The F.B.I. Investigation of LOUIE LOUIE

We must keep our children safe from the harmful effects of such lyrics.

The F.B.I. Investigation of LOUIE LOUIE: "In the mid 1960s, many people considered this subject a very serious matter. Rock and roll was considered a subversive movement, and governor Matthew Welsh of Indiana actually used his powers to restrict airplay of this song. Of course, all of this controversy helped spur more record sales, as teenagers rushed to the record store to buy the record that shocked, or at least confused their parents. It was no accident that the extra notoriety contributed to the popularity of 'Louie Louie' as one of the greatest party songs of all time.

In 1984, I petitioned the F.B.I. for information on the Louie Louie investigation, using the Freedom of Information Act. When Dave Marsh wrote his book on the Louie Louie phenomena, he acknowledged me as the original source for bringing these papers to the public.

The F.B.I. investigation of the song, which took over two years, uncovered very little relevant information. Despite a lengthy investigative process that included repeating listenings of the song at different speeds, and interviews with author Richard Berry, and members of Kingsmen, the study could find no evidence of obscenity. In fact, the bureau came up with the conclusion that the song was 'unintelligible at any speed.'"