Armstrong was born and raised 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 never traveled 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 rhythm and more improvisation, and Armstrong’s role was mostly backup. Slow to promote himself, he was eventually persuaded by his wife 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, trumpeter 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 movies, touring Asia and Europe, and dislodging The Beatles from the #1 position with “Hello, Dolly”. Today more 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.”
Merry Christmas Baby
Louis Armstrong & Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Merry christmas my friends
Light a candle for the ones who not only
Live in fear, but have no songs to sing
Live with nothing but ghosts in their brain
Merry christmas my friends
We love, love, love a good day
And you try, try, try to make it seem that way
Well merry christmas my friends
Merry christmas to the ones who live boldly
Merry christmas my friends
Light a candle for the ones who are coldly
Left for dead in flashing blue and red
Left to leave their family and friends
Alone on christmas eve
The opening lines of this song remind the listener that while Christmas may be a time of joy for many, it can also a time of loneliness for others. The singer wishes a merry Christmas to those who are lonely, acknowledging that this can be a difficult time for those who are without loved ones. The repetition of "Merry Christmas my friends" creates a sense of togetherness and solidarity, reminding the listener that they are not alone in their feelings.
The second verse focuses on those who live in fear, perhaps referencing those who are marginalized or oppressed in some way. The image of "nothing but ghosts in their brain" paints a picture of loneliness and isolation, and the singer offers a gesture of empathy and kindness in the form of a candle. The repetition of "we love, love, love" symbolizes the desire for love and happiness, and the hope that this festive season will bring joy to all.
The final verse is perhaps the most poignant, with the singer acknowledging those who have been left behind by society, perhaps in the form of homelessness or incarceration. The phrase "left for dead in flashing blue and red" creates a stark image, and the repetition of the phrase "alone on Christmas Eve" emphasizes the isolation felt by those who are alone during the holidays. In all three verses, the singer offers a gesture of kindness and solidarity, acknowledging the struggle while also using the holiday season as a way to bridge differences and bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Merry christmas to the ones who are lonely
Sending holiday greetings to those who don't have anyone to spend Christmas with
Merry christmas my friends
Wishing a joyful Christmas to our buddies
Light a candle for the ones who not only
In addition to fearing for their lives, light a candle for those without any Christmas carols to sing
Live in fear, but have no songs to sing
Living in constant fear but not being able to express it through music
Live with nothing but ghosts in their brain
Haunted by the memories of loved ones they've lost, living with only the thoughts of them in their mind
Merry christmas my friends
Reiterating the holiday greeting to our dear friends
We love, love, love a good day
Appreciating on a deep level the importance of a joyful, sunny day
And we love, love, love when we're okay
Being grateful for and cherishing the moments when everything in life feels okay and going well
And you try, try, try to make it seem that way
Putting on a façade to make others believe that everything is perfect even when it's not
Well merry christmas my friends
Ending with another Christmas wish to our pals
Merry christmas to the ones who live boldly
Wishing a joyous Christmas to the people who live their lives with courage and fearlessness
Light a candle for the ones who are coldly
Light a candle in remembrance of the individuals who have been left to suffer in the cold and dark
Left for dead in flashing blue and red
Abandoned in the face of a life-or-death situation with only the flashing lights of emergency services to witness their plight
Left to leave their family and friends
Forced to depart from and leave behind the ones they care for deeply
Alone on christmas eve
Spending the night before Christmas without any company or support
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Julia Blair
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Francisco José Tamayo Collins
Así es como se debe celebrar la Navidad.
angelito bayug
vvvvery goooood!!!!!!!!!!!