Song by Song: "Louie Louie" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Richard Berry

Born in 1935, Richard Berry performed with Los Angeles-based doo-wop groups in the 1950s but is best known for writing and performing "Louie Louie," which has become one of the most recorded songs in modern music history. Unfortunately for Berry, he signed away his rights to the song for years.

Answer: The Kingsmen

The Kingsmen took "Louie Louie" to the number two slot on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for six weeks. Rolling Stone magazine calls the Kingsmen version "a blast of raw guitars and half-intelligible shouting recorded for $52."

The Kinks also recorded a version, but in 1964. It was released on the "Kinksize Session" EP.

Answer: El Loco Cha Cha

Richard Berry was performing with a Latin-style R&B group called Rick Rillera and the Rhythm Rockers when he wrote "Louie Louie." The song was based on the group's version of René Touzet's "El Loco Cha Cha." According to Richard Berry, the song was further influenced by rock and roller Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon" and crooner Frank Sinatra's "One for My Baby."

Answer: Jamaica

"See Jamaica, the moon above
It won't be long, me see me love."

"Louie Louie," which a calypso-style R&B song, was originally released by Richard Berry in April of 1957 as a single with "You Are My Sunshine" on the A-side.

Answer: go

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

Songwriter Richard Berry's birthday, April 11, is celebrated as "International Louie Louie Day." As a further testament to the song's popularity, there is a Louie Louie Advocacy and Music Appreciation Society (LLAMS).

Answer: three

"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."

From 2003 to 2012 the city of Tacoma hosted an annual arts festival called LouieFest, and since 1988, the town of Peoria, Illinois has held an annual "Louie Louie" street parade.

Answer: the rose

"On that ship, I dream she's there
I smell the rose in her hair."

In 1999, NPR named "Louie Louie" one of "The 300 Most Important American Records of the 20th Century." In 2007, Rolling Stone magazine called it one of the "40 Songs that Changed the World," although the magazine only ranked it as 54 on its 2004 "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. In 2000, VH1 listed it among the "100 Greatest Dance Songs," and in 1997, Mojo magazine named it one of the "100 Greatest Singles of All Time."

Answer: Otis Redding

"Pain in My Heart" was Redding's debut album. Redding's version was rearranged with a full horn section. Paul Revere and the Raiders also released a version of the song in June of 1963 with "Night Train" on the B-side.

Answer: Motörhead

Recorded at the Wessex studio in London, "Louie Louie" was the band's first single for Bronze Records. It peaked at number 68 on the UK Singles Chart and was later included on re-issues of the "Overkill" CD. The Beach Boys also recorded a version of this song in 1964 and released it on "Shut Down Volume 2."

Answer: John Belushi

In the movie, the Delta fraternity mimics the Kingsmen version of the song, even though the movie was set a year before the Kingsmen version was released. Belushi's version was later released as a single and hit 89 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Louie Louie" has been covered by The Sandpipers, Travis Wammack, The Sonics, Iggy Pop, Black Flag, and numerous other performers.