May 9, 1964 - Taking the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 today is Louis Armstrong’s recording of “Hello, Dolly!” “Hello, Dolly!” was first sung by Carol Channing (left), who stars as Dolly Gallagher Levi in the Broadway cast. Last December, at the behest of his manager, Armstrong made a demonstration recording of “Hello, Dolly!” for the song’s publisher to use to promote the show, which opened on January 16 at the St. James Theatre and has been a major success.
That same month, Kapp Records released Armstrong’s demo as a commercial single, which has now ended the Beatles’ streak of three chart-topping hits in a row over 14 consecutive weeks: “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
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