School board bans band from performing 'Louie Louie'

AP ^ | 5-5-05 | The Associated Press

[Dan from Michigan]

School board bans band from performing 'Louie Louie'
5/5/2005, 7:20 a.m. ET
The Associated Press

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A pop culture controversy that has simmered for decades came to a head when a middle school marching band was told not to perform "Louie Louie."

Benton Harbor Superintendent Paula Dawning cited the song's allegedly raunchy lyrics in ordering the McCord Middle School band not to perform it in Saturday's Grand Floral Parade, held as part of the Blossomtime Festival.

In a letter sent home with McCord students, Dawning said "Louie Louie" was not appropriate for Benton Harbor students to play while representing the district — even though the marching band wasn't going to sing it.

Band members and parents complained to the Board of Education at its Tuesday meeting that it was too late to learn another song, The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph reported.

"It's very stressful for us to try to come up with new songs for the band," eighth-grader Laurice Martin told the board. "We're trying to learn the songs from last year, but some of us weren't in the band last year."

Dawning said that if a majority of parents supports their children playing the song, she will reconsider her decision.

"It was not that I knew at the beginning and said nothing," Dawning said. "I normally count on the staff to make reliable decisions. I found out because a parent called, concerned about the song being played."

"Louie Louie," written by Richard Berry in 1956, is one of the most recorded songs in history. The best-known, most notorious version was a hit in 1963 for the Kingsmen; the FBI spent two years investigating the lyrics before declaring they not only were not obscene but also were "unintelligible at any speed."

[Dan from Michigan]

I think Benton Harbor has more important things to worry about than Louie, Louie - like the fact that it's a hellhole.

[Semper Paratus]

I bet Brittany Spears "Hit me baby one more time" would be OK.

[mlc9852]

This is so funny. If anyone has ever read the lyrics, which those involved with this decision apparently haven't done, I don't see what would be raunchy about it. That was an urban legend way back when because you couldn't actually understand the lyrics.

[zook]

The words to Louie Louie are easily found and are not racy in any way. It's amazing to me that any adult is still falling for this old myth.

[Misty Memory]

There are words to "Louie, Louie"??

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I thought it was Wooly Bully that had the F word.

[LIConFem]

What's so "raunchy" about the lyrics to Louie Louie?

[HairOfTheDog]

Does anyone even ~know~ the lyrics to Louie Louie? Beyond "Louie Louie, oh oh, we gotta go"....

I know someone will probably look them up, but that's not really the point. The song is excellent high school marching band fare.

[Old Grumpy]

I remember the Louie, Louie brouhaha back in the 60s (yes, I'm OLD) and I never could understand what all the commotion was about.

[NotSoFreeStater]

There is a "racy" version that some drunk college kids sing; however, the original is pretty tame - about a boat, I think.

[bannie]

The lyrics aren't even intelligible. No "ho-biotch killin'" in it, anyway.

[pa mom]

From Snopes.com:


Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.
Louie, Louie,
me gotta go.
A fine little girl, she wait for me;
me catch a ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone;
I never think I'll make it home

Three nights and days we sailed the sea;
me think of girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there;
I smell the rose in her hair.

Me see Jamaica moon above;
It won't be long me see me love.
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I never leave again.

[KidGlock]

Louie Louie Lyrics



CHORUS:

Louie Louie, oh no
Me gotta go
Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said
Louie Louie, oh baby
Me gotta go

Fine little girl waits for me
Catch a ship across the sea
Sail that ship about, all alone
Never know if I make it home

CHORUS

Three nights and days I sail the sea
Think of girl, constantly
On that ship, I dream she's there
I smell the rose in her hair.

CHORUS

Okay, let's give it to 'em, right now!

GUITAR SOLO

See Jamaica, the moon above
It won't be long, me see me love
Take her in my arms again
Tell her I'll never leave again

CHORUS

Let's take it on outa here now
Let's go!!

[Always Right]

the FBI spent two years investigating the lyrics before declaring they not only were not obscene but also were "unintelligible at any speed."

Two years???? I could have told you that after 5 minutes of listening to it. What nonsense.

[MineralMan]

Funny. I was the reed player/vocalist in a garage band back in high school in 1963. We got ejected from a high school after-game dance for doing a cover of "Louie Louie." Heck, we didn't even know the words at the time, and faked a lot of it.

But, then again, we got ejected from a lot of things back then. That Rock 'n Roll music...adults didn't think too highly of it, it seemed.

[grania]

The words to Louie Louie are easily found and are not racy in any way. It's amazing to me that any adult is still falling for this old myth.

School administrators are generally not the big-watt light bulbs.

This Louie, Louie thing is hilarious. It was suggestive because back in the bad ol' days we all just decided that it was nasty to irritate our parents.

Maybe we should be giving kids some dancing lessons on proper dance moves at a Toga Party when "Louie, Louie" is played!

sigh......

[blackdog]

Shhesh! WTF? Louie Louie has been a marching band tradition for as long as I can remember. Ban Louie-Louie and school sponsor an encoure performance of the Vagina Monologues......Go figger?

It's not like the band is playing anything from Clarence Carter...............

[CatoRenasci]

Indeed. I had (still have somewhere in the basement) the vinyl lp from '64 or so. My high school band played it at a half-time show (also that notorious druggie song Puff the Magic Dragon), our pep band used it as well. This is like playing Abbey Road backwards to find John is Dead or somesuch.

[Samwise]

This thread seems to be missing something....

All better now. :^)

[sox_the_cat]

FBI spent two years investigating the lyrics before declaring they not only were not obscene but also were "unintelligible at any speed."/p

I think the FBI should have had something better to do than investigate for 2 years. I love the conclusion: "unintelligible at any speed"