"Louie Louie," recorded by the Kingsmen, began climbing the pop charts 60 years ago. It's a song almost everybody can recognize, but almost nobody understands the words to. And even fewer people know ...

RASCOE: "Louie Louie," recorded by the Kingsmen. Almost everybody knows it, but almost nobody can understand the words. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LOUIE LOUIE") THE KINGSMEN: (Singing, inaudible). RASCOE: ...

It might be the best-known rock song of all time. It might be the most important rock song of all time. It’s “Louie Louie” and it’s so well-known that with just the title, you likely can begin to hear ...

Left to right: Norm Sundholm, Lynn Easton, Dick Peterson, Mike Mitchell, and Barry Curtis of the touring version of the rock and roll band "The Kingsmen" perform onstage in 1964. (Michael Ochs | ...

Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth ...

RASCOE: And even fewer people know the history of a West Coast dance hit that became a party anthem, with an FBI investigation and a Supreme Court case along the way. Here's Deena Prichep. DEENA ...

The Kingsmen's enduring recording of the song turns 60 this year, and remains a classic, in part because of its dramatic history. 'Louie Louie': The story behind the song everyone knows but no one ...