Riffs Recycled #1 - Louie Louie

Duh duh duh....duh duh....duh duh duh....duh duh....

Yeah man, you knows it, that simple but effective ten note riff. We all know it best from The Kingmen's frat-party anthem Louie Louie, written by Richard Berry with supposedly obsene lyrics resulting in the FBI opening a case on the song. But the tune and its rhythmic riff has a history both before and after The Kingsmen's landmark 45. Read on punks...

Click over the jump for more riffs recycled...

1. René Touzet - El Loco Cha Cha

Let's go back to the source. You'll know this best from the dance scene in Pulp Fiction.

2. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Grunge gets in on the act. Kurt Cobain's diaries have entries where he bemoans bands endlessly recycling the Louie Louie riff. Go figure!

3. Boston - More Than A Feeling

Polished up for FM radio, the riff lives on. My local boozer had this on vritually constant rotation back in the day.

4. Rainbow - Since You Been Gone

Before Ritchie Blackmore went all medieval on us he was part of the LL fraternity.

5. The Sonics - Have Love Will Travel

Loads of bands have done this tune - The Black Keys, Thee Headcoatees et al. This is probably the best one though.

6. Tim Curry - I Do The Rock

Ok, not strictly the LL riff but a close relation. (Gotta fill this list somehow!)

7. The Premiers/Neil Young/The White Stripes - Farmer John

Three for the price of one here. Firstly The Premiers give it some in the garage..

Neil Young and Crazy Horse show the farmer some love....

The White Stripes make the point about borrowed riffs...

8. Dino, Desi & Billy - I'm A Fool

Beatle suits, Ricky guitars, LL riff - what's not to like!?!

9. The Sandpipers - Guantanamera

You'll know the tune if not the band.

10. The Rolling Stones - Get Off My Cloud

Even the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band get in on the LL bandwagon.

11. Richie Valens - La Bamba

A close cousin to the LL riff.

12. The Dictators - Baby Let's Twist

Much like its riff, punk rock will never die!

13. The Kingsmen - Louie Louie

Finally the LL riff's finest exponents. Duh duh duh, duh duh...