“Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen

The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie", from 1963's The Kingsmen in Person, took a Richard Berry rhythm and blues number and bashed it into something rawer. Berry wrote and cut it in 1956, building on René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha", and at heart it's a simple tale: a lovesick sailor telling a bartender how badly he wants to get home to his girl.

The Kingsmen turn that into a clanging, lurching party, chords hammered like they're nailing down floorboards and a vocal that sounds hollered across a crowded room. In 1963 their version stirred up controversy over allegedly profane lyrics, and the song itself has gone on to hundreds of cover versions and a reputation as a cornerstone of rock.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.