I'm pretty sure a lot of folks are going to choose the Sonics version of this song just for the sheer ferocity of it.  But as much as I love their version, it's my SECOND favorite after the Kingsmen.  I just think it's unbelievable that such a demented recording (that wasn't intended as such unlike novelty tunes of the era) could make it all the way to number 2 (or 1 according to Cashbox).  Persoanlly I think it's pretty wild for its time (that rock and roll limbo between 1958 and 64).  Anyone want to throw in their two cents and speak up for the Kingsmen as well just to prove me wrong?

Sonic's more fun fore me

Fawk, yeah, the Swamp Rats are not mentioned nearly enough (even Jon Spencer likes 'em)!!

Axel Björnsson said:

swamp rats

Rockin' Rod , I know we're straying from the original point , but "Louie Louie" is hard to fuck up....When I first heard The Kingsmen's version ,in about 1980 , I knew A) It was considered one of the first "Punk" records , and B) It supposedly contained dirty words.

I LIKED it , on first listen (Albeit in a somewhat noisy bar , on the jukebox.) , but , I was'nt quite sure what the fuss was about , back then. Yes , it sounded raunchy , even for the day, and I considered the possibility of a "Fuck" or "Shit " thrown in , here or there , amidst the nearly unintelligible vocals of soon to be ex - Kingsmen Vocalist , Jack Ely. 

I only ever heard Richard Berry's version in passing , in the next 10 years , but , surprisingly , it was MOTORHEAD's version that was the first one where the lyrics , basically the same as Berry's (Though Lemmy changes the West Indian phrasing of "Me see Jamaica..." to "I see Jamaica" , but , big deal.), were perfectly clear , to me ..... Anyway , now 55 Years old , the song is like a Folk song , handed down from one Artist to another , sometimes with very interesting results....A Rock standard of the highest order , also done in a non - Rock context (The Sandpipers , anyone ?). But , it's hard for me to pin down a favorite. I love The Sonics and Swamp Rats' versions for different reasons , one being extremely grungy for it's time , the other , grungier still (And by "Grunge" , you know I don't mean the much - hyped Seattle sound of roughly '88 - '94. We used to call stuff like The Sonics and Link Wray "Grunge Rock" or "Grunge Guitar" before The Sub Pop sound was happening. I was calling my own music "Gutteral Guitar Grunge" back in '86.) , But , there are so many versions , besides the roughly half - dozen (Berry , Kingsmen , Sonics , Wailers , Raiders , and maybe , by now , The Swamp Rats , too.) that are , for obvious reasons , help up as the template.    Roy Loney said that when The Flamin' Groovies were doing "Louie" live in the late 60's , it was almost considered tasteless. Tastes change , but ,a great song is still a great song. I think I've only ever done the song once with The Shitty Beatles about 25 years ago in Dallas , and once or twice , 5  years ago in honor of the song's Fiftieth anniversary. When my friend and I saw The Wailers , they told us that there was a small affair , honoring the anniversay of the song , in Seattle , with The Wailers , Kingsmen , and an appearance by Paul Revere....But , NOT Mark Lindsay (?!!). They said it was a quickly thrown together thing , when it should have been a two day blowout. Oh , well....

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

Well that's a smart and hearty answer and good reasoning behind a Swamp Rats answer than just blurting out "SWAMP RATS" with out regard to the premise(?).  I love their version of "Psycho" but "Louie Louie" kind of left me cold good as it is.

Ryan Hatt said:

I agree with the Swamp Rats voters which, yes Rod, means that technically I vote for The Sonics but let me explain why I think that's not exactly true.  Until late middle school I wasn't allowed to listen to much more than what the "oldies" stations were playing in LA, which means that the Kingsmen version was the first rendition of Louie Louie I ever heard and I always thought it was just ok.  While in college a couple of years back with (forgive me) absolutely no knowledge of The Sonics I picked up one of the Back From The Grave comps and was completely blown away by The Swamp Rats doing their Sonics cover.  We're talking constant repeat, nearly wrecking my car because I was rocking while driving sort of stuff.  I did the research and learned it was their version of The Sonics arrangement so I went to check out The Sonics and was utterly disappointed by just how toned down and "Ed Sullivan" their version felt comparatively.  Sorry.  I think The Sonics have the better arrangement, but, like some of Dylan's work, I don't think they utilized its potential.

