About Those Banned “Louie Louie” Lyrics

A look at the difference betwen Richard Berry’s original recoring from 1956 with that of the “banned” record by the Kingsmen from 1963

The Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” originally appeared on Jerden Records, which specialized in artists from the Pacific Northwest. The record was successful in the Oregon-to-BC area but Jerden lacked the clout to make the record a nationwide hit. (Image: personal collection)

“A FINE LITTLE GIRL, SHE WAITS FOR ME” is the first line of the first verse of one of the most famous records of the past hundred years. But the record doesn’t open with the verse, it opens with the chorus: “Louie Louie, me gotta go.” The rest is part of rock & roll history.

The song’s title, “Louie Louie,” is without a comma. This could mean that the person being addressed by the singer is named Louie Louie. If you assume that Louie Louie is his mate onboard the ship of the singer, you’d be incorrect as the line “I sail the ship all alone” makes it clear the singer has no mates.

Some sources claim that the singer is addressing a bartender on whatever island he finds himself on. We do know the singer wants to get home from the Caribbean Sea and tell his girl “I’ll never leave again.”

Released in 1957 as the flip-side to “You Are My Sunshine,” it failed to make any national pop or R&B chart. It nonetheless became a favorite with youthful bands, especially those in the Pacific Northwest.