The five best covers of ‘Louie, Louie’
Over 2000 covers, an FBI investigation, and an unparalleled legacy within the world of rock and roll: ‘Louie, Louie’ is among the most important and iconic rock songs of all time. Originally penned in 1955 by R&B legend Richard Berry, the song became much more well-known in 1963 when re-recorded by the groundbreaking garage rock band The Kingsmen. Arriving at the perfect time in music history, The Kingsmen’s version of the song took root in popular culture, infecting countless future artists with its distinctive rhythm and unintelligible lyrics.
Although the 1963 version of the song is, by definition, a cover version of Berry’s original, The Kingsmen set the standard for ‘Louie, Louie’. Reportedly, the group first arrived at the iconic sound of the track when combining Berry’s track with the sounds of René Touzet’s ‘El Loco Cha Cha’, as well as ‘Havana Moon’ by Chuck Berry. Whichever way you look at it, therefore, the construction of the song was certainly a collaborative effort. Perhaps that is why such a wide range of artists have recorded their own versions of ‘Louie, Louie’ over the years.
Everybody from the soul icon Otis Redding to post-punk heroes Joy Division has found an appreciation for the song over the years, with the latter often closing their shows with the song despite never recording a version of it. The universal appeal of ‘Louie, Louie’ seems to defy any genre conventions and time periods, having been adapted to the styles of reggae, ska, heavy metal, soul, punk, and even jazz. With over 2000 versions of the song, it seems as though the song’s impact has never really gone away.
With so many versions out there, it can be difficult to tell which is the true, definitive version of ‘Louie, Louie’, particularly because every recording offers an entirely different layer to the pop standard. So, we have collated five of the all-time greatest versions of the timeless classic for your listening pleasure. It is also worth noting that, for our list, we are not classing The Kingsmen version as a cover song, given that the vast majority of ‘Louie, Louie’ recordings use that version as their foundation.
The five best covers of ‘Louie, Louie’:
5. Ike & Tina Turner (1968)
It is difficult to imagine one song in which the powerful, distinctive vocals of Tina Turner could not improve. Although this version of ‘Louie, Louie’ never appeared on a studio album by the pair, it was a regular feature of their live performances and later formed the opening track of the compilation album Greatest Hits Volume Two in 1989 – though it is thought to have been first recorded two decades prior.
Keeping the original energy and spirit of the original, the focal point of this version is, obviously, the soulful vocals of Tina Turner, who adds an infectious new layer to the previously nonsensical lyrics. Aside from the vocal track, the backing is not all that notable, almost sounding like a karaoke backing track to the original version. Still, Turner’s voice is enough to carry this version into our list and then some.
4. The Stooges (1972)
Given that the garage rock mastery of ‘Louie, Louie’ was pivotal in the development of punk rock, it only seems fitting to put a spotlight on one of the most adrenaline-fueled versions of the song, recorded by proto-punk heroes The Stooges. Included on the Heavy Liquid album, compiled of outtakes from their 1972 sessions for Raw Power, The Stooges stay fairly faithful to The Kingsmen’s version, with the added bonus of Iggy Pop’s usual intoxicated swagger and plenty of guitar distortion.
Iggy Pop later recorded his own version of ‘Louie, Louie’, in a post-Stooges landscape, but the spontaneity and rough-around-the-edges approach taken by the proto-punk outfit complimented the original version of the song perfectly. Arguably, this version also set the standard for many future punk reimaginings of the track by the likes of Joan Jett, The Clash, and Black Flag.
3. Otis Redding (1964)
Reducing the rock and roll distortion but increasing the cool of ‘Louie, Louie’ all the same, soul master Otis Redding recorded a version of the song for his 1964 album Pain In My Heart. Swapping the garage rock guitar riff for blaring horns and a gentle rhythm, Redding’s version feels like a complete overhaul of the Kingsmen’s version, as opposed to an unimaginative recreation. Then again, what more would you expect from an artist as diverse and groundbreaking as Redding?
Redding’s version, perhaps more so than the other versions listed here, demonstrates the adaptability of Berry’s original song to a variety of different styles and genres. While usually rendered as a rock song, Redding’s rich soul take on it is just as captivating, if not more so. Of course, this was not the only song Redding covered over the course of his discography, but it is an indisputable highlight nonetheless.
2. Motörhead (1978)
From one end of the musical spectrum to the other, pioneering heavy metal and hard rock outfit Motörhead recorded a rip-roaring version of the song as a single in 1978, later included on reissues of their sophomore record Overkill. Sonically, this version falls more in line with The Stooges’ take on the track than others, awash with guitar distortion, Lemmy Kilmister’s distinctly weather vocals, and even a cowbell here and there.
Although known for their speed-induced, fast-paced metal songs, Lemmy and Motörhead were, at heart, rock and roll obsessives, so it makes sense that the band might want to record a version of The Kingsmen’s classic offering. Within the rest of the band’s discography, this track seems relatively subdued and calm, but that did not stop it from becoming an early hit for the group.
1. Toots and the Maytals (1972)
There is no getting away from it: music just sounds better with the influence of ska and rocksteady thrown into the mix. In 1972, trailblazing ska group The Maytals chose to record a laid-back version of ‘Louie, Louie’ as a single, later included on their 1973 album Funky Kingston. This version reflected the sun-soaked streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Although this version slows down the garage rock classic somewhat, the vocal performance of Toots Hibbert means that it does not lose any of its urgency or raw appeal.
Part of the appeal of The Kingsmen version was the fact that the lyrics were barely legible, meaning that the song largely transcended language. Toots Hibbert manages to recreate this feeling on The Maytals’ recording, making it even more difficult to pick out the words. Nevertheless, this infectiously danceable rocksteady rendering of the garage rock classic should go down as one of its greatest reimaginings.
