Richard Berry & The Pharaohs was a short-lived American band led by Richard… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Berry & The Pharaohs was a short-lived American band led by Richard Berry (1935-1997) that Berry formed at the end of 1954 after he left the Flairs to form his own group. In 1955, Berry was inspired to write a new calypso-style song, "Louie Louie". He took inspiration from a version of René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha" that Berry heard being played by a local Californian band called Ricky Rillera and the Rhythm Rockers, and he was 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 in the US, and, when the group toured the US 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 US national, and then 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. While the title of the song is often rendered with a comma ("Louie, Louie"), in 1988 Berry told Esquire magazine that the correct title of the song was "Louie Louie", with no comma. The song has been ranked as the second most-recorded song of all time, and was ranked at #55 on Rolling Stone magazine's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

Berry continued to record in the late 1950s, but with little commercial success, and also continued as a performer. 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 his bands, The Pharaohs, and The Dreamers, for a benefit concert in Long Beach, CA.

Somewhere There's A Rainbow
Richard Berry & The Pharaohs Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Richard Berry & The Pharaohs:

Do I Do I Do I They don't understand like I do I keep to myself this…
Have Love Will Travel If you need lovin', oh baby I travel. I travel from…
Louie Louie Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go Louie, Louie, me gotta…
Louie Louie Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go Louie, Louie, me gotta…

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…

We have lyrics for these tracks by The Pharaohs:

Closer I wish I was closer to my friends The only time…
Crazy Crazy Happenings I love all crazy colors when we fight I love…
Don You don't know what love is 'Til you've learned the meaning…
I Don't Want You Masterful lyrics crafted from a metal object U.A.P. phenomen…
I Dont Want You Masterful lyrics crafted from a metal object U.A.P. phenomen…
Little Red Riding Hood *howl* What's that I see walkin' in these woods? Why, it's L…
People Make the World Go 'Round People... (′Round And 'Round And Around...) People Make The …
Ring Dang Doo Well, you can have your gold and your diamonds too All…
The Pharaohs Love Y'all Pharaoh pharaoh your foolishness Forces me to sing i shall h…
Tracks Of My Tears People say I'm the life of the party Because I tell…
Vincent A Go Go Too young to go steady, too young I hear him (her)…
Wild Thing Wild thing, you make my heart sing You make everything groov…

Wooly Bully Uno dos, one two tres quatro Ay, wooly bully Watch it now,…

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