Well that's a smart and hearty answer and good reasoning behind a Swamp Rats answer than just blurting out "SWAMP RATS" with out regard to the premise(?).  I love their version of "Psycho" but "Louie Louie" kind of left me cold good as it is.

Ryan Hatt said:

I agree with the Swamp Rats voters which, yes Rod, means that technically I vote for The Sonics but let me explain why I think that's not exactly true.  Until late middle school I wasn't allowed to listen to much more than what the "oldies" stations were playing in LA, which means that the Kingsmen version was the first rendition of Louie Louie I ever heard and I always thought it was just ok.  While in college a couple of years back with (forgive me) absolutely no knowledge of The Sonics I picked up one of the Back From The Grave comps and was completely blown away by The Swamp Rats doing their Sonics cover.  We're talking constant repeat, nearly wrecking my car because I was rocking while driving sort of stuff.  I did the research and learned it was their version of The Sonics arrangement so I went to check out The Sonics and was utterly disappointed by just how toned down and "Ed Sullivan" their version felt comparatively.  Sorry.  I think The Sonics have the better arrangement, but, like some of Dylan's work, I don't think they utilized its potential.

I agree with the Swamp Rats voters which, yes Rod, means that technically I vote for The Sonics but let me explain why I think that's not exactly true.  Until late middle school I wasn't allowed to listen to much more than what the "oldies" stations were playing in LA, which means that the Kingsmen version was the first rendition of Louie Louie I ever heard and I always thought it was just ok.  While in college a couple of years back with (forgive me) absolutely no knowledge of The Sonics I picked up one of the Back From The Grave comps and was completely blown away by The Swamp Rats doing their Sonics cover.  We're talking constant repeat, nearly wrecking my car because I was rocking while driving sort of stuff.  I did the research and learned it was their version of The Sonics arrangement so I went to check out The Sonics and was utterly disappointed by just how toned down and "Ed Sullivan" their version felt comparatively.  Sorry.  I think The Sonics have the better arrangement, but, like some of Dylan's work, I don't think they utilized its potential.

Hey! That's pretty good.

hicksville hogwash said:

Scientific evidence shows The Sonics version removes more earwax but The Kingsmen erodes more floor wax.  

I gotta say Richard Berry's original will make me shed a tear or two.

Scientific evidence shows The Sonics version removes more earwax but The Kingsmen erodes more floor wax.  

I gotta say Richard Berry's original will make me shed a tear or two.

Ok yes when you put everything into it's time frame, for 63 it's way out there! Also the Kingsmen version is thee one which is totally recognisable as theirs, if you know what I mean. In fact "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen was/is the "blue touch paper" that sparked my adolescent imagination. FACT!

If people are going to keep saying Swamp Rats (which is awesome),  my assumption is that you like the Sonics' version more than the Kingsmen since that's what my question was, not what OTHER versions you like besides the two.

Absolutely. And The Cramps' version , based not on The Sonics , but The Swamp Rats.

Gotta say Swamp Rats..Killer!

Just Fuz Trashin Great

yeah, it's kinda funny how Paul Revere and the Raiders got away with so much stuff.  But I think DJs were fading Steppin' Out just as he went into that speil and fading another song in so you never heard it on the radio.  Kids had to buy the single to hear it.  As for the Kingsmen,  everybody was trying so hard to decipher those lyrics (anybody think of actually finding a copy of Richard Berry's record?  When you can make out Berry's vocal, you can actually understand Jack Ely as well when you play them back to back), that they let that expletive between verse 1 and 2 slip by. Ha!

