We all knew what the words REALLY were, but here's what's been published:
Louie, Louie
"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!"
When 19-year-old Jack Ely stepped into a Portland, Oregon, studio in 1963 to sing vocals on a low-budget cover of a little-known garage-rock song, he had no idea he was making music history.
But that raucous version of "Louie Louie," recorded by Ely and his Kingsmen bandmates for $36, became an enduring party anthem, a staple of frat-house movies like "Animal House" and one of the most influential songs in rock 'n' roll.
Ely died Monday night at his Redmond, Oregon, home after an unknown illness, his son Sean Ely told KOIN-TV, a CNN affiliate. He was 71.
The Kingsmen had a few lesser hits, including "Money (That's What I Want)," but it was their cover of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie" that made them famous.
Despite its raw mix and garbled words -- it was recorded in one take -- the song reached No. 2 on the pop charts. Its incoherent lyrics also prompted speculation that the song, about a sailor returning home to see his girlfriend, contained dirty words. Many radio stations banned it, and the FBI conducted an investigation that famously concluded the song was "unintelligible at any speed."
"Louie Louie" has since been covered by everyone from the Beach Boys to the Grateful Dead to R.E.M. In 2013 Rolling Stone ranked it 54th on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
Since Jack only lived about 30 miles north of me the local newspaper had an extensive article about his life.
He stated that the words on the recording were garbled due to his trying to stretch up towards the only microphone, which was hanging from the ceiling.
