Nearly 60 years ago, the FBI spent months trying to decipher its reputedly obscene lyrics. Twenty years later, it almost became Washington’s state song. Back in 1984, a weekly program premiered on ...

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 ...

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: ...

In 1963, The Kingsmen made one of the greatest rock n’ roll recordings of all time in Portland, Oregon. The original “Louie Louie” was a calypso-style song, but today it transcends genre – a theory ...

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 ...

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. THE KINGSMEN: (Singing, inaudible).