Rockin' Rod , You're right about that , but , so many peoople still think The Kingsmen's version is saturated with four - letter words. Even when I first heard it , I was going "Where are all the dirty words?!".

On a related note , Paul Revere and The Raiders had the outrageous "Crisco" , which did'nt have and did'nt NEED dirty words. George Washington and The Cherry Bombs covered it as "Crisco Party " (The actual chorus) , with giggled , spoken , references to "Get the large economy size...sells for 69 CENTS!" "wHAT'S cRISCO? iT'S THIS STUFF i GOT , VASELINE !" and so on....But , again , PR and Thee R's were there , first , on national radio , making the musical statement : I AIN'T SEEN A WOMAN IN SIXTY - NIIIIINE YEARS , BAYBEH !!!" on "Steppin' Out".

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I've never bothered to listen to the Raiders version with headphones but now I'm gonna have to.  But the Kingsmen's version did indeed have the f word (the drummer yells Fuck! for thinking he messed up during the take) and it's really plain as day once you realize that's what he yells.

I've never bothered to listen to the Raiders version with headphones but now I'm gonna have to.  But the Kingsmen's version did indeed have the f word (the drummer yells Fuck! for thinking he messed up during the take) and it's really plain as day once you realize that's what he yells.

iT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FUCK UP "LOUIE , LOUIE" , BUT , A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE (NO ONE MENTIONED , HERE.).

Of course , The Kingsmen , Wailers , and Sonics rate high with me , but , there's also a matter of The Raiders' version to be taken up....Not only did it introduce "Stomp , Shout , Work it on Out" , but it was the ONLY version at the time to drop an "F" BOMB ( lISTEN TO THE GUITAR SOLO WITH HEADPHONES - "DOES SHE FUCK ? THAT PSYCHS ME UP !!!").

OTHERWISE , i LIKE -UM SWAMP RATS , MOTORHEAD (Amazingly , one of the more intelligible versions !!!) , TRAVIS WAMMACK , SANDPIPERS (I'M KIDDING !!!) , NERVEBREAKERS , STOOGES , SOLO IGGY , FLAMIN' GROOVIES , MC5 , OTIS REDDING , AND , OF COURSE , RICHARD BERRY.

i think i do a pretty kick ass version :)

Agreed! I love their version of the Sonics' "Psycho" from Back from the Grave as well!

Axel Björnsson said:

swamp rats

The Sonics version is unhinged but The Kingsmen version grooves (and still sounds like it's about to go off the rails).

Everything you said about the Kingsmen's version is my sentiments exactly.  I just had the feeling that most everyone here would choose the Sonics just for its sure intensity and buzzsaw sound but it's nice to be proven wrong in this case.  I notice that some people said Swamp Rats as their favorite but that wasn't the question.  Anyway, as the guys from Delta also proved, the Kingsmen version is funner to get drunk to (although it WAS off by a year and a half).  Speaking of being off by a year, I also thought for a long time that the Richard Berry recording was 1956.

Dammit said:

     I'm with you on this one, Rod...(Love The Sonics, btw - i even met you finally (in person) at the Sonics' Olympia New Years Eve Show)...As Mole noted, the chords for the Sonics version are different. They're virtually different songs; Kingsmen version has the E minor chord, whereas the Sonics version is all majors -- Meaner, yes! The word "Menacing" comes to mind...Another great blueprint for Punk Rock, brought up by the mighty Sonics. (The Swamp Rats heard this (and Psycho) and fuzzed it up bigtime!). Speaking of 'blue prints" The Fabulous Wailers MUST be mentioned here. Because they were the first ones to do it with this wild/Northwest/balls out/ rhythm/style/arrangement as what the Kingsmen did a year or two later. LOVE the Wailers and their version was innovative, but The Kingsmen took what they did and SMASHED it out of the park.

