Posted on 04/28/2015 7:05:04 PM PDT by BunnySlippers
Kingsmen lead singer Jack Ely, famous for the single Louie Louie has died age 71 Jack Ely, the singer known for Louie Louie, the low-budget recording that became one the most famous songs of the 20th century, died at his home in Redmond, Oregon, after a long battle with an illness. He was 71.
His son, Sean Ely, confirmed the death Tuesday.
'Because of his religious beliefs, we're not even sure what (the illness) was,' he said.
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In addition to the song's fame, Ely's incoherent singing also made it one of the most misunderstood. The FBI was so mystified by the hard-to-understand lyrics that it conducted an investigation into whether the song was obscene. They found it to be 'unintelligible at any speed.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Oh, boy — the real lyrics to L/L discussion thread.
Man, we all get old!
I remember the local radio station read the entire song, word for word for concerned parents. There was nothing remotely obscene in it.
Kids thinking there was probably made it more popular. The lyrics were not much harder to understand than most other rock and roll songs. They just didn’t make any sense, none at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V1p1dM3snQ
thanks for the fun times, Jack.
catch you on the flip side!
I saw them live in 64 right after they had the run to the top of the charts.
Terrific!
When I was in high school!
Does anyone remember a popular song of the same era which only had one word?
In fact, they performed at my high school as they were on a concert road trip.
Tequila!
My BF had Jerry Lee Lewis perform at his school out of the back of a truck.
He said, after the last song, JLL, kicked the piano off the back of the truck!
Oh, there were two then. I was thinking of “Wipeout”.
Here is the original version as well: Richard Berry - Louie Louie (1957)
Also of interest is this song, which may have inspired Richard Berry: Havana Moon - Chuck Berry 1956
I almost feel old.. Almost.. Dang. RIP
I’m not surprised. A garbled drinking song with highly suggestive yet innocent lyrics.
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