Louis Armstrong Prevents The Beatles' 'Do You Want to Know a Secret' From Reaching No. 1

Louis Armstrong's "Hello, Dolly!" topped the charts, beating The Beatles.

Louis Armstrong, the legendary musician and activist, had only one song that reached No. 1 on the charts in the United States. Surprisingly, this song, "Hello, Dolly!", prevented The Beatles' "Do You Want to Know a Secret" from claiming the top spot. This revelation led Paul McCartney to admit that he was not particularly fond of "Do You Want to Know a Secret."

It is worth noting that many of Armstrong's songs were actually covers of songs originally performed by other artists. Examples include "When the Saints Go Marching In," "La Vie en rose," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Even his hit song, "Hello, Dolly!", was originally from a Broadway musical of the same name.

According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, "Hello, Dolly!" managed to reach the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This achievement is especially remarkable considering that jazz music was not particularly popular during the 1960s. Furthermore, this song prevented The Beatles' "Do You Want to Know a Secret" from claiming the top spot on the charts.

In his book "Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now," McCartney compared "Do You Want to Know a Secret" to another song sung by George Harrison, "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You." McCartney revealed that both songs were written specifically for Harrison, with "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" being a more formulaic composition. McCartney explained that they knew using certain chords, such as A-flat minor, would always create an exciting song. "Do You Want to Know a Secret" followed this pattern.

McCartney further elaborated that although they wrote songs to cater to their fans, these songs were not their personal favorites. However, they recognized that these songs were successful for the time and served as valuable songwriting practice.

While "Hello, Dolly!" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week and spent a total of 22 weeks on the chart, none of Armstrong's other singles managed to crack the Top 20. Despite his legendary status, Armstrong was not a major hitmaker during the Hot 100 era. The album "Hello, Dolly!", featuring Armstrong's version of the song, also reached No. 1 on the charts and remained on the chart for 75 weeks, with six of those weeks at the top spot.

On the other hand, "Do You Want to Know a Secret" was a significant hit as well, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending 11 weeks on the chart. The Beatles included this song on their album "Introducing... The Beatles," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 49 weeks.

Although "Introducing... The Beatles" may not be as well-known as some of the band's other albums today, it serves as a great representation of their early years. The album features beloved classics like "Love Me Do," "Twist and Shout," and "I Saw Her Standing There."

While Louis Armstrong may not have been a prominent pop star in the 1960s, there was a brief moment when he outperformed a Beatles song on the charts. This achievement showcases the enduring impact of Armstrong's music and the unpredictable nature of the music industry.

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