The Kingsmen Louie Louie

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The Kingsmen Louie Louie

The Kingsmen Louie Louie

R&B

A little bit of Sixties music trivia: The 1963 version of “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmem, a Sixties garage band from Portland, Oregon, was not only banned by many U.S. radio stations but was also investigated by the F.B.I. because of obscenity in the lyrics.

The song “Louie, Louie” was written by musician and composer Richard Berry in 1955 and recorded by him in 1957. It has become a pop and rock standard, with recordings by hundreds of artists. The lyrics tell about a sailor who spends three days traveling to Jamaica to see his girl. The 1978 film Animal House featured Richard Berry’s “Louie, Louie” in its soundtrack.

Besides The Kingsmen, there were covers by Rockin’ Robin Roberts, The Wailers, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Otis Redding, The Beach Boys, The Sandpipers, Jan & Dean, The Troggs, The Sonics, The Swamp Rats, Mongo Santamaria, Swingin’ Medallions, Julie London, and oh so many more. The song has been recognized by many organizations and publications worldwide for its influence on rock and roll, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone magazine, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The version by The Kingsmen was found not to have obscenity in the lyrics. Basically, no one could determine exactly what words The Kingsmen sang on the record. (However, at 0:54 point, one of them drops the F-word, which can be heard in the background. Some stories say it was the drummer who dropped a stick, while others say it was the singer who came in a bar too early.) The record went to #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B Chart in 1963 and into 1964. It went to #26 in the U.K. They sold more than one million copies and earned and RIAA gold Record. At the time, the members were Lynn Easton, Jack Ely, Mike Mitchell, Bob Nordby, and Don Galllucci. There have been many personnel changes over the years.

Here are the lyrics for your perusal of “Louie, Louie” by The Kingsmen:

Louie Louie, oh no
Sayin’ we gotta go, yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Said Louie Louie, oh baby
Said we gotta go

A fine little girl, she waits for me
Catch a ship across the sea
Sail that ship about, all alone
Never know if I make it home

Louie Louie, oh no no no
Sayin’ we gotta go, oh no
Said Louie Louie, oh baby
Said we gotta go

Three nights and days I sail the sea
Think of girl, all constantly
On that ship I dream she’s there
I smell the rose in her hair

Louie Louie, oh no
Sayin’ we gotta go, yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Said Louie Louie, oh baby
Said we gotta go
Okay, let’s give it to ’em, right now!

See, see Jamaica, the moon above
It won’t be long, me see me love
Take her in my arms again
I’ll tell her I’ll never leave again
Louie Louie, oh no
Sayin’ we gotta go, yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
Said Louie Louie, oh baby
Said we gotta go I said we gotta go now
Let’s take this on outta here
Let’s go!”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Louie, Louie” by The Kingsmen.


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Jane Minogue

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