Stream Satchmo With Louis Armstrong’s The Complete Decca Singles 1935-1946 Collection

To celebrate what would have been the late great Louis Armstrong’s 116th birthday today, Verve Records/UMe have released the digital collection, The Complete Decca Singles 1935-1946.

A prequel of sorts to The Complete Decca Singles 1949-1958 issued at the end of 2016, this new comprehensive collection not only spans many of Pop’s singles and B-sides during that fruitful decade with Decca, but brings with it many of Armstrong’s tracks to the digital format for the very first time.

This 136-track digital compilation arrives just in time for the annual music extravaganza Satchmo SummerFest that takes place in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter and honours the legacy of one of the most iconic singers and trumpet players in jazz history.

The ambitious collection entails six digital volumes with the tracks (A-side/B-side) in chronological order by original release date and will be available on all digital retailers and streaming services.

Since leaving Brunswick Records and helping to establish Decca’s American operation, producer and label head Jack Knapp laid out a clear course for Armstrong that started in the label’s New York studios on 3 October 1935. Beginning with Armstrong’s hit. ‘I’m in the Mood for Love’.

This set the tone for the next six year’s worth of Decca sessions and over a hundred 78 sides. Kapp encouraged him to try every type of genre to attract a mainstream audience and not just the “ever-growing Armstrong cult”. From pop songs to Tin Pan Alley, novelty hits, Broadway standards, abolitionist ballads like ‘Darling Nelly Gray’ and updates on big-band songs like ‘Dipper Mouth’, he did them all.

During this time, Armstrong was also paired with other Decca artists such as Jimmy Dorsey, Casa Loma Orchestra, and the Mills Brothers, but no matter the genre or collaborator, Satchmo stole the show and made every song completely his own. Like his trumpet, he used his voice as an instrument, injecting personality and flair into even the most straightforward pop songs.

While many of his hits are included in the collection including, ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’, ‘Public Melody Number One’, ‘Swing That Music’ and ‘Struttin’ With Some Barbecue’, it also includes some of his early duets with Ella Fitzgerald including ‘You Won’t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)’ and ‘The Frim Fram Sauce’.

Louis Armstrong – The Complete Decca Singles 1935-1946 is available here. Explore our dedicated Louis Armstrong artist page and view the full tracklist below.

Volume 1

1. I’m In The Mood For Love
2. Got A Bran’ New Suit
3. You Are My Lucky Star
4. La Cucaracha
5. Old Man Mose
6. Was I To Blame For Falling In Love With You
7. I’m Shooting High
8. I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed
9. On Treasure Island
10. Red Sails In The Sunset
11. Thanks A Million
12. Solitude
13. I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music
14. Shoe Shine Boy
15. The Music Goes ‘Round And Around
16. Rhythm Saved The World
17. I’m Puttin’ All My Eggs In One Basket
18. Yes-Yes! My-My! (She’s Mine)
19. Somebody Stole My Break
20. I Come From A Musical Family
21. Mahogany Hall Stomp
22. Lyin’ To Myself
23. Ev’ntide

 Volume 2

1. Swing That Music
2. Thankful
3. If We Never Meet Again
4. Dipper Mouth
5. On A Cocoanut Island
6. To You, Sweetheart Aloha
7. The Skeleton In The Closet
8. Hurdy Gurdy Man
9. When Ruben Swings The Cuban
10. Red Nose
11. Pennies From Heaven Medley: Let’s Call A Heart A Heart/So Do I/The Skeleton In The Closet
12. Pennies From Heaven
13. Hawaiian Hospitality
14. On A Little Bamboo Bridge
15. Darling Nelly Gray
16. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny
17. The Old Folks At Home
18. In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree
19. Public Melody Number One
20. Red Cap
21. Cuban Pete
22. She’s The Daughter Of A Planter From Havana
23. Yours And Mine
24. Sun Showers

Volume 3

1. I’ve Got A Heart Full Of Rhythm
2. Alexander’s Ragtime Band
3. Once In A While
4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
5. True Confession
6. Jubilee
7. I Double Dare You
8. Satchel Mouth Swing
9. Sweet As A Song
10. The Trumpet Player’s Lament
11. Let That Be A Lesson To You
12. Struttin’ With Some Barbecue
13. So Little Time (So Much To Do)
14. Mexican Swing
15. On The Sentimental Side
16. It’s Wonderful
17. Love Walked In
18. Something Tells Me
19. The Flat Foot Floogee
20. My Walking Stick
21. The Song Is Ended
22. Shadrack
23. Jonah And The Whale
24. I’ve Got A Pocketful Of Dreams
25. Naturally

Volume 4

1. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
2. Ain’t Misbehavin’
3. Going To Shout All Over God’s Heaven
4. Nobody Knows De Trouble I’ve Seen
5. As Long As You Live You’ll Be Dead If You Die
6. When The Saints Go Marching In
7. Elder Eatmore’s Sermon On Throwing Stones
8. Elder Eatmore’s Sermon On Generosity
9. Jeepers Creepers
10. What Is This Thing Called Swing?
11. Rockin’ Chair
12. Lazybones
13. Hear Me Talkin’ To Ya
14. Save It Pretty Mama
15. If It’s Good (Than I Want It)
16. West End Blues
17. Savoy Blues
18. Me And Brother Bill
19. Confessin’ That I Love You
20. Our Monday Date
21. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
22. Shanty Boat On The Mississippi

Volume 5

1. You’re A Lucky Guy
2. You’re Just A No Account
3. Bye And Bye
4. Poor Old Joe
5. You’ve Got Me Voodoo’d
6. Harlem Stomp
7. Wolverine Blues
8. Swing That Music
9. P.A.
10. Marie
11. Boog-It
12. Cherry
13. Hep Cats’ Ball
14. Lazy ‘Sippi Steamer
15. You Run Your Mouth, I’ll Run My Business
16. Cain And Abel
17. Sweethearts On Parade
18. Cut Off My Legs And Call Me Shorty
19. Perdido Street Blues
20. 2:19 Blues
21. Coal Cart Blues
22. Down In Honky Tonk Town

Volume 6

1. Long, Long Ago
2. I Cover The Waterfront
3. New Do You Call That A Buddy [Now Do You Call That A Buddy]
4. Hey Lawdy Mama
5. Ev’rything’s Been Done Before
6. In The Gloaming
7. I’ll Get Mine Bye And Bye
8. Yes Suh!
9. I Used To Love You (But It’s All Over Now)
10. Leap Frog
11. (I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You
12. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
13. (Get Some) Cash For Your Trash
14. I Never Knew
15. Among My Souvenirs
16. Coquette
17. I Wonder
18. Jodie Man
19. You Won’t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)
20. The Frim Fram Sauce

Format: UK English