Paul Revere & The Raiders - Louie, Louie Lyrics

Sometimes you don't mess with perfection.

Why aren't these guys in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame?  they've practically been around longer than everybody.  I think the Hall of Fame "sucks!"...

Raider kick at 2:27

So talented.

Love this!

Maybe the best american band of their time

I love how this video mocks the terribly staged performances popular at the time. You see this tradition carried on with stuff like Nirvana's "In Bloom," Against Me!s "Stop!" and many others, especially in a more Punk ecosystem.

Raider Rooter from way back. Mark was my crush (still think he had some of the best vocals in the business) but OMG how I LOVED all these guys, so full of life! Fang and Drake were so good together. Fang was "funny" cool, but Drake... man, he was just natural-born stone-cold cool....

GRANDE PAUL RIVERE & THE RAIDERS. Saludos desde Lima Perú

Love this, the silliness and a young Mark Lindsay and his amazing voice.

Even though the original buy Richard berry was really good I really like Paul Revere and the Raiders Verison!!

The Kingsmen probably had the most popular version, the Beach Boys and Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids both had renditions that stayed true to the "do wop" Richard Berry version. I like this version too, it's got "soul"..lol

And no feminist telling us what to do.

Just as good as The original

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/760/142/821/induct-paul-revere-the-raiders-into-the-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/

They copied the ROCKIN ROBIN ROBERTS arrangement....

Louie Louie . . . Rockin' in Heaven!! I know they love it!

Mark Lindsay!

can you dig it...hhehehe

I love Mark Lindsay and all, but exactly how high do you think he was when they did this?

one of my FAVs, Paul Revere and the Raiders

Nobody succeeded at having fun and giving less of a crap while miming to pre-recorded tracks than Paul Revere & The Raiders! I still consider the Kingsmen's *the* version but damn if this isn't a close second, and better in some ways.

THE best version of Louie Louie !!!

they were kind of kooky in the formative days

love it what have i misted

I like this version the best.

I could not get my Google to work so I will give my answer here. I am Steve West and please look up my documentary video on my stevewestband Youtube account and you can see it yourself. I am the guitar player for the song Louie,Louie, Night Train, first on Sande Label and then a month later Columbia took the label. and Shake it up Part 1 and Part 2 (this song was on Gardena Label). I do not fault the person putting this video on because now I know it is out here. I was a former original Raider with the band on tour in 1962 and 1963. I left the group in the summer of 1963. I was signed on to Columbia with the group.

Thanks, Steve. Hope you have some good memories of your time in Rock and Roll! Thanks for the great riffs.

The definitive band--Paul, Mark, Phil, Smitty and Drake.

I totally agree with you. Nobody better than Mark, Fang, and God bless him Drake. Jannis Melius.

and yes, it's LOUIE LOUIE time!

+tobygrey22 the only version

a great band

Loved This ...

Love the sunglasses on the geetar players

I'd like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation for making me subversive for listening to this song!.lol

We have a local reunion band who gets together every year to raise money for a local food pantry and they sing this song every year, They played back in the 60s when I was in high school!

My niece didn't sign out and didn't realize it when I posted the above. LOL!

They appeared on Johnny Carson and did this raw version of "Big Boy Pete" great raw clip posted on YouTube after Paul's death under "Rest In Peace Paul Revere"

Not sure where this video originated but it shows someone different than the guitar player for the song "Louie, Louie" who is me...Steve West.  This video shows Drake Levin doing the solo and guitar parts.   I did the whole guitar part of this song and somehow it is showing differently just for stage.   I just wanted to set the record straight.   Steve West

Steve West indeed played guitar on the Raiders original recording which was released on the small local NW label Sandi records before Columbia picked up their contract and
before Drake joined the band. Anyone who was in a band in Portland Oregon at that time knows Steve was the guitar player who recorded that solo; it’s NW Rock&Roll historical fact. If Drake we’re still alive he would tell you the same thing. Oh, and Steve was only fifteen years old at the time.

@stevewestband I`ve seen your video about louie,louie. You said Mark Lindsay played Bass? Well, who played sax? Because wasn`t it cut live in the studio? Just some questions I had. But besides that, your story rings true.

@stevewestband Thanks for setting the "record" straight. They almost always lipsynked on TV. Think there must have been about a hundred members in the group over the years. Heard that Paul basically got all the money and then paid the guys a small salary to play. Think Mark got more though. Of course you would know the truth of that. Anyway, thanks for the great "sticks!"

@John Duval Wow, only 15, awesome! Liked Drake, but it sounds as if they may have made a big mistake not staying with Steve. Of course that is all ancient history now. Just hope he has some good memories of his time in music. Did he play in any groups after the Raiders?

