Coquette
Louis Armstrong His Orchestra Lyrics

The lyrics of Louis Armstrong’s song “Coquette” speaks to a lover who is being played by a flirtatious individual, the titular Coquette. The song opens with the singer urging Coquette to stop her games and teasing ways as her actions are breaking hearts. Armstrong goes on to admit that he himself fell for her flirtations and warns that one day, she too will fall in love with someone who only wants to play games. He notes that when she is left alone, she will have regrets and will remember that he loved her. Armstrong is urging Coquette to not take love and affection casually as it is powerful and can cause emotional pain.

The song is a perfect example of Louis Armstrong's style, combining his signature raspy vocals with his jazz trumpet performances. Armstrong is known for his ability to express powerful emotions through his music, and "Coquette" is no exception. The song was written by Johnny Mercer, Carmen Lombardo, and Gus Kahn and was first recorded in 1928 by Guy Lombardo and His Orchestra. Armstrong later recorded the song in 1949 with his orchestra. The song has since become a jazz standard, covered by numerous artists including Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan.