October 1963: 'Louie Louie'

The Kingsmen's version of the 1957 song is released on Wand Records (having already been released in April on the smaller Jerden Records). It enters the Billboard Hot 100 charts in November, peaking at No. 2 in December 1963/January 1964.

In February 1964, amid reports that the governor of Indiana had suggested the song not be played on radio stations in the state because of what sounded like obscene words, the FBI investigated. The bureau found no evidence of obscenities in the muddled lyrics.

* Listen to song: @
* "The 'Louie Louie' lyrics" (from louielouieweb.tripod.com): @
* Summary from HistoryLink.org: @

* The Louie Report ("The blog for all things 'Louie Louie' "): @

* " 'Louie Louie' through the ages" (Peter C. Blecha, 2007): @
* "The Kingsmen's infamously innocent 'Louie Louie' back in front of the feds at downtown Federal Building" (The Oregonian, 2013): @
* Billboard chart history (from www.song-database.com): @

* List of cover versions (from andymartello.com): @

* "Was 'Louie Louie' Banned in Indiana? " (from Purdue University): @

* "Indiana Gov. Puts Down 'Pornographic' Wand Tune" (Billboard, February 1, 1964): @
* " 'Louie' Publishers Say Tune Not Dirty At All" (Billboard, February 8): @
* "The FBI Investigated the Song 'Louie Louie' for Two Years" (from Smithsonian.com): @

* FBI files: @

* "Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World's Most Famous Rock 'n' Roll Song" (Dave Marsh, 1993): @; author's website: @

* Entry from "The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made" (Marsh, 1989): @

* "Louie Louie: Me Gotta Go Now" (Dick Peterson, 2006): @ 
* 2011 radio interview with original lead singer Jack Ely ("The Allan Handelman Show"): @

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