"[348][349], A history of the song and its notoriety was published in 1993 by Dave Marsh, including an extensive recounting of the multiple lyrics investigations,[350] but he was unable to obtain permission to publish the song's actual lyrics[351] because the then current owner, Windswept Pacific, wanted people to "continue to fantasize what the words are". [135], Surf music icons the Beach Boys released their version on the 1964 album Shut Down Volume 2 with lead vocals shared by Carl Wilson and Mike Love. [Chorus] Louie, Louie Me gotta go Louie, Louie Me gotta go [Verse 1] Fine little girl she wait for me Me catch the ship for cross the sea I sail the ship all alone I never think I make it home [140], A Minnesota girl group, the Shaggs, released a version as a 1965 single (Concert 1-78-65), and Honey Ltd. covered the song on a 1968 album and as a single (LHI 1216); however, the distinction of first girl group participation on a version of "Louie Louie" would go to the Shalimars, an Olympia girl group who provided overdubbed backing vocals in 1960 for a recording by Little Bill (Englehardt) released as a single in 1961 (Topaz 1305). I'm gonna make it home Louie-o Lou-ay Oh, baby We gotta . [102], Another factor in the success of the record may have been the rumor that the lyrics were intentionally slurred by the Kingsmento cover up lyrics that were allegedly laced with profanity, graphically depicting sex between the sailor and his lady. Lyrics for Brother Louie by Hot Chocolate - Songfacts [137] Other surf music versions included the Chan-Dells in 1963, the Pyramids and the Surfaris in 1964, the Trashmen, the Invictas, and Jan and Dean in 1965, the Challengers in 1966, the Ripp Tides in 1981, and the Shockwaves in 1988. Louie Louie, me gotta go. Brothers, you know what I mean. [58] Known for his dynamic onstage performances, Roberts added "Louie Louie" to the band's set and, in 1960 recorded the track with the Wailers as his backing band. Lyrics, Meaning & Videos: Waltz with a Swing / Americana (from "Every Sunday") [2022 Remaster], Yours and Mine (from "Broadway Melody of 1938") [Outtake] [2022 Remaster], Your Broadway and My Broadway (from "Broadway Melody of Em Dm Am Louie, Louie, you're gonna cry. Me think of girl constantly. The earliest known sampling of "Louie Louie" (Kingsmen version) was "Flying Saucer" by Ed Solomon in 1964 (Diamond 160), one of many "break-in" records popular in the 1960s. [142], Sources vary on the impact of "Louie Louie" on the writing of "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night". His resolution also called for the creation of a new "Louie Louie County". The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" While Jack Ely's crazed vocal gets almost all of the attention, the Kingsmen were a group that played their own instruments and sang. go Ay ay ay ay ay Louie-o Lou-ay Oh, baby We gotta. The music video, directed by Scott Kalvert, was a parody of Animal House with food fights, dancing girls, and togas. 2 the following week, a spot which it held for six non-consecutive weeks; it would remain in the top 10 throughout December 1963 and January 1964 before dropping off in early February. BROTHER LOUIE CHORDS by Stories @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com The origins of "Louie Louie" That version from the Kingsmen a '60s beat/garage-rock band from Portland, Oregon sold millions and millions of copies. A version of the song by The Fall with Jon on vocals appeared on the Live 1977 album which was described by Stewart Home as taking "the amateurism of the Kingsmen to its logical conclusion with grossly incompetent musicianship and a drummer who seems to be experiencing extreme difficulty simply keeping time". [256] Demo versions of both tracks, recorded with Cadena, were included on the 1982 compilation album Everything Went Black. [139] Other versions by R&B artists included Ike & Tina Turner, the Tams, and Nat & John in 1968, Wilbert Harrison in 1969, the Topics in 1970, and Barry White in 1981. 