     As great as all these versions are, there's just something magical about the Kingsmen version. The gaffs/mistakes, the sound quality (!) Great (((live))) room sound...The epitome of "Garage" sound...(even if it wasn't literally in a garage). First & foremost, Jack Ely's lackadaisical vocal is just so great. His delivery, the phrasing is top rate....Add to that a fantasticly succinct guitar solo (super well crafted & executed; pity/laconic in the best sense), wicked electric piano intro & all throughout (Don Gallucci, later of Don & The Goodtimes fame, & Stooges - Funhouse production), and Lynn Easton's lively drumming. It's relaxed/loose and intense all at the same time....like the best R&B ever made (usually black musicians). White kids usually sound nervous and hyper and that sound is great too, but they usually can't get the "relaxed/intensity" thing...I'm all for spazzy white punk rock, but The Kingsmen nailed this one with relaxed/intensity...Finally, i gotta bring it back full circle to Richard Berry, the creator/writer & original performer of the song, Louie Louie. His original 1956 recording of Louie Louie is thee KIng Shit! and is only equalled by The Kingsmen, in my opinion. Yes, rating songs in-order is stoopid anyway, but those are my two top faves that I always go back to (for Louie Louie) -- Richard Berry ('56) & The Kingsmen ('63)...(and the sonics!) heh heh... O_0

** What I meant was: "1957" for Richard Berry & The Pharaohs original (a B-side on Flip!!)

     I'm with you on this one, Rod...(Love The Sonics, btw - i even met you finally (in person) at the Sonics' Olympia New Years Eve Show)...As Mole noted, the chords for the Sonics version are different. They're virtually different songs; Kingsmen version has the E minor chord, whereas the Sonics version is all majors -- Meaner, yes! The word "Menacing" comes to mind...Another great blueprint for Punk Rock, brought up by the mighty Sonics. (The Swamp Rats heard this (and Psycho) and fuzzed it up bigtime!). Speaking of 'blue prints" The Fabulous Wailers MUST be mentioned here. Because they were the first ones to do it with this wild/Northwest/balls out/ rhythm/style/arrangement as what the Kingsmen did a year or two later. LOVE the Wailers and their version was innovative, but The Kingsmen took what they did and SMASHED it out of the park.

     As great as all these versions are, there's just something magical about the Kingsmen version. The gaffs/mistakes, the sound quality (!) Great (((live))) room sound...The epitome of "Garage" sound...(even if it wasn't literally in a garage). First & foremost, Jack Ely's lackadaisical vocal is just so great. His delivery, the phrasing is top rate....Add to that a fantasticly succinct guitar solo (super well crafted & executed; pity/laconic in the best sense), wicked electric piano intro & all throughout (Don Gallucci, later of Don & The Goodtimes fame, & Stooges - Funhouse production), and Lynn Easton's lively drumming. It's relaxed/loose and intense all at the same time....like the best R&B ever made (usually black musicians). White kids usually sound nervous and hyper and that sound is great too, but they usually can't get the "relaxed/intensity" thing...I'm all for spazzy white punk rock, but The Kingsmen nailed this one with relaxed/intensity...Finally, i gotta bring it back full circle to Richard Berry, the creator/writer & original performer of the song, Louie Louie. His original 1956 recording of Louie Louie is thee KIng Shit! and is only equalled by The Kingsmen, in my opinion. Yes, rating songs in-order is stoopid anyway, but those are my two top faves that I always go back to (for Louie Louie) -- Richard Berry ('56) & The Kingsmen ('63)...(and the sonics!) heh heh... O_0

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.  When I first heard the Sonics' version, I thought, "How menacing, they sound like they really mean business!"

Mole said:

I dig the Kingsmen version, wonderfully raw and crude. Great recorded sound, pretty gutsy on the low end for white boys in '63! Sonics cut is cool too though, especially the way they change the chords and make it kinda meaner, know what I mean?

I dig the Kingsmen version, wonderfully raw and crude. Great recorded sound, pretty gutsy on the low end for white boys in '63! Sonics cut is cool too though, especially the way they change the chords and make it kinda meaner, know what I mean?

Totally!!! THat is a BITCHIN' version!!! Truly punk rock!!

Axel Björnsson said:

swamp rats