Monday, March 07, 2005
Sad Louis
This morning as I walked to school, I listened to volume 4 of Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Sevens. These are some of his earliest professional recordings, and it was this band that probably singlehandedly defined what the fledgling jazz movement would be. Although it seems tame now, in the 1920s, this was groundbreaking, innovative stuff.
I love listening to the young Louis Armstrong. The rasp in his voice is just beginning to set in, but you can still hear a clear, smooth tone beneath it--the combination is just right. He's full of energy and excitement and, as previously mentioned, innovation. Not to disrespect his more famous later work such as his recordings of "What a Wonderful World," "Hello, Dolly," and "Mack the Knife" (all of which I love), but the younger Louis is just more joyful. You can practically hear him smile--almost even giggle, sometimes--as he sings. And then you picture that young Louis grin and you've got to grin too as you're listening.
So how great was my surprise this morning when I closely listened to the words of a particular song for the first time:
The song is slow, though the music is more soulful than sad.* But it sure stood in stark contrast to the gleeful tone of "Ain't Misbehavin'" a couple of tracks earlier. This song was recorded in 1929, and emphasizes the racial hatred that was rampant throughout the U.S. at that time. Louis struggled with it his entire life, even when he was rich and famous. I remember the story of how he met Bix Beiderbecke, a white jazz trumpetist, and they wanted to perform together. But no club would allow a white musician on the stage with a black musician. So they jammed together after hours, and the results were never recorded. We may still have a long way to go, but we have also already come a long way.
* I'd post a link to an MP3 of the recording, but as it was recorded in 1929, it's still under copyright till 2041 (70 years after Louis's death). If it had been recorded in 1922, however, it would have entered the public domain in 1978. Now you tell me: do our copyright laws make sense? I'll tell you: No. No they don't.
I love listening to the young Louis Armstrong. The rasp in his voice is just beginning to set in, but you can still hear a clear, smooth tone beneath it--the combination is just right. He's full of energy and excitement and, as previously mentioned, innovation. Not to disrespect his more famous later work such as his recordings of "What a Wonderful World," "Hello, Dolly," and "Mack the Knife" (all of which I love), but the younger Louis is just more joyful. You can practically hear him smile--almost even giggle, sometimes--as he sings. And then you picture that young Louis grin and you've got to grin too as you're listening.
So how great was my surprise this morning when I closely listened to the words of a particular song for the first time:
Cold empty bed...springs hurt my head
Feels like ole ned...wished I was dead
What did I do...to be so black and blue
Even the mouse...ran from my house
They laugh at you...and all that you do
What did I do...to be so black and blue
I'm white...inside...but, that don't help my case
That's life...can't hide...what is in my face
How would it end...ain't got a friend
My only sin...is in my skin
What did I do...to be so black and blue
How would it end...i ain't got a friend
My only sin...is in my skin
What did I do...to be so black and blue
The song is slow, though the music is more soulful than sad.* But it sure stood in stark contrast to the gleeful tone of "Ain't Misbehavin'" a couple of tracks earlier. This song was recorded in 1929, and emphasizes the racial hatred that was rampant throughout the U.S. at that time. Louis struggled with it his entire life, even when he was rich and famous. I remember the story of how he met Bix Beiderbecke, a white jazz trumpetist, and they wanted to perform together. But no club would allow a white musician on the stage with a black musician. So they jammed together after hours, and the results were never recorded. We may still have a long way to go, but we have also already come a long way.
* I'd post a link to an MP3 of the recording, but as it was recorded in 1929, it's still under copyright till 2041 (70 years after Louis's death). If it had been recorded in 1922, however, it would have entered the public domain in 1978. Now you tell me: do our copyright laws make sense? I'll tell you: No. No they don't.
Comments:
You can actually hear the beginning of the song on Walmart's music Web site at http://music.walmart.com/m/008/28/31/76/81/22/0082831768122.01.01.013.mp3. You can't hear enough to get the lyrics, though.
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