If the Kingsmen never had another recording, they would always have “Louie, Louie” – the classic party song with the barely audible lyrics that could be mondegreened into other meanings.
You know “Louie, Louie.” Of course you do.
Now the original “Louie, Louie” was recorded by Richard Berry, and the lyrics are pretty clear. Here’s the original.
I should also note that the Kingsmen’s “Louie, Louie” was not the only performance of this classic song. At the same time, another rock band covered this vintage track. A group called Paul Revere and the Raiders. Ever hear of them?
Okay. You get the idea.
Now let’s talk about the Kingsmen’s OTHER hit. Yes, they had more than one.
And it also borrowed heavily from a vintage doo wop track.
Let me play the doo wop track first. This is by the Los Angeles doo wop group, The Olympics. You might know The Olympics from their hit “Western Movies,” but I think this song, “Big Boy Pete,” was the superior track.
Yeah, definitely a track that will make you do the Hully Gully.
Now take this track about Big Boy Pete, replace the main character with a popular advertising mascot, and suggest that the mascot is … well … a bit horny. No, seriously. This is a song about how the gigantic vegetable mascot, the Jolly Green Giant, likes to get it on.
And this track borrows so much from the Olympics’ “Big Boy Pete” that the original writers later sued and received credit and compensation for the Kingsmen’s track.
So I’m trying to figure out … who’s getting frisky with the Jolly Green Giant? Is it the Land O’ Lakes native girl? Is it Mrs. Butterworth, the syrup sweetie? Possibly that freak Betty Crocker? Ah, the possibilities.
But I’ll leave that for all you fans of K-Chuck Radio to decipher today.
Chuck The Writer 