Portrait of Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

Jazz trumpeter

Modern influential 115 sayings

Sayings by Louis Armstrong

I never had a problem with white people. Some of my best friends are white.

Undated — Reported in interviews and biographies, reflecting his personal experiences despite racial issues
General Unverifiable

I'm not a civil rights leader. I'm just Louis Armstrong.

Post-1957 — Reported in interviews, downplaying his role in the civil rights movement despite his outspokenness …
General Unverifiable

If you ain't got that swing, it don't mean a thing.

Undated — Common jazz saying, often attributed to Armstrong or Duke Ellington
General Unverifiable

I don't need no fancy words. Just give me a good tune and I'll play it.

Undated — Reported in biographies
General Unverifiable

Music is a universal language.

Undated — Interview
General Unverifiable

I just try to make people happy with my music.

Undated — Interview
General Unverifiable

Satchmo, that's what they call me. Short for Satchelmouth. Because of my big mouth.

Undated — Explaining his nickname
General Unverifiable

I'm just a country boy from New Orleans.

Undated — Interview
General Unverifiable

The only thing I ever loved more than music was my wife, Lucille.

Undated — Reported in biographies
General Unverifiable

There are some things that if you have to ask, you'll never know.

1955 — Interview with Edward R. Murrow
General Unverifiable

Musicians don't retire; they stop when there's no more music in them.

1960s — Interview
Work & Money Unverifiable

Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look at the audience and I see the world. I see the people. I see the human beings.

1960s — Interview
General Unverifiable

Seems to me that the people who all the time talking about what's wrong with the world, are the same ones who ain't doing nothing to make it right.

unknown — Attributed
General Unverifiable

I'm a musician. I don't know nothing about politics.

1957 — Asked about the Little Rock Nine crisis
Self-Deprecating Unverifiable

I don't mind if I have a little something for my health, you know, a little pot.

1960s — Interview, discussing marijuana use
Self-Deprecating Unverifiable

All I do is blow my horn, and the people pay me for it.

1960s — Interview
General Unverifiable

I never tried to prove nothing, just wanted to give a good show. My life has been my music, my life has been my people. And my people is music.

unknown — Attributed
Life & Aging Unverifiable

Man, all that scratchin' and screamin' ain't music. That's just noise.

1940s-1950s — Referring to modern jazz (bebop)
General Unverifiable

My whole life, my whole soul, my whole everything is to my music.

1960s — Interview
General Unverifiable

I don't care about no money. I just want to play my horn.

unknown — Attributed
Self-Deprecating Unverifiable
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