Chug-A-Lug

[thebeachboysfan1]

In the song....Mike says a few names.....Whose Larry?  Garry = Garry Usher, Carl = Carl Dennis = Dennis, Dave = David Marks.  So.....whose Larry?  Am I assuming right with those names?
 

[JanBerryFarm]

Did ya leave out poor Louie Marotta ?

[thebeachboysfan1]

Lol, yeah, and Mike mentioned Brian too.

[JanBerryFarm]

Well. Larry is most likely Larry Mondello. That would be my guess.  

Based on what follows, I'd better explain that this is just a joke.

Gawd these humorless Beach Boys people. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

"Larry knows he doesn't stand a chance" is for Larry Ferrari, who played the organ on the song.

[Jukka]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

[AndrewHickey]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

I'd very much doubt it. Louie was named for Lou Adler, and given that Chug-A-Lug was on the band's first album I strongly suspect that Brian wasn't involved enough in Hollywood showbiz circles to name a dog after someone like that...

[Andrew G. Doe]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

Yes, and he didn't. So... you're wrong. 

[JanBerryFarm]

Are you people kidding ?

Louie is Louie Marotta of Hawthorne. One of the Beach Boys best friends in the early days.

Somebody back me up on this. Cripes!

[Jon Stebbins]

Are you people kidding ?

Louie is Louie Marotta of Hawthorne. One of the Beach Boys best friends in the early days.

Somebody back me up on this. Cripes!

Definitely Louie Marotta. Principals have said it in print.

Here's Louie's entry in the Beach Boys FAQ book...

The Wilson’s neighbor and the Beach Boys first roadie and entourage member. Louie borrowed his sister’s surfboard so The Beach Boys could use it for their now iconic publicity shots. He remained a resident of the old Hawthorne neighborhood into the 2000’s, often regaling curious visiting fans with stories about growing up with the Beach Boys. Louie died in 2004 just before the group’s California State Landmark was erected near his home,

[JanBerryFarm]

Jon Stebbins, my man!
  I thank you. And, possibly, Louie Marotta thanks you.  

[Jukka]

Whoa, this wrecks the whole mental image I've always seen when listening to this song! You know, the lyrics are so lively that the narrative plays like a film in my head. And in that one point I see excited Louie the dog looking through the rear window of the boys' trusty old woodie. I guess I have to replace his face with that of Mr. Marotta.

...Why did that dog have to die (in my mind)?

[JanBerryFarm]

Whoa, this wrecks the whole mental image I've always seen when listening to this song! You know, the lyrics are so lively that the narrative plays like a film in my head. And in that one point I see excited Louie the dog looking through the rear window of the boys' trusty old woodie. I guess I have to replace his face with that of Mr. Marotta.

...Why did that dog have to die (in my mind)?

Cheer up, Jukka.  When I was many years younger I had a similar 'film' in my mind too. My vision was that Brian, Dennis and Carl had a younger brother named... you guessed it... "Louie"

It wasn't to be. But I felt better when I discovered that Mike had a sweet little sister named Maureen. 

[Paulos]

Whoa, this wrecks the whole mental image I've always seen when listening to this song! You know, the lyrics are so lively that the narrative plays like a film in my head. And in that one point I see excited Louie the dog looking through the rear window of the boys' trusty old woodie. I guess I have to replace his face with that of Mr. Marotta.

...Why did that dog have to die (in my mind)?

Man, Wrinkles will make you cry...

[Craig Boyd]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

Yes, and he didn't. So... you're wrong. 

When did Banana and Louie pass away AGD? I've always wondered that and can't remember reading it anywhere. Always thought Chug-A-Lug was a bit early for it to be about Louie the dog mind so that's cleared that up. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

Yes, and he didn't. So... you're wrong. 

When did Banana and Louie pass away AGD? I've always wondered that and can't remember reading it anywhere. Always thought Chug-A-Lug was a bit early for it to be about Louie the dog mind so that's cleared that up. 

Banana was still alive in late June 1971. Best I can do, sorry.

[Emdeeh]

I knew a guy named Larry S. back in jr. high school in Memphis, who was a transfer from SoCal. He said he played in one of the garage bands that did the sockhop circuit with the early BBs, and claimed to be the Larry in "Chug-a-Lug." He was around the same age as David Marks.

[Craig Boyd]

Any chance "Louie's looking out the rear window" is Brian's dog?

I've always understood it this way. Does anyone know for a fact if he already had Louie back then?

Yes, and he didn't. So... you're wrong. 

When did Banana and Louie pass away AGD? I've always wondered that and can't remember reading it anywhere. Always thought Chug-A-Lug was a bit early for it to be about Louie the dog mind so that's cleared that up. 

Banana was still alive in late June 1971. Best I can do, sorry.

Ah right thanks anyway.

[Mikie]

Louie, a dark brown Weimaraner, was also alive in 1971. There's a picture of him behind the group picture that Steve Desper took in Brian's back yard in between sessions for the Surf's Up album. Picture was in Rolling Stone in 1971.

[Mikie]

Important trivia. Dunno if they all made the Stebbins book but Dave had some Louie stories when he had a message board about 10 years ago. David recounted that he and Louie use to light farts with a cigarette lighter outside on the street 'curb'.

But what normal guy hasn't? 

[Mark Dillon]

And just to add, "Chug-a-Lug" is a great and underrated early BW gem. Only the same guy who wrote a song about Johnny Carson would also write an ode to root beer. I also dig the version by The Untamed Youth on Smiles, Vibes, & Harmony.