The F.B.I. Investigates "Louie Louie"

In perhaps the most hilarious and ludicrous use of taxpayer money ever, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made it’s official determination on the supposed “dirty” lyrics of the song “Louie Louie” on this date in 1965.

Their findings?

The FBI Laboratory declared the lyrics to be: “officially unintelligible”.

Now, that’s damn funny!

Prompted by an outcry from parents across the country who felt the lyrics were obscene, the FBI was called in to use their sophisticated audio technology to completely dissect the Kingsmen’s hit song. Like a typical government agency, this “investigation” took TWO YEARS to complete! The FBI gathered as many versions of the song as possible. They interviewed Richard Berry, the man who wrote the song in 1955. They played each version of the record at 33rpm, 45rpm and even 78rpm to see if at each speed, somehow the filthy lyrics would make themselves known. “Unintelligible at any speed” was the official conclusion, as an anxious world breathed a sigh of relief!

Starting as a rumor, the momentum picked up as letters were being received by the U.S. Department of Justice. One letter, addressed to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy stated, “Who do you turn to when your teenage daughter buys and brings home pornographic or obscene materials being sold in every city, village and record shop in this nation?” The letter went on to say, “the lyrics are so filthy, that I cannot enclose them in this letter”. Perhaps because this parent didn’t even know what they were RUMORED to be!

Here is a video of the Kingsmen performing their hit song “Louie Louie” on the popular TV show, “Shindig!”. See if you can pick up an obscenity:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cec1JInytH0&feature=related

How’d ya do?

The song was written about a Jamaican sailor who returns to port to see his lady love. Beyond that, who knows? By the way, although many versions are listed as “Louie, Louie”, songwriter Berry says there is no “comma” in his composition.

It was banned on many radio stations after complaints poured in to station management, including Indiana, where the Governor officially prohibited stations from airing it. Another version of the song was released by Paul Revere & The Raiders—recorded in the same studio as the Kingsmen—and it was originally the bigger hit. That is, until Boston DJ Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsberg featured the Kingsmen’s version as his “Worst Record Of The Week”. Despite this designation, the response to its airing was huge—and the song took off regionally—and then nationally. The tune has been covered hundreds of times, most notably by the Beach Boys and The Who.

Rolling Stone magazine listed Louie Louie as #55 on their list of the “500 Greatest Songs Of All Time”!

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