Louie Louie
The Stooges Lyrics

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Louie Louie, oh no
Me gotta go
Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said
Louie Louie, oh baby
Me gotta go

Fine little girl waits for me
Catch a ship across the sea

Sail that ship about, all alone
Never know if I make it home

Three nights and days I sail the sea
Think of girl, constantly
On that ship, I dream she's there
I smell the rose in her hair.

Okay, let's give it to 'em, right now!

See Jamaica, the moon above
It won't be long, me see me love
Take her in my arms again
Tell her I'll never leave again

Let's take it on outa here now
Let's go!!

Overall Meaning

The Stooges / Iggy Pop's "Louie Louie" tells the story of a man who must leave his fine little girl behind to catch a ship across the sea. As he sails toward his unknown destination, he constantly thinks about his girl and dreams of her being with him on the ship. He doesn't know if he will make it back home, but he longs to hold her in his arms again and express how much he loves her.

At its core, "Louie Louie" is a love song with a sense of urgency. The man must leave his girl behind, but he can't get her out of his head as he sails across the sea. It’s as if the singer is saying, "I have to go, but I'll be thinking of you every step of the way. I'll be back, and we'll be together again soon."

Overall, the song is a timeless classic that captures the feelings of love, adventure, and the unknown. It's a perfect theme song for anyone setting out on a new journey, whether it's across the sea or simply through life.

Line by Line Meaning

Louie Louie, oh no
Oh man, I messed up

Me gotta go
I have to leave right now

Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said
Exclamation of frustration

Louie Louie, oh baby
I'm sorry, my love

Me gotta go
I must leave now

Fine little girl waits for me
There's a beautiful woman waiting for me

Catch a ship across the sea
I need to catch a ship to go see her

Sail that ship about, all alone
I'll be sailing alone

Never know if I make it home
I don't know if I'll return home safely

Three nights and days I sail the sea
I'm sailing for three days and three nights

Think of girl, constantly
I'm constantly thinking about the girl I left behind