1 on Seattle's KJR and establishing "Louie Louie" as "the signature riff of Northwest rock 'n' roll". "[15] Humorist Dave Barry (perhaps with some exaggeration) called it "one of the greatest songs in the history of the world". [170], At a 1967 concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Mothers of Invention keyboardist Don Preston climbed up to the venue's famous pipe organ, usually used for classical works, and played the signature riff (included on the 1969 album Uncle Meat). 20 in 1964 and remained on the charts for over two years (131 weeks total) until 1966. But, he admitted, the . Released nationally on Wand label in October 1963. We played that record over and over. I'm gonna do this song that this black guy wrote. A fine little girl, she wait for me. Inspired by Rene Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha" and Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon," Berry. [98], Due to the lyrics controversy and supported by the band's heavy touring schedule, the single continued to sell throughout 1965 and briefly reappeared on the charts in 1966, reaching No. [69], The session was produced by Ken Chase, a local disc jockey on the AM rock station 91 KISN who also owned the teen nightclub where the Kingsmen were the house band. Herb Alpert and A&M Records passed on the distribution opportunity,[88] deeming it "too long" and "out of tune". [366], Various versions of "Louie Louie" have appeared in the films listed below.[367]. Flip 321 was re-released in 1961 with "Louie Louie" as the A-side and "Rock, Rock, Rock" as the B-side. Entered chart October 22, 1966, for seven weeks. Copy. Jack Ely, lead singer of The Kingsmen, who were best known for 1960s hit Louie Louie, has died at the age of 71. Both tracks from the single were included on the 1983 compilation album The First Four Years, and "Louie Louie" was also included on 1987's WastedAgain. You're yearning for 'Where's that big party that I know is out there, but I can't find it'. It entered the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for December 7, and peaked at No. Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons! FBI Records: The Vault Louie Louie (The Song) On September 5, 2013, the city of Portland dedicated a plaque at the site to commemorate the event. [156], With the only instrumental version to make the charts, Travis Wammack reached No. Consequence called this version "a rock standard blown up from the inside out" and said, "The bands cover of 'Louie Louie' somehow both honors their rock n roll forebears and spits on their legacy. STORIES - BROTHER LOUIE LYRICS - SongLyrics.com [371] In 2017 ByteDance acquired Musical.ly and merged it with TikTok to deliver app functionality for creating short lip-sync and music videos. And it's that faintly ridiculous air that makes the Kingsmen's record the classic that it is, especially since it's followed by a guitar solo that's just as wacky. Described as "a committed and omnipresent figure on the punk and post-punk scene in Manchester",[216] Jon the Postman became known for waiting until headline bands like the Buzzcocks, the Fall, and Warsaw (later Joy Division)[217] had finished their sets (sometimes before they had finished) before mounting the stage in a drunken state, grabbing the microphone, and performing his own versions of "Louie Louie". [326] The "state rock song" was played following "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch at all Seattle Mariners home games from 1990 up until the 2022 season.[383]. [118] His "Louie Louie" guitar break has been called "iconic",[119] "blistering",[120] and "one of the most famous guitar solos of all time". "[6] Rock critic Greil Marcus called it "a law of nature"[7] and New York Times music critic Jon Pareles, writing in a 1997 obituary for Richard Berry, termed it "a cornerstone of rock". hey! The 1983 compilation The Best of Louie, Louie featured a Russian version by Red Square,[33] and in 1997 an entire album of Spanish covers, The First Louie Louie Spanish Compilation, was released with versions by the Flaming Sideburns, the Navahodads, Los DelTonos, and eight others. I suppose it was my bid for immortality, one of those great bolts of inspiration. The FBI's FOIA Library contains many files of public interest and historical value. [28][29], Just prior to the song's release, Berry sold his portion of the publishing and