A Sphinx Serenade

A bit of background for this song…I found this wonderful photo of Louis Armstrong taken in 1961 at the Pyramids of Giza near the Sphinx and posted it on Twitter. A follower replied “sphinx serenade” and then another said that could make a good jazz tune. Well the following (below the photo) is what I have come up with. 

Louis Armstrong plays trumpet while his wife listens during a visit to Egypt, 1961.

Just a cat sittin’ all alone
Not botherin’ anyone
Forgotten and forlorn
Not sayin’ a word to spite his nose

Louis went down to old Egypt land
Seein’ Mr Sphinx all sad and lonely
Pulled out his trumpet and began to play

At first sweet and low
A Sphinx serenade
Then Louis blew louder …
…and louder…
Louder than Joshua at the Battle of Jericho

Instead of fallin’ down
Ole Mr Sphinx got up and danced
Now you ain’t seen nothin’ like it
Nor heard anythin’ like it
This cat got up and began to jive

Louis went down to old Egypt land
Seein’ Mr Sphinx all sad and lonely
Pulled out his trumpet and began to play
At first sweet and low
A Sphinx serenade

Then he played louder…
Louder than Joshua at the Battle of Jericho
Instead of fallin’ down
This cat got up and began to jive

Just a cat sittin’ all alone
Not botherin’ anyone
Forgotten and forlorn
Not sayin’ a word to spite his nose

Louis went down to old Egypt land
Pulled out his trumpet and began to play

Copyright © 2015 Shawn D. Standfast. All rights reserved.

 

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