Perdido
Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars Lyrics

In the song "Perdido," Louis Armstrong sings about losing his heart in Torito during a fiesta where they played the Bolero. The lyrics describe a romantic encounter that ends with Armstrong losing his heart and feeling lost ever since. The first verse is a lament, as he looks for his heart and realizes it's lost. The rest of the song reflects on the romantic encounter that led to his heart being lost, describing the high of being together and the low of having to say goodbye. The lyrics end with Armstrong acknowledging that he must go to Torito to find what he lost.

The metaphor of losing one's heart is common in love songs, and Armstrong's use of a specific location (Torito) and event (a fiesta) gives the song a concrete sense of place and time. The use of the Bolero as the music playing when Armstrong loses his heart is significant, as it's a slow, romantic dance that originated in Spain and is often associated with passionate love. The lyrics also reflect Armstrong's signature style of crooning, with his distinctive gravelly voice infusing the lyrics with emotion.

Perdido has an interesting history and was composed in 1941 by Duke Ellington, who was one of the most important jazz composers and bandleaders. The song was a hit for Ellington and his band, and he recorded it several times with different singers. In addition to Armstrong, singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan also recorded versions of the song. The song has become a jazz standard and has been covered by many other musicians.