songwriting rights for "Louie Louie" and four other songs for $750 to Max Feirtag, the head of Flip Records, to raise cash for his upcoming wedding. "Louie Louie": Why Is This Song So Awesome? - CultureSonar [83] Ely had to stand on tiptoe to sing into a boom mike, and his braces further impeded his singing. "Back 2 Back", composed by Hideki Naganuma for Sonic Rush, borrows the "Louie Louie" riff for its main section. This article is about the song. [140] Other early Latin-flavored versions were released by Pedrito Ramirez con los Yogis (Angelo 518, 1965), Pete Terrace (El Nuevo Pete Terrace, 1966), Eddie Cano (Brought Back Live from P.J. CHORUS: Am Dm Louie, Louie, Louie, Loo-ee. "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen - Song Meanings and Facts The song is based on the tune "El Loco Cha Cha" popularized by bandleader Ren Touzet and is an example of Afro-Cuban influence on American popular music. No strangers to controversy themselves, the band pummel the song with their trademark pre-Henry Rollins era guitar sludge, while singer Dez Cadena spits out his nihilistic rewording of the most misunderstood lyrics in rock history."[256]. The Kingsmen version occurs during the film. [138], With a version on their 1964 album A Halo to You, the Angels were the first girl group to cover "Louie Louie". [390], April 14, 1985 "Louie Louie Day" proclaimed by the mayor of Seattle. who sang louie louie louie lou eye. Everybody thinks that these white guys recorded it, but a black guy did this. [343] In June 1965, the FBI laboratory obtained a copy of the Kingsmen recording and, after 31 months of investigation, concluded that it could not be interpreted, that it was unintelligible at any speed,[344] and therefore the Bureau could not find that the recording was obscene. Lyrically, the first person perspective of the song was influenced by "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)", which is sung from the perspective of a customer talking to a bartender ("Louie" was the name of Berry's bartender). Some sources have the quote as "believe them" vs. "believe me". The Raiders also recorded Richard Berry's "Have Love, Will Travel", a "'Louie Louie' rewrite",[133] and "Louie, Go Home", an answer song penned by Lindsay and Revere after Berry declined their request for a "Louie Louie" follow-up,[134] as well as "Just Like Me", a "first cousin to 'Louie Louie'". Stories cover [ edit] It was also included on two later various artists compilations, Love That Louie: The Louie Louie Files (2002) and Boom Boom A Go-Go! 1947), drummer/percussionist Mel Pritchard (1948-2004), and keyboardist/vocalist Stuart 'Woolly' Wolstenholme (1947-2010). Cadena would go on to sing on the Six Pack EP before switching to rhythm guitar and being replaced on vocals by Henry Rollins. There was a move to make it such, but it apparently died in the legislature. Things changed when Boston's biggest DJ, Arnie Ginsburg, was given the record by a pitchman. Originally. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a standard in pop and rock. Described as a major influence on punk and garage music worldwide,[159] the group's characteristic hard-edged, fuzz-drenched sound and "abrasive, all-out approach"[160] "took the Northwest garage sound to its most primitive extreme"[161] and made their "Louie Louie" version ahead of its time. The song was banned on many radio stations and in many places in the United States, including Indiana, where a ban was requested by Governor Matthew Welsh. [166], Iggy Pop (then known as Jim Osterberg) began performing "Louie Louie", "a song nearly as old and unkillable as Iggy himself",[195] "with his own version of the dirty lyrics"[196] in 1965 as a member of the Iguanas. And it's the reason true rock 'n' roll, and true rock 'n' roll bands, will never die. The Children's Hospital of Illinois is the most recent charitable beneficiary. Used as a cell phone ringtone by Roy Miller (. '"[116] When it came time to do that, however, Ely discovered the sound engineer had raised the studio's only microphone several feet above his head. A significant error on the Kingsmen version occurs just after the lead guitar break. Early video games with chiptune versions