[h=2]The Kingsmen, “Louie Louie”[/h] This iconic and incomprehensible song performed by The Kingsmen may be one of the most famous banned songs in American rock history. Based on a song originally written and performed by Richard Berry in 1955, the song gained wider acclaim when a rawer, less understandable version was put out by The Kingsmen in 1963. Per Ultimate Classic Rock, the song was soon banned from multiple radio stations due to its rumored explicit lyrics.
After a concerned parent complained to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (FBI records courtesy of The Smoking Gun), the FBI launched an investigation into the song’s lyrics, of which the hilarious results can be seen here, here, and here. After several attempts to nail down the lyrics, the FBI concluded that “because the lyrics of the recording ‘Louie Louie’ could not be definitely determined in the Laboratory examination, it was not possible to determine whether this recording is obscene.” Rock music: 1, FBI: 0.