The lyrics to "Yes! Yes! My! My!" by Louis Armstrong speak about a vibrant and joyful celebration happening at five in the morning. The song talks about how social classes are left behind during the festivities, as rich and poor, nobles and commoners, and even saints and devils gather together to enjoy the party. The lyrics mention the breaking of the balance, both literally and figuratively, as people let go of inhibitions and freely express their spirit. There is a call to embrace the moment, to let loose and dance, to not hold back or measure oneself but instead just enjoy the celebration.
The song's lyrics are a reflection of the cultural and social changes of the time in which Louis Armstrong wrote and performed. During the 1930s, jazz and swing music had become the expression of the younger generation in the United States. These new musical styles represented a more carefree and daring attitude towards life, breaking away from the traditional values that had dictated society for decades. The song's lyrics convey this new culture, promoting a sense of freedom and uninhibited expression of one's inner self.
The upbeat tempo of the song, together with the catchy chorus, makes it a timeless classic, a song that still resonates with audiences over 80 years after its initial release. The themes it deals with, such as celebrating the moment and not worrying about social conventions, are universally relatable and have been embraced by generations of music lovers. "Yes! Yes! My! My!" is a song that invites its listeners to let go of their worries and have a good time, an invitation that has been welcomed by audiences throughout the decades.
Line by Line Meaning
son las 5 'e la mañana, gallos cantan y campanas
It's 5 in the morning, and roosters are crowing and bells are ringing
desde temprano hay bailata y serenatas dan lugar
Since early morning, there's dancing and serenades taking place
se rebela la amargura, se prohibe la mesura
Bitterness is rebelled against, and restrain is forbidden
se castiga si el espíritu no sale del hogar
Punishment will be given if the spirit doesn't leave the house
aaay la balanza se rompe
Oh, the balance is broken
ya no hay que medir, ya no hay que pesar
There's no more measuring, there's no more weighing
ya no hay que fingir, ya no hay que callar
There's no more pretending, there's no more silence
inviten a los más ricos, a los pobres y mendigos
Invite the richest, the poor, and beggars
los nobles o insalubres, aquí no hay clase social
The noble and unsanitary, there's no social class here
inviten a todos los santos, los diablos, los espantos
Invite all the saints, devils, and monsters
payasos, perros, gatos no se pueden demorar
Clowns, dogs, and cats can't be late
"fiesta popular, la comparsa, la orquesta, el castillo va a estallar"
"Popular party, the group of performers, the orchestra, and the castle will explode"
hoy se junta la vecina con el que siempre la espía
Today, the neighbor meets the one who always spies on her
la señora del rosario con la de oficios varios
The rosary's lady with the one with various occupations
la de la vida alegre con la de la vida triste
The one with the happy life with the one with the sad life
la que es crítica del prójimo y el vendedor de alpiste
The one who criticizes others and the birdseed seller
agarren sus sombreros, paraguas y carteras
Grab your hats, umbrellas, and purses
salgan como bomberos que el mundo se va a quemar
Get out like firefighters, the world is going to burn
ajusten el sonido y lustren los oídos
Adjust the sound and polish your ears
mejor haber comido, ya la fiesta va a empezaaa
It's better to have eaten, the party is already startinggg
"una vez al año no hace daño"
"Once a year won't hurt"
fiesta popular! nadie sabe en qué va a parar
Popular party! No one knows how it will end
fiesta popular! todo sale de su lugar
Popular party! Everything is out of its place
Zapatéalo!
Stomp your feet!
Writer(s): Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin
Contributed by Sydney O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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