Artist	Song
John Belushi	Louie, Louie (1978) [soundtrack Animal House]
Belle Stars	Iko Iko (1989) [soundtrack Rain Man]
Flamin Groovies	Louie Louie (1971)
Warren Zevon	Iko-Iko (1969)
Kingsmen	Louie, Louie (1963)
Samuel E. Wright	Iko Iko (1996) [soundtrack Little Mermaid 2]
Richard Berry and the Pharaohs	Louie Louie (1956)
Sugarboy Crawford	Jockomo (1954)
Fastball	Lou-ee Lou-ee (2004)
Jesus Alemany	Shallow Water Rumba (2000)
Modern Talking	Brother Louie (1986)
Grateful Dead	Aiko Aiko [live Dec 30, 1986, Oakland CA]
Black Flag	Louie Louie (1981)
Doctor John w/ the Meters	Iko Iko [date unk, live, Montreux]
Cramps	Papa Satan Sang Louie (2003)
Cyndi Lauper	Iko Iko (1986)
Otis Redding	Louie, Louie (1965)
Whatever	Iko Iko [date unk, live, Columbia SC]
Paul Revere & the Raiders	Louie, Louie (1964)
Zap Mama	Iko Iko (2000) [soundtrack Mission: Impossible 2]
Pretenders	Louie Louie (1981)
One-Eyed Show	Moon & Iko Iko [live March 28, 2003, Columbus OH]

Comment:

Both songs are highly associated with wild 'n' crazy parties. For
"Louie Louie" that would be a beer-soaked frat bash, like the ones
at fictional Faber College in the movie Animal House. For "Iko Iko"
it's the Mardi Gras.

Both songs have been covered and performed a zillion times,
yet their original versions are rarely heard. Both originated
with 1950s R&B artists, namely Richard F. Berry (1935-1997) and
James Crawford (1934- ).

Both songs have distinctive rhythmic patterns. Louie is based on
the famous "Duh duh duh. Duh duh" that Berry learned from a song of the
day called "El Loco Cha Cha." Iko is based on the New Orleans specialty
known as "second line."

So, wha'd he say?
"Louie Louie" is about a sailor far from home who
misses his girlfriend. He speaks in faux-Jamaican phrases as he tells
his woes to a bartender named Louie. "Iko Iko" is about confrontations among the
Mardi Gras Indians.
They send forth their spy boy and their flag boy to hassle rival tribes,
and they issue taunts and challenges in a strange cant.

Both have a history of being hard to comprehend.
For Louie,
it's the odd pidgin of the lyrics ("Me see Jamaican moon above") combined with
the casual diction of
Kingsmen frontman Jack Ely.
People could not understand the words, so they thought they were hearing
obscene lyrics. As a result, there was a nationwide scandal,
recounted by
Eric Predoehl and
Theo de Grood.
That's pretty racy stuff for a song
that is really about a homesick guy.
For Iko, the issue is that
incomprehensible "Jock-o-mo-fee-na-nay" refrain. People could not understand the
words, so they thought they were hearing childish nonsense. As a result,
the song gained new life as a kiddie staple, exemplified here
by Sam Wright doing the voice of Sebastian the Crab. That's pretty tame stuff for a
song that is really about
gang fights.

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