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.
You Know It
Richard Berry Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'You Know It' by these artists:
A$AP Rocky & French Montana Skrrr montana Rock Yeah, feel like a movie, feel like a movi…
AGRUME Yeah you know How to turn your room Into a dance floor Yeah…
Alainite Yeah you know it, and I know you barely even…
Alan Stivell Te 'c'hellfe Lezel 'El-se ar vuhez N'eo ket nemet un hunvre …
Bee Gees I would die for you. I have cried for you ,believe…
C. Jean I can't lose with the stuff I use (Don't you just…
Cher So now you're back So you've had your fun And now you're…
Choclock feat. Ellegas Don't treat me like I don't mind nothing to you I…
Click-Clack I look good I look good and you know it…
Corky Corcoran and His Orchestra Do you know what is means to miss New Orleans I…
D-Aye Is it possible to die of heartbreak? Yes, it's possible to…
Derek Minor Who you know shining in these streets like a light…
Di Santos Hey girl you know what I'm about to say He's not…
FELLA How did I know that the warmth of the glow…
Goldie Goldie Eldee e e e e 4 3 2 1 I see you…
Goldie Harvey Goldie Eldee e e e e 4 3 2 1 I see…
Goldie [feat. Eldee] Goldie Eldee e e e e 4 3 2 1 I see you…
James Brown I found someone to love me I found someone to love…
K Suave Ring around the rosy Pocket full of posies Ashes, ashes We a…
Karina Grace Open windows and pedals of roses on sheets yea laying there,…
Kirsty MacColl I want to shake up this world And not to feel…
KJ‐52 What if what if what if what if what if…
Krom Hey Girl, you know it 마음대로 가 뭘 더 해…
M.T.A Do you know where you're going to Do you like the…
Magical Thinker & Stephen Wrabel You know the right words, they're all in your head So…
Mr. Endo G My nigga what you know about it I ain't never…
nord & dahl (You are driving me mad, cause you´re unpredictabily sad, Y…
OmoAkin Omo Akin noni uhn Ty noni uhn Omo she too fine and…
Re-Acksheen Are you up there Are you up where the view turns…
Rob Milton That old wind that's whipping out there It's whistlin' your…
Roy Eldridge I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
S.O. Excuse me, girl I know it's a bit embarrassing But I just…
S.O. feat. E Tizz Ur beautiful brown eyes 吸い込まれるような瞳 Uh-firstime Clubで 瞳が合った瞬間…
Sosamann feat. Money Man (Damn, Quad, this shit bang) Yo, Quad, this shit do bang…
strawberry@fm104.ie Just tell me what you waiting for Just tell me what…
Tadpole You know it, You know it And you like it that…
Television Skies I could see in how you looked at her And the…
Various Artists Oh, no, no, no, no, no When you feel it in…
Wrath and Grace Open windows and pedals of roses on sheets yea laying there,…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Richard Berry:
A Love People making lists, buying special gifts Taking time to be …
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…
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