The Kings Men, formed in 1954 while they were still students at Englewood H… Read Full Bio ↴The Kings Men, formed in 1954 while they were still students at Englewood High, joined Club 51 in 1956. The original members were Johnson Williams, Eugene Smith, Walter Broad, Ron Henderson, and Billy Hebert, but by the time the group recorded the group had lost Hebert and Henderson to the draft, to be replaced by Herman Nolan and Mickey Green.

Club 51, which existed from 1955 to 1957, was one of the myriad mom and pop labels that briefly made their appearance in Chicago during in the post-World War II efflorescence of independent label recording activity. The label grew out of the various enthusiasms of local entrepreneur Jimmie Davis and his wife Lillian.

Billboard reviewed the Kings Men disc in the April 20 issue. The reviewer was most impressed by the "Kicking with My Stallion" side, giving it a 68 rating, and saying, "Interesting story told here about a horseback ride with a chick. Material has a new slant and the group gives it a good ride. Plenty is happening here and the side is worth a look from jocks." "Don't Say You're Sorry" got a 60 rating. The reviewer panned it as follows, "Okay r&b ballad gets a big sound from the group. There's little, however, to make it memorable in a world of many new releases. Rough sledding ahead."

According to Robert Ferlingere there are "repro" versions of this 45 on red and black vinyl.

In March 1957, the Kings Men appeared at the Grand Ballroom on a Herb Kent-sponsored show that included the Spaniels, Dream Kings, bluesman J.B. Lenoir, and the Willie Dixon Orchestra. The concert was a great way to kick off their recording career. In April, the group appeared at Herb Kent's spectacular concert at Hyde Park High and shared the stage with the Danderliers, Moroccos, Debonairs, Debs, Dells, Magnificents, and Dee Clark, among others. Presumably it was downhill for the group after that.

Source: http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/club51.html

Louie Louie
Kings Men Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Louie Louie, oh no, you take me where ya gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, take me where ya gotta go

A fine little girl, she waits for me
Me catch the ship across the sea
Me sailed the ship all alone
Me never think I'll make it home

Louie Louie, oh no no no, me gotta go, oh no
Louie Louie, oh baby, me gotta go

Three nights and days I sailed the sea
Me think of girl constantly
On the ship, I dream she there
I smell the rose in her hair

Louie Louie, oh no, me gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, me gotta go
Okay, let's give it to 'em right now

Me see

Me see Jamaica, the moon above
It won't be long me see me love
Me take her in my arms and then
I tell her I'll never leave again

Louie Louie, oh no, me gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie Louie, oh baby, me gotta go
I said me gotta go now

Let's hustle on out of here
Let's go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Louie Louie" by Kings Men is a story of a sailor who is longing for his girl while he is away at sea. The song is written in the first person perspective of the sailor who expresses his desire to reunite with his girl, whom he describes as a "fine little girl." He reminisces about catching the ship across the sea and sailing alone. He also mentions that he thought about his girl constantly while on the ship and would dream of her being there. In his dreams, he could even smell her hair.

The chorus of the song, "Louie Louie, oh no, you take me where ya gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby. Louie Louie, oh baby, take me where ya gotta go," indicates that the sailor is willing to go anywhere to be with his girl. He is longing to be with her so much that he is ready to go to any lengths to make it happen.

The final verse of the song holds the promise of a reunion between the sailor and his girl. He mentions that he can see Jamaica and the moon above and that he won't be away from his girl for long. He expresses his desire to hold her in his arms and promises never to leave again.

Overall, "Louie Louie" is a love song that portrays the depth of love and longing that a sailor feels for his girl while at sea.

Line by Line Meaning

Louie Louie, oh no, you take me where ya gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie, oh no, you're in charge of where we're headed and I'm completely at your mercy, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, honey

Louie Louie, oh baby, take me where ya gotta go
Louie, my baby, please take me wherever you want to go

A fine little girl, she waits for me
There's a beautiful girl waiting for me

Me catch the ship across the sea
I caught a ship that traveled across the sea

Me sailed the ship all alone
I was all by myself on the ship

Me never think I'll make it home
I never thought I'd make it back home

Louie Louie, oh no no no, me gotta go, oh no
Louie, oh no no no, I have to leave, oh no

Three nights and days I sailed the sea
I spent three days and nights sailing on the sea

Me think of girl constantly
I thought of that girl constantly

On the ship, I dream she there
I dreamt she was with me on the ship

I smell the rose in her hair
I remember the fragrance of the rose in her hair

Louie Louie, oh no, me gotta go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, baby
Louie, I have to leave, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, honey

Louie Louie, oh baby, me gotta go
Louie, my baby, I have to go