Ongoing History Daily: It’s international Louie Louie Day!

April 11, 2024 Alan Cross 0 Comments 0 min read

One of the greatest songs in the history of rock is the 1963 version of “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen. Recorded with one mic in one take for $50, it is THE best example of sloppy, good-time garage rock. It has also gone down in history as the most investigated song of all time.

In 1964, two teenagers from Frankfort, Indiana, wrote to the governor saying that the lyrics were obscene. Governor Matthew Welsh somehow agreed, alerting the FCC, FBI, and the US Postal Service about his findings. The song ended up being banned on many radio stations. The FBI spent 18 months trying to deconstruct what was being sung before declaring the song “unintelligible at any speed.”

There are now more than 1600 covers of the song. And today—April 11—is official International Louie Louie Day.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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