"G-L-O-R-I-A! Gloria!"
This garage band classic was written by Van Morrison and first released on his band Them's 1964 album "The Story of Them featuring Van Morrison." It was a B-side to the single "Baby Please Don't Go," a hit for the band.
The Shadows of Knight made the song known to radio listeners with their 1966 cover version. "Who's Who In Rock'n'Roll" described the track as "the most durable rock-dance hit with the exception of 'Louie Louie'," and many American punk bands considered the Shadows of Knight a big influence (no doubt why early punk musician Patti Smith did a much-expanded-lyrically version). Them fans considered the Shadows version to be toned-down.
The Doors, with Van Morrison's sometime drinking buddy Jim Morrison, frequently played the song live, often adding lines that wouldn't have gotten past the record company, such as "she come in my mouth."
Other artists to cover this song (as opposed to one of the several other songs of the same title, such as Laura Branigan's) are Jimi Hendrix,
Simple Minds, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bryan Adams, and the Trashmen.
Written at Gamaliel's suggestion, when he was trying to figure out whose song was which.
Sources:
http://www.warr.org/vanmorrison.html
http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirt/them.htm
http://www.bassicleemusic.com/shadows/legend.html
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Bt95h8qptbtn4
http://www.simple-minds.demon.co.uk/discog/nl/nlpr1.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Amphitheatre/7878/cover.html