of "Louie Louie" included California Games and Donkey Konga. Released on: 1993-01-01 Producer. [Outro] A D Em D A D Em D Oh, we gotta go now. Not on the 1979 LP or 1993 CD reissue. [62], Roberts was killed in an automobile accident in 1967, but his "legacy would reverberate down through the ages". Released nationally on Columbia label in October 1963. As the group was going by the Wailers version, which has a brief restatement of the riff twice over before the lead vocalist comes back in, it would be expected that Ely would do the same. The Just Dance video game also featured this version performed by a dancing Iggy Pop avatar.[204]. Lou-ie Lou-ay!! - Rate Your Music 128 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 in April 1966. Louie Louie, oh baby. LOUIE LOUIE CHORDS (ver 2) by Kingsmen @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com [364] In 2011, KFJC celebrated International Louie Louie Day with a reprise of its 1983 event, featuring multiple "Louie Louie" versions, new music by Richard Berry and appearances by musicians, DJs, and celebrities with "Louie Louie" connections. Released as a single on the band's own label, Etiquette, in early 1961, it became a huge hit locally, charting at No. A cover version by Stories was a No. [200] ("55 Minute Louie-Louie", released in 2017 by Shave on their High Alert digital album, commemorated the occasion.) "), Kareem Abdul Jabbar ("Its a dance song! Kids Menu. That distinction apparently belonged to Mike Mitchell. [361][362] During a change in format from adult-contemporary to all-oldies in 1997, WXMP in Peoria became "all Louie, all the time," playing nothing but covers of "Louie Louie" for six straight days. The soundtrack album, released by Cypress Records on vinyl, CD and cassette, included the Kingsmen and Young MC versions. Eya Louie Thesinger lyrics 'Louie Louie' Lead Singer Dies -- Dead at 71 - TMZ [370], In 2015 Microsoft Messenger introduced the Zya Ditty app which allowed users to create short text-to-autotune music videos using a library of pre-licensed songs including "Louie Louie" and others. [273] White also performed it on Soul Train on September 19, 1981. She said, "The beat and everything was beautiful. & The Checkmates (Lavender R1936), "Louie Go Home", 1966, The Campus Kingsmen (Impalla V 1481); different song from the Raiders version, "Louie Louie's Comin' Back", 1967, The Pantels (Rich RR-120). "Louie, Louie"! [89], Sales of the Kingsmen record were initially so low (reportedly 600) that the group considered disbanding. And why I did it a cappella and changed all the lyrics apart from the actual chorus, I have no idea. "[234] Steven Van Zandt remembered it as the record that changed his life saying, "That's where it all started. A single was also released in Europe (cut to 3:38 from the album's 5:05 length). Tom Cruise in Knight and Day (2010) used the Kingsmen version as a ringtone/movement reminder. And there are actually practical reasons why the lyrics are so difficult to understand. "[17], The Kingsmen's recording was the subject of an FBI investigation about the supposed, but nonexistent, obscenity of the lyrics that ended without prosecution. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! The film's soundtrack producer Kenny Vance (formerly of Jay and the Americans) also released a version with his group The Planotones on the 2007 album Dancin' And Romancin'. Louie Louie, me gotta go. You know the pain that's in my heartIt just shows I'm not very smartWho needs love when you've got a gun?Who needs love to have any fun? Louie Louie Louie Louis Louie Louie Louie Loueye Louie Louie Louie Louis Louie Louie you're gonna cry. Rock is primarily about longing. We think ELY is the possible answer on this clue. "[336] In response, Max Feirtag of publisher Limax Music offered $1,000 to "anyone finding anything suggestive in the lyrics",[337] and Broadcasting magazine published the actual lyrics as provided by Limax. Holden recorded an unreleased version, backed by the Thunderbirds, for the Nite Owl label in 1959. The Kingsmen - Louie Louie (Lyric Video) LyricsforEveryone 2.31K subscribers 166K views 5 years ago Lyrics for The Kingsmen's most famous song: Louie Louie, from the 1963 album "The Kingsmen. But it's actually a cover of a song. Song "snippets" are frequently played within other songs: "High School Confidential", "Twist and Shout", "Glory Days", and "Pay Me My Money Down".