The Gurus - Louie Louie (Richard Berry Cover)

From ’’ The Gurus Are Hear! ’’ Label: Sundazed Music – SC 11130 Format: CD, Album, Mono Country: US Released: 2003 Tracklist 01. Come Girl 02. It Just Won’t Be That Way 03. Contact 04. Breakaway 05. Cry, Cry 06. Roads To Nowhere 07. Blue Snow Night 08. Louie Louie 09. Everybody’s Got To Be Alone Sometime 10. Rainy Day In London 11. Mystic 12. Shaker Life Bonus Tracks 13. They All Got Carried Away 14. Blue Snow Night (Alternate Version) 15. Cry, Cry (Alternate Inst. Version) 16. Mystic (Alternate Version) 17. Contact (Alternate Version) Vocals – John Lieto Notes Issued in a standard jewel case with an 8-page booklet. Features the entire unissued 1967 Gurus album in its original intended running order, plus bonus tracks. 1, 7. Recorded: June 1966. United Artists 45 - UA 50089. 2, 9. Recorded: February 1967. United Artists 45 - UA 50140. 3, 13. Recorded: January 1966. Previously unissued. 4. Recorded: June 1966. Previously unissued. 5, 6, 8. Recorded: December 1966. Previously unissued. 10, 11, 12, 14. Recorded: August 1966. Previously unissued. The Gurus Are Hear! was actually advertised in Billboard and Cashbox in 1967, but the album was canceled only a few weeks before its projected release. More than 35 years later, it finally emerged as this Sundazed CD, augmented naturally by five bonus cuts. So is it just as mysterious and exotic as psychedelic collectors suspected? Not exactly, but it’s a pretty interesting if slightly contrived and kitschy hybrid of psychedelic rock and Middle Eastern music. As it turns out, the best of their demented anguished-psychedelia-in-a-falafel-restaurant-bellydancing-room had already been issued on their two singles (both sides of which are included on the album). From those 45s, “Come Girl,“ “Blue Snow Night,“ and “Everybody’s Got to Be Alone Sometime“ are genuinely fine and rather ahead-of-their-time songs. Singer John Lieto howls like a pained cantor while the band plays psychedelia fit for a harem, with oud trills, raga-rock electric guitar, bent notes, and tortured minor keys aplenty, though not bereft of some garage rock energy and hooks. ------------------------ “Louie Louie“ is an American rock ’n’ roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. A recording by The Kingsmen in 1963 is the best-known version. Richard Berry released his version in April 1957 (Flip Records 321), originally as a B-side, with his backing band the Pharaohs. Cover versions The Kingsmen Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders 1960s Otis Redding for his 1964 debut album Pain in My Heart The Beach Boys Ray Davies The Kinks The Who Pete Townshend The Sandpipers Els Corbs The Troggs Friar Tuck Frank Zappa The Sonics The Swamp Rats 1970s Motörhead Flamin’ Groovies Led Zeppelin Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids Toots & the Maytals Hot Chocolate The Clash 1980s Black Flag 39 Clocks Pinker Tone University of Southern California Marching Band - naked gun Grateful Dead Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Ross Shafer Craig Cole The Fat Boys Rhino Records - The Best of Louie Louie Rice University Marching Owl Band Ultramagnetic MC’s 1990s Steve Plunkett (Autograph) The Simpsons Homer Goes to College Iggy Pop Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story Jim Jarmusch Coffee and Cigarettes Young MC Coupe de Ville Dave (1993) Kevin Kline’s Dave Kovacs Robert Plant Wayne’s World 2 Mr. Holland’s Opus Chevy Chase film Man of the House Down Periscope Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Band Candy The Three Amigos 2000s Stolen Kisses of Dawson’s Creek 24 Hour Party People - John the Postman Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story The Smashing Pumpkins Legacy It is unknown exactly how many versions of “Louie Louie“ have been recorded, but it is believed to be over 1,500 (according to .), surpassing “Yesterday“ by The Beatles as most recorded rock song ever. The Kingsmen version has remained the most popular version of the song, retaining its association with wild partying. It enjoyed a comeback in 1978-79 and was associated with college fraternity parties when it was sung, complete with the supposedly obscene lyrics, by Bluto (John Belushi) and his fellow Delta House brothers in the movie National Lampoon’s Animal House despite the anachronism of the film taking place in 1962, a year before the Kingsmen recording. Some bands have taken liberties with the lyrics, including attempts to record the supposed “obscene lyrics“. It is believed the first artists to do so were The Stooges, whose version can be heard on their live album Metallic K.O. Iggy Pop later recorded a more civilized cover version of the song, with new lyrics composed by Pop, for his 1993 album American Caesar. He continues to play it live at shows.