Gibberish at Any Speed!

A Louie Like No Other Louie!

An entire book devoted to the tale of “Louie, Louie”? Yes – a entire book given to us by music critic Dave Marsh! This book more than thoroughly explores the journey of the song, its origins, its birth as a 1960’s garage anthem and, of course, its so-called ‘dirty’ lyrics.

The song came from the pen of Richard Berry, a singer/songwriter who attended Jefferson High School in Los Angeles, the same school that Jessie Belvin attended just ahead of Berry.

Richard Berr

Berry worked his way through many L.A. area groups either joining them outright or singing with them on recording sessions. The list includes the Chimes, the Cadets, the Penguins, the Dreamers, the Robins and the Flairs.

When Berry got around to composing “Louie, Louie” in 1955, he looked to three tunes for his inspiration: “El Loco Cha Cha” (René Touzet), “Havana Moon” (Chuck Berry) and “One for My Baby” (Frank Sinatra).

A Young Dave Marsh

Berry and the Pharaohs released the recording as a “B” side on Flip Records in 1957. Although it sold well around Los Angeles, if failed to dent the national charts, pop or R&B.

Marsh spins his way through his tale, working his way up into the great Northwest, where the song would become a staple for all garage bands including the Wailers, the Sonics and the transplanted Paul Revere and the Raiders.

The Kingsmen

Then, there was the Kingsmen, a band of limited ability and a not-so-stable lineup. The members of the Kingsmen when they entered the recording studio were Jack Ely (vocalist), Lynn Easton (drums), Don Gullicci (keyboards), Mike Mitchell (guitar) and Bob Norby (bass).

From this point on it is best to get ahold of a copy of the Marsh book. Based on rumor and innuendo, a slurred vocal by Ely, and a rabid demand by boomers everywhere, “Louie, Louie” soared into mythical status.

July 19th, 1967

A mis-hearing of the beat sequence by Ely when he first heard it on a jukebox, the FCC, a warrant for the master tape at Wand Records, Edgar J. Hoover, bans on airplay, angry parent letters to radio stations, whistle-blowing college students sending copies of illicit lyrics to authorities, concerned congressmen, a two-year-plus, FBI investigation, interviews with band members by law enforcement, an Ely/Easton split, a new lineup of Kingsmen – and on and on it goes.

May 17th, 1965 – FBI Report on Louie Louie

Over the course of the band’s life, there were about two dozen Kingsmen. Jack Ely died in 2015 and Lynn Easton passed away in 2020. Mike Mitchell died in 2021. A one-time, short-time member was Turley Richards (1967) who had three minor hits in the early 1970s.

Turley Richards (Lost his eyesight at age 28)

Kingsmen Louie, Louie Recognition

Among the honors tht the Kingsmen received on the strength of their misunderstood tune:

• 1992 – The Wire “The 100 Most Importang Songs Every Made”
• 1995 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame “Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”
• 1999 – Grammy Hall of Fame
• 1999 – National Public Radio “The 300 Most Important American Records of the 20th Century”
• 1999 – NEA & RIAA “Songs of the Century”
• 2003 – Mojo Ultimate Jukebox “The 100 Singles You Must Own”
• 2005 – WCBS-FM “The 1001 Songs of the Century
• 2007 – Rolling Stone “40 Songs That Changd the World”
• 2010 – Rolling Stone “The 500 Greatest of All Times”
• 2014 – Paste “The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time”
• 2018 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame “Hall of Fame Singles”

Farwell Louie

What I know for sure is that in every single 3.2 bar with a garage band that I attended back in the mid 1960’s in Colorado, that the performing band absolutely had to play “Louie, Louie” at least once, and preferably three or four times. An when the first three beats came exploding out of the guitar/keyboard, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, hit the dance floor, not only to gyrate and writhe, but to SCREAM out those supposed ‘dirty’ (very dirty) lyrics that belonged to us and only us….

