Hello Dolly
Jerry Herman Lyrics

The song "Hello Dolly" expresses the excitement and joyous welcome of the return of Dolly to her old haunts. The song is a happy and cheerful celebration of Dolly's return. The lyrics make it clear that Dolly is a well-loved and well-known character, who has been away but now she is back. The opening line "Hello, Dolly, well, hello Dolly" is like a greeting, and the repetition reinforces the message of welcome.

The second line "It's so nice to have you back where you belong" establishes a strong connection between Dolly and her surroundings. This creates a sense of belonging and familiarity between Dolly and the people around her. The subsequent lines "You're looking swell, Dolly, We can tell, Dolly, You're still glowin', you're still crowin', You're still goin' strong" indicate the admiration and respect that Dolly commands. The room is 'swayin' to the music, indicating that Dolly's return is creating a celebratory atmosphere.

The song builds on the idea of celebration, with the repeated call to 'find her an empty lap, fellas' and 'find her a vacant knee, fellas', indicating that everyone wants to be close to Dolly. The final line "Dolly'll never go away again" reinforces the message that Dolly is a permanent fixture in the community.

* "Hello Dolly!" was written and composed by Jerry Herman in 1964.
* The song was originally performed on Broadway by Carol Channing as Dolly Gallagher Levi.
* The song became an international hit and won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
* The musical "Hello Dolly!" won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
* The musical and song have been performed in many different languages and adaptations, including a movie musical directed by Gene Kelly.
* The song has been covered by many artists, including Louis Armstrong, Barbra Streisand, and Bette Midler.
* The show was originally intended for Ethel Merman, but she declined the role.
* The show's original director, Gower Champion, passed away during the production, and his wife Marge Champion took over.
* The musical is based on the play "The Matchmaker" by Thornton Wilder.
* The musical has been revived on Broadway several times, most recently in 2017 starring Bette Midler.

Chords (Key of Bb Major):
Intro: Bb Gm F Eb D7 G7 C7 F
Verse: Bb Gm F Eb D7 G7 C7 F
Chorus: Bb Gm F Eb D7 G7 C7 F
Bridge: Eb D7 G7 C7 F Bb Gm F