Let’s remember when “Louie Louie” was first heard in the Northwest, on this day in 1957 (September 21)
“Louie Louie” is one of the signature songs of the Pacific Northwest, so much so that there was an actual campaign in the 1980’s to have it named the official state song of Washington state. It was even investigated by the FBI, for some stupid reason. Lots of rock bands in the area recorded a version of it, starting with the Wailers in 1960.
But it didn’t debut in the Northwest. This was news to me. Peter Blecha of HistoryLink says:
On Saturday, September 21, 1957, a rhythm & blues revue that was touring its way up the West Coast made a Seattle stop at the Eagles Auditorium (7th Avenue and Union Street). Headlining the event that night — which was promoted as a “Battle of the Blues” — were a couple of famous hit-makers: Little Junior Parker and Bobby “Blue” Bland.
Both singers had worked the Pacific Northwest before — performing on a circuit that included Olympia’s fabled Evergreen Ballroom (9121 Pacific Avenue SE) and various National Guard armories across the state. But that 1957 dance featured an obscure opening act — Richard Berry (1935–1997) — who stepped onto the old stage and unleashed a rendition of his latest single, “Louie Louie.”
This supremely simple song — a cha-cha-beat driven three-chord ditty with lyrics about a lonely sailor confiding in his bartender, Louie — made an indelible impression on area music fans and musicians alike. Initially released by Flip Records in April 1957, “Louie Louie” had shown just enough commercial promise to win Berry his slot on that tour, but it struggled to become a genuine hit. It did, however, find enough favor via jukebox play in the taverns surrounding Tacoma’s military bases (which catered to an African American clientele) — that the tune built up a sizable fan-base.
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