Louie Louie Day: History | Lyrics | Movies | Marching Band |

When I learned that April 11 is International Louie Louie Day my mind immediately flashed to the movie ‘Animal House” and I saw the Delta brothers mumbling their way through the song while being dowsed by beer. After doing a bit of research I learned that the Kingsmen’s version of Louie Louie, while the most widely known, is just one of over over 1,600 covers of the original 1955 song. Louie Louie has been covered by artists in every genre from punk to jazz, hard rock to reggae, and hip hop to (gasp) easy listening elevator music.

HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL LOUIE LOUIE DAY

Richard Berry wrote ‘Louie Louie’ in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. His lyrics are a first-person perspective, influenced by “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)“, which is sung from the perspective of a customer talking to a bartender (“Louie” was the name of Berry’s bartender).

The Kingsmen recorded their famous rendition on April 6, 1963, in Portland, Oregon. Paul Revere and the Raiders recorded their version of ‘Louie Louie’ the same week, in the same studio. ‘The Raiders’ version is preferred musically, but the Kingsmen’s version is the one that resonated with fans.

However, the popular song sparked debate over some of its unintelligible lyrics. Several radio stations banned it assuming the song included “filthy” words. The F.B.I. even spent 30 months trying to decipher the lyrics, only to decide since they couldn’t be understood, they couldn’t be obscene.

In 1985 the state of Washington declared April 12 to be Louie Louie Day. In 2003 a group of fans pick April 11 as the designated International Louie Louie Day.

Exploring the Lyrics

Below is the Bloom County cartoon from 1988 where I saw the lyrics for the first time.

Despite its widespread popularity, the lyrics of “Louie Louie” have remained a subject of fascination and speculation. The song’s simple yet cryptic verses, delivered in a garbled manner, have led to countless interpretations and controversies. While some claim the lyrics contain hidden messages or obscenities, others argue they are merely nonsensical gibberish. Regardless of how the song is interpreted by listeners, “Louie Louie” continues to captivate listeners with its enigmatic charm.

Featured in Film

While Animal House (1978) surely has the most memorable scene using “Louie Louie” there are several movies that have featured the iconic tune as well.

Starring comedy legend John Belushi, National Lampoon’s Animal House is the ultimate college movie filled with food fights, fraternities and toga parties! Follow the uproarious escapades of the Delta House fraternity as they take on Dean Wormer (John Vernon), the sanctimonious Omegas, and the entire female student body. Directed by John Landis (The Blues Brothers), the most popular college comedy of all-time also stars Tim Matheson, Donald Sutherland, Karen Allen, Kevin Bacon, Tom Hulce and Stephen Furst. Along with the memorable rendition of Louie Louie, Otis Day and the Knights performed their show-stopping rendition of ‘Shout.’

Some other movies that include ‘Louie Louie’ in memorable scenes were;

• “American Graffiti” (1973) Directed by George Lucas and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat. “American Graffiti” is a coming-of-age film set in the early 1960s. The song “Louie Louie” is heard playing on the car radio during various scenes throughout the film.
• “Blood Simple“ (1984) directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen and starring Frances McDormand and John Getz. The film follows a tangled web of deceit and murder orchestrated by a jealous husband who hires a private investigator to kill his unfaithful wife and her lover. Amidst the escalating tension, Ray (Getz) plays ‘Louie Louie’ on the jukebox while at the bar with Abby (McDormand), attempting to lighten the mood and alleviate the growing unease.
• “Wild Things” (1998), directed by John McNaughton and starring Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Denise Richards, and Kevin Bacon, is a neo-noir crime thriller centered around a scandalous murder investigation in a Florida town. A version of ‘Louie Louie’ by Iggy Pop is featured in the film.
• “Old School” (2003), directed by Todd Phillips and starring Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell. The film follows three friends who decide to relive their college days by starting a fraternity near their alma mater. Amidst the chaos of their antics, of course “Louie Louie” is played during a party scene.

Marching Bands and Louie Louie

I’m guessing at some point in every marching bands history, they’ve played ‘Louie Louie’ at a football game or in a parade. I know I did my part on the glockenspiel back in the day. Some memorable movie moments that had marching bands playing ‘Louie Louie’ include:

• “Mr. Holland’s Opus” (1995), directed by Stephen Herek and starring Richard Dreyfuss, the film tells the story of a dedicated music teacher, Glenn Holland, who spends decades shaping the lives of his students while pursuing his own dreams of composing a great symphony. Mr. Holland uses “Louie Louie” to teach Lou Russ, a student who is struggling to find his rhythm in the school band, how to find the beat.
• “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” (1988), directed by David Zucker and starring Leslie Nielsen, the film is a comedic parody of police procedurals. The song “Louie Louie” is played by a marching band on a baseball field during a scene where Detective Frank Drebin (Nielsen) is undercover at a game.
• “Friday Night Lights” (2004), directed by Peter Berg and starring Billy Bob Thornton, the film is a sports drama based on the book by H.G. Bissinger. “Louie Louie” is played by the marching band during a Permian Panthers football game.
• “The Way Back” (2020), directed by Gavin O’Connor and starring Ben Affleck, the film follows a former high school basketball phenom who struggles with alcoholism and attempts to redeem himself by coaching a struggling basketball team. The song “Louie Louie” is played by a pep band.

Source for historical information: Marsh, Dave (1993). Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World’s Most Famous Rock ‘n’ Roll Song.