Song Clearance Sheet
7 sources citedLouie Louie
Rhythm And Blues1950s121BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriter of record (Richard Berry), who sold the publishing and songwriting rights for this and four other songs for $750 shortly before the Kingsmen’s hit. The famous FBI obscenity investigation was a government content inquiry that found the lyrics “unintelligible” — not a rights or ownership dispute.
Quick Facts
Released1957
GenreRhythm And Blues, Rock And Roll
LabelFlip Records
Recorded atLos Angeles
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Richard Berry (who sold his rights for $750)
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
One of the most-recorded rock songs ever; ranked #54 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs.” Part of this catalogue’s garage-rock thread with “Gloria.”
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriter(s) of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Found its following among the same American garage-rock audience (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Richard Berry
A poignant rights saleBerry sold away the publishing and songwriting rights to “Louie Louie” and four other songs for just $750, to raise cash for his upcoming wedding — shortly before the song became a massive, enduring hit performed by others.
The FBI investigation — a content inquiry, not a rights matterAfter Indiana’s governor called the song “pornographic” and the DOJ received a flood of complaints, the FBI investigated whether the record violated federal obscenity law (Feb–May 1964 per the FBI’s own record; some accounts extend into 1965), producing a report over 140 pages long — the FBI lab concluded the lyrics were simply “unintelligible,” finding no obscenity. A government content inquiry, not a rights or ownership dispute.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
The accidental origin of that “unintelligible” sound
The Kingsmen had played a marathon gig the night before, leaving singer Jack Ely’s voice ragged; the boom mic was fixed too high, forcing him onto tiptoes; his diction was hampered by dental braces — and what the band thought was a rehearsal turned out to be their only take. No lyrics reproduced.
Mental Floss · read it →
The FBI never called the singer
Despite the extensive investigation, the FBI reportedly never contacted Jack Ely, the actual singer — Ely stated nobody ever wanted to talk to the person who’d sung the supposedly dirty words.
Gold Radio · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
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Times sampled
One of the most-recorded rock songs ever
Covers
—
First flip
Big names who used itThe Kingsmen
Who to Contact
LL
Richard Berry (Flip Records)
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 7 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 19/20)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass