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