RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: The man behind this rock and roll classic has died. Jack Ely was the singer on the Kingmen's "Louie Louie." To get a live feel, the mic was placed high above his head, making the suggestive lyrics almost impossible to understand. It did sound dirty enough that radio stations banned "Louie Louie," and the FBI launched an investigation into the lyrics. Their conclusion - unintelligible at any speed. It's MORNING EDITION.
The singing by the former Kingsmen's was so hard to understand, the FBI conducted an investigation into whether the lyrics were obscene. The FBI concluded: unintelligible at any speed.