The Louis Armstrong Song That Knocked the Beatles From No. 1

In 1964, the fan craze around The Beatles (often known as ‘Beatlemania’) was at its peak. The group was so successful that they had three consecutive number one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 that year with “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.” However, they were finally dislodged from the top by Louis Armstrong’s recording of the song “Hello, Dolly!”, which reached the coveted number one position on May 9 that year. 

Let's drop the needle on the story behind the song which dethroned The Beatles at the height of their success.

"THE MATCHMAKER"

“Hello, Dolly!” was the title track of the successful stage musical of the same name. The show had premiered on Broadway on January 16, 1964, and quickly became a hit amongst New York audiences. It was actually an adaptation of an earlier play by Thornton Wilder, titled “The Matchmaker.” 

“The Matchmaker” had been such a success on Broadway that interest was generated for a musical adaptation of the story, which would emerge a few years later. “Hello, Dolly!” focuses on the adventures of the title character, Dolly Levi, and her efforts as a matchmaker in 1890s New York. Jerry Herman wrote the compositions, and the title track was created for the musical. 

The song was written with Armstrong in mind to perform it, and opens with the lyrics “Hello, Dolly. This is Louis, Dolly.” It follows Louis paying a glowing tribute to Dolly’s character as he notes that the band is playing one of their favorite songs, and he finishes by urging Dolly to promise him that she will never go away. The song was released as a single soon after the successful opening of the Broadway show, and first entered the charts on February 15, 1964.

THE CHARTS

As the musical continued to draw huge interest, demand grew for Armstrong to perform it at his own concerts. This eventually culminated in the song reaching number one in May that year. At the time, Armstrong (aged 62) was also the oldest artist to have a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The show continued to be a huge success, eventually winning 10 Tony Awards, and was later adapted for film, with Barbra Streisand in the lead role and Armstrong himself making an on-screen appearance as the title track was performed. 

And thus, “Hello, Dolly!” earned its place in music history as the song that briefly interrupted The Beatles' unprecedented streak of consecutive chart-topping hits.

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