Formed in 1978 in London, the original band Hynde, lead and rhythm guitarist James Honeyman-Scott (died 1982), bassist Pete Farndon (died 1983), and drummer Martin Chambers. Save for Hynde, a native of Akron, Ohio, the original band members were all from the U.K. This band was fractured by the drug-related deaths of Honeyman-Scott and Farndon. Since then, numerous subsequent personnel changes have taken place over the years, with Hynde as the sole constant.
With Hynde at the helm, the band experienced a critical resurgence with a trio of albums released between the mid-90s and early 00s that explored a more mature side of the band’s classic sound.
In 2008, the Pretenders' album Break Up the Concrete was released through Shangri-La Music. It was the band's first Top 40 album in the US in 22 years.
In September 2012, as part of the entertainment line-up for the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix, the Pretenders re-grouped with Hynde and Chambers from the original line-up, along with Nick Wilkinson, James Walbourne and Eric Heywood.
Louie Louie
The Pretenders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now louie louie had his day
Nothin' gonna change it now
The rats and snakes will never fade away
Not while I'm alive
Hey! hey! hey! hey!
There come the cossacks
The road spiders
Burnin' trash, flickin' class, all the white trash
Yeah!
Hey! hey! hey! hey!
Now louie louie had his time
Seemed like only yesterday
Sandy and harry got married and moved away
'cause they had nothin' left to say
Yeah!
You with the glasses, I'll see you later
We'll find love I know
Rockin', reelin', double dealin', one more time this time with feelin'
Yeah!
Hey! hey! hey! hey!
Go boys, yeah!
You move so fine
Yeah what a scene I said
Mmm, kinda aquiline
Yeah baby saw through this now
You smell so good
Yeah, and your shirt's always pressed
You'll be the best inside my baby
Yeah, we're all under arrest now!
Louie louie made his mark
On this tender heart of mine
The jamaican moon don't let it get dark
Though we rock out in the night time
Yeah! let's get on outta here now, let's go!
The Pretenders’s song ‘Louie Louie’ is a fast-paced garage rock song that is heavily driven by its rhythm section. In these lyrics, the singer discusses Louie Louie, a character who had his day and made his mark, and how nothing can change that now. He then goes on to describe various other characters and events, including rats and snakes that will never fade away, cossacks, road spiders, and super gliders. The singer seems to be a part of this group of people, as he addresses someone with glasses, tells them he'll see them later, and invites everyone to rock out together. The song also has some sexual undertones, with the singer complimenting someone on their appearance and scent, and declaring that they’re all under arrest now.
The lyrics of ‘Louie Louie’ are somewhat nonsensical, but that's part of its charm. The song is really all about the energy and attitude it conveys. It’s a song about rebelling and having fun, whether that’s through rocking out, dancing, or being a part of a tight-knit group of people who are living life on their own terms. Even though the lyrics are somewhat disjointed, they manage to convey a strong sense of community and belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
Shh...here they come
Be quiet, someone is approaching
Now louie louie had his day
Louie Louie was once popular and influential
Nothin' gonna change it now
Louie Louie's legacy is set in stone
The rats and snakes will never fade away
Undesirable people or things will always exist
Not while I'm alive
I will fight against these negative elements
Hey! hey! hey! hey!
An expression of enthusiasm or excitement
There come the cossacks
A group of people with a specific identity or background is approaching
The road spiders
People who are always on the move
The super gliders
People who are very successful or talented
Burnin' trash, flickin' class, all the white trash
People who are lower class and disregard societal norms
Yeah!
An expression of agreement or affirmation
Now louie louie had his time
Louie Louie was once relevant and meaningful
Seemed like only yesterday
It feels like Louie Louie's time was very recent
Sandy and harry got married and moved away
Two people left each other and went their separate ways
'cause they had nothin' left to say
Their relationship had run its course
Yeah!
An expression of agreement or affirmation
You with the glasses, I'll see you later
I will talk to you or interact with you at a later time
We'll find love I know
I believe we will connect romantically
Rockin', reelin', double dealin', one more time this time with feelin'
Having a good time and enjoying oneself with authenticity
Yeah!
An expression of agreement or affirmation
Hey! hey! hey! hey!
An expression of enthusiasm or excitement
Go boys, yeah!
Encouraging and cheering on a group of people, probably men
You move so fine
I am attracted to the way you move or present yourself
Yeah what a scene I said
A comment on the overall atmosphere
Mmm, kinda aquiline
A description of someone's features
Yeah baby saw through this now
I have become aware of something
You smell so good
I find your scent pleasing
Yeah, and your shirt's always pressed
A compliment on someone's appearance
You'll be the best inside my baby
You will be the most important person to me
Yeah, we're all under arrest now!
We are facing consequences or restrictions
Louie louie made his mark
Louie Louie left an impression or legacy
On this tender heart of mine
Influencing or affecting me emotionally
The jamaican moon don't let it get dark
A reference to a specific location and time of day
Though we rock out in the night time
Even though we are partying late at night
Yeah! let's get on outta here now, let's go!
An expression of wanting to leave and move on to something else
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTINE HYNDE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tommy Wells
on Get Out of London
I don't think this song will do for a studio album.
It's because of the producer, George Acogny. He's the song producer of the movie.