International Louie Louie Day 2023 (US): Date, History, Facts

Annually, International Louie Louie Day is observed on April 11. This day commemorates the recording of one of the most recorded songs in rock and roll history, “Louie Louie.” The 11th of April was chosen because Richard Berry, the composer of “Louie Louie,” shares the same birthday. The song has been covered by a number of musicians and has garnered numerous awards. “Rolling Stone” magazine included “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in its selection of the ‘500 Greatest Songs of All Time’ following its performance at Seattle Mariners games.

The history of International Louis Armstrong Day

Richard Berry penned ‘Louie Louie’ in 1955. In 1957, The Pharaohs recorded and released the tune. It was broadcast in San Francisco and became popular in the Pacific Northwest. Other garage bands covered it, and it became a Western party favourite. In Berry’s rendition, a sailor travels three days to Jamaica to see his girlfriend. Louie, a barman, is told the tale.

The Kingsmen recorded their famous rendition in Portland, Oregon on April 6, 1963. The recording session for The Kingsmen cost $50 and consisted of only one attempt. According to legend, they believed it to be a demo recording or a rehearsal. Paul Revere and the Raiders each recorded their own version of “Louie Louie” in the same studio and during the same week. Musically, the Raiders’ rendition is favoured, but the Kingsmen’s version ultimately prevailed. This would become the most enduring rendition of the song. Jack Ely’s words were difficult to comprehend because the microphone was placed so high above him. Because it was recorded in a single take, the errors were not edited out. Specifically, at 1:57, after the guitar solo, Ely begins to sing but pauses abruptly, realising he entered too soon. Lynn Easton attempts to conceal the mistake with a percussion fill.

It was first published by Jerden in May 1963, before being acquired by Wand Records in October. In December of that year, it reached number two on the Billboard charts and spent 16 weeks in the top 100. However, the composition generated controversy. Numerous radio stations banned it due to the filthy lyrics, which were sometimes ambiguous. The FBI even spent thirty months investigating its lyrics. Due to the incomprehensibility of Ely’s lyrics, they were deemed not profane. Easton utters an expletive at 0:54 after losing his drumsticks. The band disbanded shortly after recording the single, and they were not compensated until the late 1990s. It was the sole recording Ely made with the Kingsmen. Shortly thereafter, he left the ensemble, possibly to return to school or because of a vocal conflict. The explanations vary. The refusal of his return occurred after the song went viral. They won a court case on April 10, 1998, allowing them to receive $200,000 in royalties and reclaim all rights to their Wand compositions.

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5 DETAILS ABOUT THE MOVIE “LOUIE LOUIE”

Countless files

Almost 1,500 documented recordings of ‘Louie Louie’ exist, and more are published each year.

The FBI’s case folders

The dossier on the song comprises a total of 250 pages of information compiled by the F.B.I.

Highly regarded tune

On VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Songs of All Time, the song ranked eleventh.

It ranked second on the billboard.

In January 1964, the greatest position that the Kingsmen’s rendition of ‘Louie Louie’ reached on the Billboard chart was number two.

The composition is among the most popular.

In 2003, “Mojo” magazine compiled a list of the 100 most significant singles of all time and ranked it first.

INTERNATIONAL LOUIE LOUIE DAY DATES