Marcelle Speake Steve spent many long years on the country music circuit alternating between guitar and bass. Occasionally we would run into each other at the local music store hangout where we both bought Gibson Barney Kessel guitars around the same time period. After that I lost track of him for many decades. He finally got his propers in an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine a number of years ago.

Had they received the proper promotion from Columbia Records when this was released, this version might have been the bigger hit over the Kingsmen's version. Buuuuuut seeing as how Mitch Miller despised rock and roll, and failed to take the time to have his people promote it, it bubbled under the Hot 100 charts. On another note, this recording did outsell the Kingsmen's version in the Pacific Northwest and even Louisiana.

@Steve Murray the reason its the best is everything you hear is so closet what you think you imagined you thought you herd what you wanted to hear. And the fbi agreed after a legenthy examination.

@MusicDude86
I'm not sure it wasn't bigger. At least it was around the Pacific NW, where I grew up and saw them perform this live in North Bend Oregon

@Steve Murray I've always preferred this version. PR & The Raiders knocked it out of the park along with a string of hit records that stand the test of time as good rock and roll. Did The Kingsmen even do anything besides this one song? If they did, it's obviously forgettable. No snark intended. :-)

+MusicDude86 This was the first version I heard on WMEX in Boston in the spring of 1963. I still think it is better than the Kingsmen's version.

Love both! Kingsmen for the sloppy rock and roll spirit and the Raiders for the tightness. Both are just fun!

who knows every single word
that below the age of fifty

I'm fifteen 
respond and tell me how old you are if you are younger than me i applaud you and your parents knowing they probably influenced you


i'd like to thank my dad for all my musical influence

I don't think any two bands played it alike--no one knows the lyrics--its purposely garbled, slurred, which is how they ALL did it--thats the way you're supposed to do it!

Damn the version is hittin on 6! Even got the James Brown dance steps... Go head -  git on down fellas!

Danny Whitfield ugh, yes us "whiteys," can dance and we have rhythm. In fact i have a few friends who aren't white,vand they e
Tell me i have more rhythm than them. But, i never went there 'cause music was just a pleasure and still id.

Really Hot Garage Mod

I'm sad to hear about Paul Revere passing. He was an honorable man and a true performer who knew in his heart what rock & roll is about. RIP my friend!

I always looked forward to watching them play on Where The Action Is. They never disappointed!

WONDERFUL !!!  love their rendition..... thanks for the memories, PAUL.  RIP.  LOVE YA, Mark ! Rest well, Smitty and Drake...................

The bad news is I won't get to hang out with him in Vegas anymore. The good news is I will have his music forever.

I'm glad I got to see them in concert a while ago
R.I.P Paul

Love this natural sound that is missing in today's music.....awesome..

 I always thought that this was the definitive version thanks to Mark Lindsays raw r  & b vocal and the Raiders hard edge delivery...the drum beat is driving and tight as hell.

Yeah, they’ve got a great rhythm base going on this.

back about 25 years ago while in early high school I had this "various artist " album , orange non-descript cover, I acquired from my parents along with some other gems.(along with a bang and olefson turntable and bose 901s....and I used to complain about not having anything....sheeeesh.)   the only song I played was this insane version louie louie. I nor anybody I knew ever heard this version and I would blow peoples minds with it.  this sounds almost exactly like the version on that album which in fact is a live version.the only diff I can hear from memory is that the album version is cleaner.(this video of the show really might be that recording.) 3 years ago it dawned on me to check e-bay. OMG they had 3 of them and 2 were mint. bought all three.i never in a million years would of thought a video existed. I just felt the same joy I felt the first time I played that album. THANK YOU king vidiot !!!

R.I.P. Paul,and thanks fer da good fun times you shared with us.

RIP Paul......you will not be forgotten. You left a mark on Rock and Roll forever  + showmanship. THE BEST!

They wrote this song and sold it to the Kingsmen 

wrong. richard berry wrote the song.

When Mark Lindsay said "Give me a Big F Sharp", Paul did.    He gave us a Big Fantastic life full of memories.  I heard Drake and Smitty helped open the door for Paul.  Now you other guys, don't be in no rush to join them...we need ya for awhile longer

It was a dark day when this Rock'n' Roll icon passed form this earth to the Home in Heaven. We will miss his great music and his fun personality, but Heaven will be richer for it. 
He is there now  entertaining those whom have gone before us, and he will be there to entertain us once again someday. I was there from the beginning, have all of the original band's albums and have loved them from day one. Their music, their fun on stage; and, if you have ever been one of the lucky ones who had one of his three-cornered hats sent flying out to you from stage AND still have that hat, you have truly been blessed for it! Their music was always so fun to dance to also. RIP Paul and hope to see you on the other side someday. God bless you for the legacy you have left us.