[232]. [59], The record was then reissued and promoted by Liberty Records in Los Angeles, but it failed to chart nationally. Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie The Kingsmen version is heard in the film. Where can you hear the instrumental. But the most famous version, the one everyone thinks of, was recorded by the Kingsmen in 1963 and put out by Wand Records. Specialties: Founded in 2007 (formerly Mary Lou's Tavern) we have become a destination for families, both local and seasonal, that specialize in seafood i.e., fish and chips, oysters, steamers, wild Pacific salmon, flamed broiled burgers, prime rib (and lots of gluten free options) AND a full service bar with Pacific NW microbrews and specialty island drinks. [333], In January 1964, Indiana governor Matthew E. Welsh, acting on multiple complaint letters, determined the lyrics to be pornographic because his "ears tingled" when he listened to the record. (1983), and The Last Madman of Rock and Roll (1986, DVD). The Who also covered the 1964 Lindsay-Revere sequel "Louie Go Home" in 1965 as "Lubie (Come Back Home)". Sail that ship about, all alone. The success of their "smoky version"[155] heralded the entry of the ever adaptable "Louie Louie" into the MOR and easy listening categories and many followed: David McCallum and J.J. Jones (1967), Honey Ltd. (1968), Julie London (1969), Sounds Orchestral (1970) ("by far the best of the numerous easy listening interpretations"),[36] Line Renaud (1973), Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin (1991), and others released singles and albums featuring slower and mellower versions of what had previously been an up tempo pop and rock standard. Am Dm Knowing what's wrong from what's right. Louie Louie was originally written by Richard Berry, and released as a single in 1957 on Flip Records. I never think I'll make it home. It's the reason "Louie Louie" will never be fully comprehensible. "[43] "Radio Dave" Milberg on the Rare & Scratchy Rock 'n Roll podcast noted, "As long as there's rock and roll, there will be more remakes of 'Louie Louie' and more songs about its title character; and that's how it should be. Hint: It's Not Who You Think", Taking Punk to the Masses: From Nowhere to Nevermind, "RIP: The Last of Richard Berry's Pharaohs", "RIP: Dorothy Berry, high school sweetheart + first wife of Richard", "Louie Louie why the influential garage classic was investigated by the FBI", "Richard Berry: Los Angeles Native Turned Tacoma Icon", "Little Bill & the Bluenotes (2008) LOUIE of the Week", "Mr. Jimbo Metastasizing, or, You Can't Aways Death What You Want: Griel Marcus on the Doors", "The History of "Louie Louie" - Part 3: Answer Songs, Sequels, and Tributes", "Proto-punk: 10 records that paved the way for '76", "Lewis, Dave (19381998): Father of Northwest Rock", "The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time", "Everybody sing! (, Following the death of Kingsmen singer Jack Ely, Mark Lindsay tweeted on April 28, 2015, "To settle it once and for all: Jack Ely/The Kingsmen recorded Louie Louie 3 days BEFORE the Raiders. The title was written and sung by Errol Brown and Tony Wilson of the group Hot Chocolate, and was a No. He re-recorded "Louie Louie" in 1976 and again in 1980, and these versions appear on multiple 60s hit compilations credited to "Jack Ely (formerly of the Kingsmen)" or "re-recordings by the original artists". Hot Chocolate - Brother Louie 1973 She was black as the nightLouie was whiter than whiteDanger, danger when you taste brown sugarLouie fell in love over nigh. 26 on the UK Singles Chart,[96] was the preferred tune for a popular British dance called "The Shake". [123], April 1, 1985 First annual WMMR Louie Louie Parade in Philadelphia. Peter Doggett labeled it "almost impossible to play badly"[42] and Greil Marcus proclaimed, "Has there ever been a bad version of 'Louie Louie'? 68 on the UK Singles Chart.