"Louie Louie" - your favorite version?

"Louie Louie". What a song! So full of life! Yeah, it's simple and dumb as hell, but extremely rock 'n' roll.

There are a lot of versions of this one out there. Written and recorded by Richard Berry and The Pharaohs in 1957, it's probably the most covered rock tune ever. The most famous version was recorded by The Kingsmen in 1963, but several other acts has done this their own as well.

I love the original, I love The Kingsmen version, but the one I enjoy the most is The Sonics reckless take on it. That one is smoking!



Which is your favorite version?

(On a side note, one should mention Frank Zappas obsession with this song. "Plastic People" in particular is based on "Louie Louie" (both musically and lyrically), but other songs in his oeuvre quotes it as well. Love 'em all!)

 

The original !

 

Aside from the original? Gotta go with Black Flag, which is almost a different song but what the heck.

 

Wow , that Sonics version rocks !

 

The Kinks because it was the first time I had heard it.

 

Will some screwball vote for The Stooges version? Undoubtedly.

 

I wonder if one would be the most popular person at the party starting a Spotify playlist only containing covers of "Louie Louie"?

 

Sonics' version is the first one that comes to mind.

 

Paul Revere and the Raiders

 

I remember my daughter coming home from church camp singing this to the tune of "Louie Louie."
"Pharaoh,Pharaoh, Oh, baby, let my people go." I like that version.
I also like the mellow versions by the Sandpipers and Julie London.

 

The Sonics

 

Kingsmen. Just outstanding aesthetics all around. Recorded with one mic (!), mumbled lyrics that people suspected of all manner of perversion, the singer re-entering too early after the solo and the drummer playing over the mistake - and that ridiculous party groove vibe!

Everyone can rock and here's the evidence. Get the spirit and let it rip!

In case anyone needs a reminder:

 

The original

 

Jon The Postman

 

The Kingsmen, because their released version has the f-word in it.

 

Richard Berry's original for me.

 

Actually Richard Berry's original is closer to Julie London's version than to the Kingsmen. What I found interesting on the Berry faux calypso original was how clipped the beat was. Almost all the covers are looser in feel than Berry's.

 

Wilbert Harrison .

 

The original
Motorhead
The Stooges, from Metallic KO

 

I'm afraid I have to vote for the first version I heard - might not be the best by any stretch, but it is my favourite:



Ha! blackdograilroad mentioned it while I was figuring out how to embed the clip.

 

In this order.....
Kingsmen
Sonics
Paul Revere And The Raiders

 

This is the first time I've heard this version...and man, does it sound weak in comparison. The basic elements are indeed there, but the sound is thin and it sounds like they're afraid to play too loud or raucously in case one of the neighbours complains again.

 

Not my favorite necessarily, but I sure do like the Angels' parody-ish version … "Hey! UNH!!" They even do the early entrance on the last verse.

Warning - the sound quality on this YouTube video is horrid.