Richard Berry (born in Extension, Louisiana on 11 April 1935; died 23 Janua… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Berry (born in Extension, Louisiana on 11 April 1935; died 23 January 1997) was an American singer and songwriter, best known as the composer and original performer of the rock standard "Louie Louie" (released in 1957 by Richard Berry & The Pharaohs).
Berry moved with his family to Los Angeles as a baby. He began singing and playing in local doo-wop groups, recording with several of them including The Penguins, The Cadets and The Chimes, before joining The Flairs (who also recorded as The Debonaires and The Flamingoes) in 1953.
The Flairs’ record "She Wants To Rock", on Modern Records, featured Berry’s bass vocals, and was an early production by Leiber and Stoller. When, a few months later, that pair needed a bass voice for their production of The Robins’ "Riot In Cell Block #9" on Spark Records, they recruited Berry to provide the menacing introduction to the song – uncredited, as he was contracted to Modern. Berry’s voice was also used at Modern, again uncredited, as the counterpoint to Etta James on her first record and big hit, "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)", and several of its less successful follow-ups. Berry also recorded with several other groups on the Modern and Flair labels, including The Crowns, and girl group The Dreamers (who later became The Blossoms).
By the end of 1954, he left the Flairs to form his own group, the Pharaohs (see Richard Berry & The Pharaohs), while also continuing to work with other groups as a singer and songwriter. One of these was a Latin and R&B group, Rick Rillera and The Rhythm Rockers. In 1955, Berry was inspired to write a new calypso-style song, "Louie Louie", based on The Rhythm Rockers version of René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha", and also influenced by Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon". Richard Berry & the Pharaohs recorded and released the song on Flip Records in 1957, originally as a B-side. It became a minor regional hit, and, when the group toured the Pacific Northwest, several local R&B bands began to adopt the song and established its popularity. "Louie Louie" finally became a major hit when The Kingsmen's raucous version – with little trace of its calypso-like origins other than in its lyrics - became a national and international hit in 1963. The nearly unintelligible (and innocuous) lyrics were widely misinterpreted as obscene, and the song was banned by radio stations and even investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The song has been recorded over 1,000 times, but, because Berry sold its copyright cheaply in 1959, he received little financial reward for its success for many years.
Berry continued to record in the late 1950s, but with little commercial success, and also continued as a performer. His other songs included "Crazy Lover", recorded on their 1987 debut album by the Rollins Band.
During the 1980s, "Louie Louie" received a number of unprecedented accolades, with hundreds of cover versions being issued on CD compilations and played on radio marathons. In 1986 and again in 1993, Berry finally received substantial financial benefits for writing the song. In February 1996, he performed for the final time, reuniting with The Pharaohs and The Dreamers for a benefit concert in Long Beach. However, his health declined, and he died of heart failure in 1997. He was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
Berry moved with his family to Los Angeles as a baby. He began singing and playing in local doo-wop groups, recording with several of them including The Penguins, The Cadets and The Chimes, before joining The Flairs (who also recorded as The Debonaires and The Flamingoes) in 1953.
The Flairs’ record "She Wants To Rock", on Modern Records, featured Berry’s bass vocals, and was an early production by Leiber and Stoller. When, a few months later, that pair needed a bass voice for their production of The Robins’ "Riot In Cell Block #9" on Spark Records, they recruited Berry to provide the menacing introduction to the song – uncredited, as he was contracted to Modern. Berry’s voice was also used at Modern, again uncredited, as the counterpoint to Etta James on her first record and big hit, "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)", and several of its less successful follow-ups. Berry also recorded with several other groups on the Modern and Flair labels, including The Crowns, and girl group The Dreamers (who later became The Blossoms).
By the end of 1954, he left the Flairs to form his own group, the Pharaohs (see Richard Berry & The Pharaohs), while also continuing to work with other groups as a singer and songwriter. One of these was a Latin and R&B group, Rick Rillera and The Rhythm Rockers. In 1955, Berry was inspired to write a new calypso-style song, "Louie Louie", based on The Rhythm Rockers version of René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha", and also influenced by Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon". Richard Berry & the Pharaohs recorded and released the song on Flip Records in 1957, originally as a B-side. It became a minor regional hit, and, when the group toured the Pacific Northwest, several local R&B bands began to adopt the song and established its popularity. "Louie Louie" finally became a major hit when The Kingsmen's raucous version – with little trace of its calypso-like origins other than in its lyrics - became a national and international hit in 1963. The nearly unintelligible (and innocuous) lyrics were widely misinterpreted as obscene, and the song was banned by radio stations and even investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The song has been recorded over 1,000 times, but, because Berry sold its copyright cheaply in 1959, he received little financial reward for its success for many years.
Berry continued to record in the late 1950s, but with little commercial success, and also continued as a performer. His other songs included "Crazy Lover", recorded on their 1987 debut album by the Rollins Band.
