Louie Louie

[DaveH]

An entertaining article about the history of the song

Louie Louie

 

[alantig]

 

[Hbom]

Looking at some of the songs you hear now, it's hard to believe that Louie Louie was the dirty, banned from many radio stations, song that it was.

But it was/is a great song to dance to.

[django49]

If you grew up around the Portland area in the early 60s, this was unavoidable. As luck would have it, my father was the banker for Lynn Eastman, who took over as leader and singer from the original vocalist. Interesting story, at least to me, follows......

https://www.louielouie.net/blog/?p=11519&cpage=1

It was mandatory for any local band to play "Louie Louie" and "Gloria" at any performance. The dancers always stopped to listen just in case they snuck in some nasty lyrics. Which sometimes happened. By the time the craze ended, audience members would frequently taunt/insult whatever band was playing by asking them to play "Louie Louie". Sorta the "Play Free Bird!" of its day.

I did meet Eastman once at a record store appearance....Reminded him he had promised Dad a copy of their record. "Oh yeah!" It never DID arrive.

I did end up playing their album for Dad. Cannot say he was impressed......More of a Theresa Brewer fan. 😏

[alantig]

4 hours ago, Hbom said:

Looking at some of the songs you hear now, it's hard to believe that Louie Louie was the dirty, banned from many radio stations, song that it was.

But it was/is a great song to dance to.

Well, it wasn't that long after the McCarthy hearings, we were in the midst of the Red scare, and rock and roll was still considered a subversive art form.  Much like metal during the Satanic Panic of the 80s, which helped lead to the PMRC, and eventually an instrumental Zappa album getting an explicit lyrics label in at least one chain.  The indecipherable lyrics were merely fuel on the fire.