Hello, Dolly!

Album

Hello, Dolly!

Label

Kapp Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Jerry Herman

Entered Chart

Feb 15, 1964

Peak Date

May 9, 1964

Released

December 3, 1963; April 18, 1964

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Kapp 573

B-Side

Be My Life's Companion

"Hello, Dolly!" is the title song from the Tony Award-winning 1964 musical which featured Carol Channing in the lead role. In 1969 it was made into a film starring Barbra Streisand. Although the contemporary score was composed in its entirety by Jerry Herman, the play can be traced in one form or another as far back as 1835, in outline at least. In spite of the immediate success of the stage production, the song was released as a single only reluctantly. In its May 23, 1964 edition, the English music paper Melody Maker carried an article "HELLO DOLLY! The hit no one wanted," which included an interview with Louis Armstrong. Herein it was revealed that although the song had reached #1 in the US charts selling more than a million copies, no one wanted to record it. In retrospect, Satchmo was an obvious choice. The song won a Grammy for best vocal performance. It was recorded on Kapp by Armstrong and his "All Stars"; the B Side was "A Lot Of Lovin' To Do." Five years later, Satchmo appeared in the film version where he dueted with Streisand. The sheet music for "Hello, Dolly!" was published by Edwin H. Morris & Co of New York, Copyright 1963 at 75c. There are a number of other printings and arrangements, including HELLO, DOLLY! Recorded by Louis Armstrong on London Records which retailed for 2s6d, and a full arrangement for orchestra by Jimmy Lally at 4s6d. >> The 62-year-old Armstrong became the oldest act to top the US charts when this reached #1. Four years later, Satchmo also became the oldest artist to record a UK #1 when "What A Wonderful World" hit the top spot. Armstrong's Hot 100 record was broken in 2023 when the 78-year-old Brenda Lee ascended to #1 with "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree." When Armstrong was asked about his new #1 song, he replied, "It sure feels good to be up there with those Beatles." This was quite an accomplishment, as Beatlemania was running rampant and the Fab 4 were at the top of the chart the previous 14 weeks, first with "I Want To Hold Your Hand," followed by "She Loves You" and "Can't Buy Me Love." Armstrong became the first American artist to knock the group out of the top spot. Report this ad This song was also a #18 hit for English singer Frankie Vaughan in the UK in 1964. Carol Channing appeared on Sesame Street in 1984, serenading Sammy the Snake with a parody of this song called "Hello, Sammy!" Mack David, a lyricist and composer known for his work on Disney films like Alice In Wonderland and Cinderella, filed a copyright infringement suit against Herman, alleging the first four bars of "Dolly" were the same as those in his 1948 tune "Sunflower." Herman maintained that he never even heard "Sunflower" before, but agreed to pay a $200,000 settlement so the film's release wouldn't be delayed. He told the New York Daily News in 1998: "I didn't mean to use six notes that sounded like some other song. I need to copy somebody else's song like I need another nostril." While writing the tune about Dolly's triumphant return to New York's social scene, the songwriter recalled the 1940 movie Lillian Russell, which features a scene with star Alice Faye singing with waiters. The names Harry and Manny used the lyrics are personal for Herman. "Harry was my father and Manny was my uncle," he explained. "Later, I threw in Louis, another uncle. I used everybody in my family." When word of Streisand's casting hit the press, critics thought the 24-year-old was too young to portray Dolly (Channing was 43 when she originated the role) and so did she. In particular, Streisand thought the audience would never buy a romance between her and leading man Walter Matthau, who was more than 20 years her senior. But once it was clear she couldn't get out of the project, she made the role her own. It required a different approach than her star turn as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, a part she originated on stage and recreated on screen in 1968. "I searched for the parts in myself that were right for Dolly and that's what I used," she's quoted by the Barbra Archives. "There was a big struggle in the beginning. I didn't want to play this role because the part of Dolly that is me I don't like to be shown. But once I accepted the fact that I was going to do it, from then on, it was fun." Bobby Darin covered this on his 1964 album, From Hello Dolly To Goodbye Charlie. His version, which peaked at #79 on the Hot 100, ends with the line, "Look out, old Dolly is back!" - a nod to his 1959 hit "Mack The Knife," which closes with, "Look out, old Mackie is back!"

Hello, Dolly
This is Louis, Dolly
It's so nice to have you back where you belong
You're lookin' swell, Dolly
I can tell, Dolly
You're still glowin', you're still crowin'
You're still goin' strong
I feel the room swayin'
While the band's playin'
One of our old favorite songs from way back when
So take her wrap, fellas find her an empty lap, fellas
Dolly'll never go away again

I feel the room swayin'
While the band's playin'
One of our old favorite songs from way back when
So golly, gee, fellas
Have a little faith in me, fellas
Dolly'll never go away
Promise you'll never go away
Dolly'll never go away again