The 60s were the best and I was crazy for Mark Lindsey♡♡♡

What  a fun band ! Roots of  Rock for  shure !  Good Times ! 

The bad news? Paul Revere will not be down for breakfast in the morning. The good new?. I got first dibs on his tapioca pudding!  Rip, Brother Paul...

I remember watching Paul and the Raiders on "Where The Action Is" back in the 60's with my sister. She had a crush on both Mark and Fang.  Pretty sure they were a staple on the show.

DID THEY HAVE SAXOPHONES BACK WHEN GEORGE THE THIRD WAS KING OF ENGLAND //  DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR
NO //  NOT UNTIL 1840 // BUT THAT OKAY
IT'S LOUIE LOUIE TIME // HE SAYS ON THE TELEPHONE

Mark Lindsay could play a mean sax --wish he was playing on this clip. Loved the Raiders and so glad I was able to see Paul Revere in concert with the "new" Raiders several times in the past 10 years. You will be missed.

rip  paul revere  

BS video, sorry to hear about Paul.....

So sad...RIP 
Paul Revere
Classic Rock Band Leader
Dead at 76

RIP Paul Revere

That is music

Happy music too!

This was music

Paul Revere and The Raiders were a great group who put out a lot of good music.  One day they will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Great version of Louie Louie, such great fun HS in the 60's.

The pride of Boise, Idaho!

I always preferred this version. It's a bit more jazzy!

Shows that the USA did not really need a British Invasion to save rock and roll: just promote more of the best of the American bands, like The Raiders, of the time and we'd been fine (though I loved The Yardbirds).

The Raiders’ guitar solo is pretty cringy and awkward compared to The Kingsmen’s.

Love Mark Lindsay & that sexy voice of his! 

    Best version of Louie, Louie.

@mausolos8 I don't think so

Who did it better, the Kingsmen? Don't think so.

Clearlake, 1968.

Very similar to Tom Jones voice....

If you want ot hear another great version of this song, check out the one by The Sonics---they really tore it up on their version of it--one of the best I've ever heard,too!

Has anyone noticed that Paul & company are the only Group that played the song to the orginal beat that Richard Berry & Rockin Robin Roberts & the Wailers played too . The Kingsmen and every Group from that point in time have played the song to a different beat

Just about every group in the Pacific Northwest recorded this song. Raiders actually recorded it before Kingsmen, but they released it first. Been a movement (don't know if stll active) to get Louie, Louie declared Washington state song!

they are great

The Raiders always makes me smile!

I second that .The fact that this band is not in that building is an embaressment. Jann Wenner and the rest of the corporate music jerks are a bunch of a ho---. The Hall of Shame is getting to be a joke anyway. They should have been in there within the first 10 years. But no we have Madonna and the Beastie Boys instead.

This Rock n' Roll Hall of Shame still has a problem recognizing excellent talent and musicians, as they continually snub Paul Revere & The Raiders! The Hall of Shame is one big joke!

I Totally agree with you recordguy 4321 , They should be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame just for the body of work they did , more reasons they should be there , but there body of work tells the whole story

and still arent in the Rock and roll hall of Shame. Saw them in 66. What a show , just before Drake left.

...and you would know

THE COOLEST

it is, just know where to look

Paul Revere & the Raiders were the best Damn American band , During the British Invasion

Happy Birthday Smitty!!!

I am so glad my parents raised me with an apperication for this great music what comes out today I am totally lost

Mike was in the band from 1962 to 1965 when I worked with them in Portland, Vancouver, Salem, Bend, etc.... Sorry he has had some bad times

Love this version...unfortunately they are "singing" to the record.

They're going to be playing at Seven Feathers Casino this weekend on December 15th and I wish like hell I could be there!!! I LOVE Paul Revere & The Raiders!

Matthew the person's name is also Mike Holiday. Check out PNWBands.com. That site could help you.

Check out The Sonics version. Both bands are from the Pacific North West, Tell ya they knew how to ROCK!

does anyone know when doc holladay was the bassist in this band? was he here? he is my great uncle, hes my grandmother who i live withs brother, she told me today he sued them and won in like 2000 and something haha, i think its cool since i know him very well, hes a really cool guy, he is in prison now though for about a year or two, does anybody know anything about his time in the band?

Hilarious when he's trying to repair the broken sax

hell yeah

I know I sound like a broken record, but this is the best version ever - and I've heard about a dozen different recordings! Mark's voice beats out all the rest!

Love those spandex pants they used to wear. They were SOOOOO form fitting! I wonder if the surviving original members can still fit into them?