Louie Louie
Louie Louie – Pye International UK 1963 USA – Jerden
The Kingsmen made their name with Louie Louie – the original was by Richard Berry and The Pharaohs in 1956 but few remember them. It was the sound The Kinks were after in the early days and they even released their own version.
From Portland in Oregon The Kingsmen set the style for imitators everywhere to include this in their repertoire. A firm favourite track at the original Twisted Wheel, Manchester and a Mod anthem. It just keep marching on. The last time we heard it live was in Disneyworld, Florida where a marching band paraded up and down playing a very fast version.
In the UK TV commercial for Lucozade, “Louie Louie” rang out: the hero Jimmy is late, he emerges in his Italian tight fitting shinny mohair suit and his mother wants to give him his sandwiches, his friends on Scooters call for him, ‘come on Jimmy’. Jimmy and his friends are going to Brighton, to bash the motorcycle Rockers.
He drinks Lucozade but we don’t see him use it to swallow down his amphetamines, and that’s why he won’t be needing the sandwiches, as the drugs suppress the appetite and in the advert Jimmy clearly knows this! His scooter mates smile ‘Ave you got yer sandwiches?’ I wonder if the Lucozade (Beechams) company knew (1998) that the advertising executive responsible for the film knew. Was he called Jimmy?, who knows. however I bet he was a Mod in the 60’s.
The Kingsmen – Wikipedia