[225]. [136] Their rendition also appeared on The Best of Louie Louie, Volume 2. [116], April 24, 2020 Death of Kingsmen front man Lynn Easton. Who played louie DePalma on taxi? - Answers Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie, you're gonna cry. Released on regional Sand label in April 1963. [138][213][214] Her cover version has been described as tapping "directly into the primal, urchin-like spirit of rock's renaissance".[215]. In other words, it's punk at its best. Since the original lyrics were notoriously difficult to discern, the translations were often inaccurate or adapted to a different storyline. "Louie Louie" remains the "unofficial state rock song". The result, Ely would say over the years, was that he had to stand on his toes, lean his head back and shout as loudly as he could just to be heard over the drums and guitars. He also played the song in guest appearances with other groups in 1982 (at the Stone Pony with Cats on a Hot Surface) and 1983 (at The Headliner in Neptune, NJ with Midnight Thunder). The song was re-released by Flip in 1961 as an A-side single and again in 1964 on a four-song EP, but never appeared on any of the various record charts. Although not commercially released, an example of the song's influence was the 2000 performance by the Dover High School Band joined on saxophone by Bill Clinton (who played in a jazz trio named the Kingsmen at Hot Springs High School, and at whose 1964 graduation dance the actual Kingsmen performed). Like our sister . E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg played "Louie Louie" on his 2017 live Jukebox show,[233] and guitarist Nils Lofgren credited some of his success to "I just happened to play 'Louie Louie' a little different than the other guys. [409], A sculpture titled "Louie Louie, 2013" by Las Vegas-based artist Tim Bavington is displayed on the lobby wall of the Edith Green - Wendell Wyatt Federal Building in Portland, Oregon. Puts Down 'Pornographic' Wand Tune", "Louie Louie the Saga of a Pacific Northwest Hit Song", "That time Indiana teens ratted out dirty 'Louie Louie' lyrics, and the FBI got involved", "Did Louie Louie Drummer Yell F*ck During Recording? Who played louie DePalma on taxi? Their rap, with rewritten lyrics, "chronicled a pursuit of the song's real words".[275]. This is a song that when you play it, people are going to get up and dance, and that's it. As the "godfather of punk", he inspired a host of punk rock successors, including many with their own versions as the song became a "live staple for many punk-rock bands of the 1970s". [382], Although the effort failed in the end, a cover of Berry's rewritten version was released in 1986 by Jr. Cadillac and included on the 1994 compilation The Louie Louie Collection. "[201], Pop later wrote a new version with political and satirical verses instead of obscenities that was released on American Caesar in 1993. [97] The first album, The Kingsmen In Person, peaked at No. "Louie Louie" journeyed to its lyrical Jamaican destination with a reggae version "as soulful as it gets"[36] by Toots and the Maytals. The Kingsmen's lead vocalist, Jack Ely, based his version on the recording by Rockin' Robin Roberts with the Fabulous Wailers, but unintentionally reintroduced Berrys original stop-time rhythm as he showed the other members how to play it with a 123, 12, 123 beat instead of the 1234, 12, 1234 beat on the Wailers record. ", Excerpts from the FBI file about the song, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Episode 106: Louie Louie by the Kingsmen, Lyrics transcription with comments from Jack Ely, The Louie Louie Advocacy and Music Appreciation Society (LLAMAS), The Almost-Complete Louie Louie Discography, Orme Radio 2015 Louie Louie Marathon playlist, Reported 7" Vinyl Singles & EPs for Louie, Louie & Related Songs. Last October, original members from The Kingsmen came together to. 35 on the Billboard and Cashbox charts, respectively (the highest charting U.S. version after the Kingsmen). 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. Subsequent Kingsmen "Louie Louie" versions with either Lynn Easton or Dick Peterson as lead vocalist appeared on Live & Unreleased (recorded 1963, released 1992), Live at the Castle (recorded 1964, released 2011), Shindig!