1957
LOUIE LOUIE * RICHARD BERRY AND THE PHARAOHS * FLIP 321 * USA
RICHARD BERRY 1935 - 1997
What do you write about a record that has had something like 1600 cover versions, a book written on it, a documentary made about it, a 30 month FBI investigation into it and much, much more. The bare facts are: influenced by El Loca Cha Chain by Rene Touzet, Richard Berry wrote the song, which is a mix of an Rhythm & Blues based on a Cha, Cha beat, with lyrics sung in a Jamaican patios. It was released as the B side To Rock Rock Rock and had some regional success on the West Coast. Richard Berry was active in the R&B scene during the early 1950s as songwriter and performer, both solo, and as a member of various groups, he was also the unaccredited voice on recordings like Etta James's Roll With Me Henry.