“Hello, Dolly!” is the title song of the popular 1964 musical of the same name. Louis Armstrong’s version was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.
The music and lyrics were written by Jerry Herman, who also wrote the scores for many other popular musicals including Mame and La Cage aux Folles.
“Hello, Dolly!” was first sung by Carol Channing, who starred as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the original 1964 Broadway cast. In December 1963, at the behest of his manager, Louis Armstrong made a demonstration recording of “Hello, Dolly!” for the song’s publisher to use to promote the show. Hello, Dolly! opened on January 16, 1964 at the St. James Theatre in New York City, and it quickly became a major success.
The same month, Kapp Records released Armstrong’s publishing demo as a commercial single. His version reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ending The Beatles’ streak of three number-one hits in a row over 14 consecutive weeks (they also held the top three spots) and becoming the biggest hit of Armstrong’s career, followed by a gold-selling album of the same name. The song also spent nine weeks atop the adult contemporary chart shortly after the opening of the musical.
“Hello, Dolly!” won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1965, and Armstrong received a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance, Male. Louis Armstrong also performed the song (together with Barbra Streisand) in the popular 1969 film Hello, Dolly!.
By Louis Armstrong
Lyrics
Dolly
Hello, Harry
Well, Hello Louie
It’s so nice to be back home where I belong
You’re looking swell, Manny
I can tell, Danny
You’re still glowin’, you’re still crowin’
You’re still goin’ strong
For the band’s playin’
One of my old favorite songs from way back when
So bridge that gap, fellas
Find me an empty lap, fellas
Dolly’ll never go away again
Waiters
Hello Dolly!
Well, Hello Dolly!
It’s so nice to have you back where you belong
You’re looking swell, Dolly,
We can tell, Dolly,
You’re still glowin’, you’re still crowin’
You’re still goin’ strong.
We feel the room swayin’
For the band’s playin’
One of your old fav’rite songs from ‘way back when
Dolly
So here’s my hat fellas
I’m stayin’ where I’m at, fellas
Waiters
Promise you’ll never go away again
Dolly
I went away from the lights of Fourteenth Street
And into my personal haze
But now that I’m back in the lights of l4th Street
Tomorrow will be brighter than the good old days
Waiters
Those good old days
Hello, Well Hello Dolly
Well hello, hey look there’s Dolly
Dolly
Glad to see you Hank, let’s thank my lucky star
Waiters
Your lucky star
Dolly
You’re lookin’ great, Stanley
Lose some weight, Stanley?
Dolly’s overjoyed and overwhelmed and over par
Waiters
I hear the ice tinkle
See the lights twinkle
And you still get glances from us handsome men
So…
Dolly
Golly gee, fellas
Find me a vacant knee, fellas
Waiters
Dolly’ll never go away again
(A DANCE follows Dolly and the waiters)
Waiters
Well, well hello, Dolly
Well hello, Dolly
It’s so nice to have you back where you belong
You’re lookin’ swell, Dolly
We can tell, Dolly
You’re still glowin’, you’re still crowin’
You’re still goin’ strong
I hear the ice tinkle
See the lights twinkle
And you still get glances from us handsome men
So…
Dolly
Wow wow wow, fellas
Waiters
Hey, Yeh!
Dolly
Look at the old girl now, fellas
Waiters
Wow!
All
Dolly’ll never go away again.