"Louie Louie"... my have times changed/

[74-911]

Recently read where Mike Mitchell (last founding member of "Kingsman" still with the band) died.

Recap of the times: Song was banned in Indiana and investigated by the FBI for supposed obscene lyrics (which resulted in it becoming a major hit). FBI said it was "unintelligible at any speed". Probably covered by more bands than about any song ever recorded (Beach Boy to Beatles and everyone in between). I have a cassette tape (yes, I'm that old) of 12 different bands cover of "Louie Louie"... including the Rice Owls Marching Band (known as the MOB) .

and compared to the lyrics of today's "music?" How times have changed.

[dad911]

Lenny Bruce, charged repeatedly for profanity, including using the word "schmuck" in california.

Charged and found guilty in NY.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, it is almost quaint to thing that a song can be banned for lyrics like that.

One of the local FM stations used to play "album sides" in the evening. Mostly I think the DJ was too lazy to have to do much, just pup on the album and forget it for a while. He was fired when he played one side of Goat's Head Soup by the stones. The side with the song Star Star on it. I was listening that night and honestly shocked to hear those lyrics over the air. The station almost lost their FCC license. It was a career ending move for one DJ.

I have that album, and it is on my thumb drive of music played at random in both of my cars. Every so often I get to sing along in my car to Star Star.

[Nostril Cheese]

Iggy Pop's live versions are most certainly obscene.

[ramonesfreak]

in many ways we have come along way

but could a new successful band get away with lyrics like the stone - when the whip comes down ? not without being canceled i would guess.

[Seahawk]

I had to look them up!





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!

[Zeke]

This was covered just 2 weeks ago on 4/19 if you want to do a search. Page 56 on the Ultimate Fairy Death thread.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I had to look them up!




!

man, white boys simply cannot dance.

[Rapewta]

That one line in the lyrics "I smell the rose in her hair" was misinterpreted as
"I felt my comb in her hair." Only the word comb was was another that rhymed with comb.

A great cover of the song is by Stanley Clark of the 70's and 80's Jazz-Rock Fusion
era.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I had to look them up!

Wait...you didn't hear this song 1000 times as a kid on the radio? I sure did. I also remember the whole obscene lyrics kerfuffle...never did figure out what the obscene part was(?) Maybe, "I fked her yeah," or something of the kind? Complete mystery to this day.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by speeder

Wait...you didn't hear this song 1000 times as a kid on the radio? I sure did. I also remember the whole obscene lyrics kerfuffle...never did figure out what the obscene part was(?) Maybe, "I fked her yeah," or something of the kind? Complete mystery to this day.

No question. I just never knew wtf they were saying.

Jamaica?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Rapewta

That one line in the lyrics "I smell the rose in her hair" was misinterpreted as
"I felt my comb in her hair." Only the word comb was was another that rhymed with comb.

A great cover of the song is by Stanley Clark of the 70's and 80's Jazz-Rock Fusion
era.

That's a bit of a stretch. A more plausible story that can be found is that on the original studio recording released for sale, the drummer dropped his stick at 0:55 and said, "Fcuk." I don't think had a singing part so no mic. But it could have been picked up on the singer's mic and with extreme forensics, singled out.

Was all of this worth a piss in the snow? Not at all unless you consider the J. Edgar Hoover period of the FBI of which he was the director until his death in 1972. The record came out in '63 and a complaint was filed by a disgruntled parent with Robert F. Kennedy in '64 resulting in a 31 month investigation by the FBI. They concluded there was no profanity even though they couldn't figure out what exactly was sung at many points in the song.

31 fooking months for a song? Censorship was out of control back then.

One member of the Kingsmen has said there was one word in the song which jibes with the drummer story. The original author of the song said it was covered and sung exactly how he wrote it (no profanity).

[dad911]

We had alternate lyrics for many songs back then. Like Money Money (“HEY SAY WHAT… GET L*** GET F*****!!!” )

And there was Peter Frampton's voice box in "Do You Feel Like We Do".... was it "Thank You" or "FU" ?

[varmint]

Originally Posted by 74-911

Recently read where Mike Mitchell (last founding member of "Kingsman" still with the band) died.

Recap of the times: Song was banned in Indiana and investigated by the FBI for supposed obscene lyrics (which resulted in it becoming a major hit). FBI said it was "unintelligible at any speed". Probably covered by more bands than about any song ever recorded (Beach Boy to Beatles and everyone in between). I have a cassette tape (yes, I'm that old) of 12 different bands cover of "Louie Louie"... including the Rice Owls Marching Band (known as the MOB) .

and compared to the lyrics of today's "music?" How times have changed.

WAP, song of the year.

[LWJ]

I have a large Sunn amp in my basement. Founded by the bass player. Name is something like Norm Sundland.

And, my college fraternity was the setting or the Kingsmen video of Louie Louie. Including our house dog, Baron.

[tabs]

Those were the days when America was king of the hill.

[sugarwood]

"Old stuff remains the best. It is the best because it is old. Never mind that I criticized the same stuff when it was new. All new stuff is ****. All new cars have been **** since the Model-T"
-Every Old Guy

[Heel n Toe]

I have the LP (yes, I'm that old)

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

man, white boys simply cannot dance.

Hey now, I resemble that remark.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by tabs

Those were the days when America was king of the hill.

Those were the dark days when suck music from one hit scrotes could chart and ride a wave on the AM radio. Must have been 6 months before the Beatles arrived or something.

Those guys were truly without gift.