During the 1980s, "Louie Louie" received a number of unprecedented accolades, with hundreds of cover versions being issued on CD compilations and played on radio marathons. In 1986 and again in 1993, Berry finally received substantial financial benefits for writing the song. In February 1996, he performed for the final time, reuniting with The Pharaohs and The Dreamers for a benefit concert in Long Beach. However, his health declined, and he died of heart failure in 1997. He was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
Tell Me You Love Me
Richard Berry Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Tell Me You Love Me' by these artists:
Amerie C'mon, I can feel it now I said, hey, I know…
Amerie - www.music.pbtone.com Tonight you're mine completely You give your love so sweetl…
Anne-Caroline Joy Silly birds hanging in the tree on the backyard I know…
Art Landry & His Orchestra I love how your eyes close whenever you kiss me And…
Bob & Larry You tell me that you love me But you don't even…
Boy Epic Tell me you love me just one time Just give me…
Call it Even Oh no, here we go again Fighting over what I said I'm…
Carol Medina (James Collins/Vincent DeGiorgio/Patti Jannetta/Carol Medina…
Crown Heights Affair Baby I was thinking what did you give me that…
Daniel O’Donnell Kiss me each morning for a million years Hold me each…
Demi Lovato Oh no, here we go again Fighting over what I said I'm…
Demi Lovato(데미 로바토) Oh no, here we go again Fighting over what I said I'm…
Desert Noises Are you worried I'll leave When I close the door Tell me…
E.M.C.K. Tell me you love me Tell me you care Tell me that…
Elio e le Storie Tese Tell me you love me! Tell me you love me!…
Emily Rowed Turn your back and you fall asleep Say nothing to keep…
Forgotten Rebels (Before You Hang Up The Phone) Saw you workin at the…
Frank Zappa Tell me you love me, tell me you love me Like…
Galantis I, I've been up all week Not getting any sleep, trying…
Grace GB Tell me you love me, I will tell you I…
H.B. Barnum I think I want her I think I want her But I've…
Hank Locklin THEY SAY A LOVEBUG WILL GET YOU AT THE AGE OF…
houston & sara mae stovall Like a candle Burning bright Love is glowing in your…
Hyde look in my eyes and tell me you love me…
James Leela I unpacked my chest for you Do everything that you want…
Jr. Johnny I wanna feel this way Longer than time I wanna know your…
Juanita Family and Friends I was built an optimist Way before it got to this And…
Juice WRLD Tell me you love me, tell me everything gon' be…
Justin Timberlake Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey (I'm tired of arguing…
Kayra Tell me you love me Tell me again, again, again Tell me…
Keystone-Trio Aha aha aha Aha Aha Aha What you do and what you don't (aha…
KIDZ BOP Kids I used to believe We were burnin' on the edge of…
KITCHEN - Sufjan Stevens My love, I've lost my faith in everything (in everything) Te…
Lauren Spencer-Smith Tonight you're mine completely You give your love so sweetly…
Leela James I unpacked my chest for you Do everything that you want…
Li Hong 眼睛看我 看看我的眼睛 想问问你 问你一个问题 你你我我 还在演什么戏 戏如人生 还是人生如戏 你爱的人到底是不是我 是…
Lilly Million who ever said that heart never breaks was lying who ever…
Lovato Demi Oh no, here we go again Fighting over what I said I'm…
Mantovani & His Orchestra I love how your eyes close whenever you kiss me And…
Mr. Ice I said วันนี้จะกินไร เธอบอกเลือกเลยตามใจ กินได้หมด ไม่ติด ca…
Mr. SHEEN I had a rough time staring into eyes so devine And…
Nella Cole Can we talk... Can we talk? I know it's been a…
Neon Trees Lost in the dark You were high like a shooting…
Norma Jean & Ray J What if I never said the things that I said? What…
Rikki Hey baby where you from what you doin? I'm all up…
Roy 나 혼자 방 안에 앉아 우리가 함께 했던 나날들을 생각했죠 아무 말 하지…
S.E.X. Slowly Can't see You there Too weak Push back the knife In …
Sayma 발 걸음이 멈추는 그곳에 나를 대려가 줘요 다른 이유 없지만 오늘의 우리가 좋아요 그대 내게…
Sufjan Stevens My love, I've lost my faith in everything (in everything) Te…
The Chris I know I don't see you much Do you know I can…
The Dirty Code Oh no, here we go again Fighting over what I said I′m…
The Four Tops You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance, You didn't even…
The Maytals Tell me, tell me, tell me...what's on your mind? Tell me,…
The Silos TELL ME YOU LOVE ME Copyright 2007 Walter Salas-Humara Pub…
Throttle Galantis I, I've been up all week Not getting any sleep, trying…
Toots & The Maytals Tell me, tell me, tell me...what's on your mind? Tell me,…
Trippie Redd & Juice WRLD Tell me you love me, tell me everything gon' be…
Tru-Notes I think you still love me But do you still like…
U.B.T. Tell me what the fuck you want 'cause it's starting to…
Vina Morales Tell me you love me Show me that you care Hold me…
Years If you should love me Then I cannot be to blame For…
zai.ro Tell me how you feel, I just wanna know I been…
蔡程昱 如果没有遇见你 也许我 才不会想念 为何还留在原地 不愿离去 孤单回忆 越靠近 越逃避 隔最远的距离 我渐渐失去勇气 T…
詩子 Tonight you're mine, completely You give your soul so sweet…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Richard Berry:
At Last At last, my love has come along my lonely days are…
Have Love Will Travel Wow, Have love Whoa baby will travel Uh huh, uh huh, have…
Hey Henry You couldn't dance at all But now you're over ball The way…
Louie Louie Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go Louie, Louie, me gotta…
Louie, Louie Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go Louie, Louie, oh, oh,…
The Wallflower (Hey Baby, What do I have to do,) (To make you…
Visiteur La première fois d'sa vie qu'un homme a le bonheur D'entrer…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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