January 26th, 1964 – The News and Observer

January 26th, 1964 – The Indianapolis Star

Louie, Louie – Billboard – February 1st, 1964

Louie, Louie – Billboard – February 9th, 1964

February 12th, 1964 – Fort Worth Star

July 31st, 1967 – Detroit Free Press

December 13th, 1965 – The Daily Press

Louie, Louie Discography

Richard Berry & the Pharaohs – March 1957

Little Bill with the Adventurers and Shalimars – 1960

Paul Revere & the Raiders – May 1963

The Kingsmen – June 1963

Paul Revere & the Raiders – #103 Bubbling Under – June 1963

The Kingsmen – #2 Pop – #1 R&B – #26 UK – October 1963

Chan-Dells – 1963

Joske Harry’s Met Het Orkest the King Creoles – 1963

From Belgium

Paul Revere & the Raiders -#118 Bubbling Under – May 1964

Ron Barrett & the Buckskins – 1964

H.B. and the Checkmates – 1964

This is a bit weird but is definitely the “Louie Louie” tune

Les Players – 1964

From France

The Sonics – November 1965

I Trappers – 1965

Italian Group

Seeburg Spotlite Band – 1965

Kopi Katz – 1965

1965 – Pedrito Ramirez Con Los Yogis

Robin and the Batmen – January 1966

Travis Wammack – #128 Bubbling Under – April 1966

Jack Ely and the Courtmen – April 1966

The Kingsmen – #97 – May 1966

The Falcons – May 1966

This is a group from the Netherlands

The Sandpipers – #30 – October 1966

Jack Ely and the Courtmen – October 1966

Swamp Rats – 1966

Morticians – 1966

The Dimensions – 1966

The Notations – 1966

Maddalena – 1967

From Italy

XL-5 Minus 1 – 1967

The Aliens – 1967

Central Park Zoo – 1967

Honey Ltd. – August 1968

The Robbs – November 1968

Julie London – December 1968

The Feelies – 1968

Nat and John – 1968

Sounds Orchestral – June 1970

Our Brother’s Keeper – 1972

Line Renaud – 1973

Crescent Street Stompers – 1975

John Belushi – #89 – September 1978

Motorhead – 1978

From the UK

Pink Chunk – 1978

The Psychotic Petunias – 1979

Cats Under the Stars – 1982

David Surkamp – 1985

From the UK

Rockin Robin with the Fabulous Wailers – 1985

George Barner & the Original Trendsetters – 1985

Black Flag – 1987

The Fat Boys – #89 – October 1988

The Sonics – 1999

Rockin Robin with the Fabulous Wailers – 1999

The Kingsmen Discography Post Louie

After “Louie, Louie”, the Kingsmen’s recording days were numbered. With original “Louie, Louie” vocalist long gone, taking the reigns up front was left to Jack Ely, and it was a whole new ballgame!

LP – “The Kingsmen in Person Featuring Louie, Louie” – #20 – December 1963

LP – “The Kingsmen Volume II” – #15 – October 1964

“Money” #6 R&B – #16 Pop b/w “Bent Scepter – March 1964

“Little Latin Lupe Lu” – #46 Pop b/w “David’s Mood” – July 1964

Penned by Bill Medley (name in error on label)

“Death of An Angel” – #26 R&B – #42 Pop – September 1964

Don and the Goodtimes – “Turn On” b/w “Make It” (Kingsmen Don Galluchi) – October 1964

“The Jolly Green Giant” #4 Pop – #25 R&B b/w “Long Green” – December 1964

LP – “The Kingsmen Volume 3” – January 1965

“The Climb” #65 Pop b/w “The Waiting” – April 1965

Don and the Goodtimes – “There’s Something on Your Mind” b/w “Straight Scepter” – May 1965

Don and the Goodtimes – “Little Sally Tease” b/w “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – June 1965

“Annie Fanny” #47 Pop b/w “Give Her Lovin'” – July 1965

“Louie, Louie” (see above) b/w “Little Green Thing” – August 1965

Don and the Goodtimes – “Little Sally Tease” b/w “Little Green Thing” – August 1965

LP – “The Kingsmen on Campus” – #68 – October 1965

Don and the Goodtimes – “Big Big Knight (On a Big White Horse)” b/w “I’ll Be Down Forever” – October 1965

“(You Got) The Gamma Goochee – #122 Bubbling Under b/w “It’s Only the Dog” – December 1965

Don and the Goodtimes – “Sweets for My Sweet” b/w “Hey There, Mary Mae” – January 1966

“Killer Joe” #77 Pop b/w “Little Green Thing” – March 1966

“The Krunch” b/w “The Climb” – May 1966

Don & the Goodtimes – “Blue Turns to Grey” b/w “I’m Real” – May 1966

“My Wife Can’t Cook” b/w “Little Sally Tease” – June 1966

Don and the Goodtimes – “You Were a Child” b/w “I Hate to Hate You” – July 1966

LP – “The Kingsmen 15 Great Hits” – #87 – August 1966

“If I Need Someone” b/w “Grass us Green” – October 1966

LP – December 1966 – “Up and Away” – December 1966

“Trouble” b/w “Daytime Shadows” – January 1967

Don and the Goodtimes – “I Could Be So Good to You” – #56 Pop – March 1967

“Children’s Caretaker” b/w “The Wolf of Manhattan” – April 1967

“Don’t Say No” b/w “(I Have Found) Another Girl” – May 1967

Don and the Goodtmes – LP – “Where the Action Is” – May 1967

Don and the Goodtimes – “Happy and Me” – #98 b/w I You Love Her, Cherish Her and Such” – June 1967

Don & the Goodtimes – LP – “So Good” – July 1967

“Bo Diddley Bach” #128 Bubbling Under b/w “Just Before the Break of Day” – October 1967

Don and the Gooditimes – “Bambi” b/w Sally!! (Studio A at 6 O’Clock in the Morning)” – October 1967

LP – “The Kingsmen’s Greatest Hits” – 1967

Don & the Goodtimes – “May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone” b/w “Ball of Fire” – January 1968

“Get Out of My Life” b/w “Since You Been Gone” – March 1968

Don and the Goodtimes – “You Did it Before” b/w “Colors of Life” – March 1968

“On Love” b/w “I Guess I Was Dreamin'” – May 1968

Don and the Goodtimes – LP – “Don & the Goodtimes Greatest Hits” – 1968

The Fireballs – “Long Green” – #73 Pop – February 1969

“You Better Do Right” – 1973

Touch – with Don Gallucci – LP “Touch” – 1969

Don & the Goodtimes – LP – “Good Time Rock and Roll” – 1980

LP – “The Best of the Kingsmen” – 1985