The Jolly Green Giants

The Jolly Green Giants are THE great Pacific Northwest band whose story remains unknown.

They took their band name from the Kingsmen’s hit. They had only one record but both sides are monsters! It was originally released on the Redcoat label, but maybe because the Green Giant company objected, it was re-released on Result with the band name changed to the J.G. Giants.

“Caught You Red Handed” is up there with the Sonics for heaviness. It was written by C. Anderson, and D. Cole, though on the Redcoat label only Anderson is listed.

“Busy Body” was originally written and recorded by Roy Lee Johnson on the Okeh label in 1962, but the Jolly Green Giants probably picked their version up from Jimmy Hanna and the Dynamics, a popular Washington live act who released both studio and live versions of the song on the Bolo label in around 1965.

The Jolly Green Giants up the pace and energy level considerably on their version with clipped guitar and Hammond organ chords and a strong vocal performance. Locked into the drums during the verses, the bass guitar breaks into fantastic runs during the choruses. Maybe this is why their song publishing company is called Pulsation Music!

For some reason, the spoken intro common to all the previous versions (“Busy body one time y’all!”) is left off the Result 45.

The band also has an unissued acetate which I haven’t heard, “Up Above Their Knees”, that’s supposed to be good as well.

Here’s a possible lead from reader Steve Snell:

In the mid-late 60’s I used to play Hammond B-3 organ with a group called Chuck Anderson and the Jolly Green Giants at a club called Shapps in Pasadena. I know they played in Vegas sometime before I joined them. When I played with them we were simply a cover band – top forty stuff. We didn’t do any recording while I was with them. Is this that C. Anderson and that Jolly Green Giants? If so I would love to hear from someone.

I’d long read they were from Oregon but it turns out they were from Spokane, Washington, all the way to the east of the state near Idaho. The brother of the Jolly Green Giants lead singer is Bob Anderson, who commented and answered some of my questions about the Jolly Green Giants:

The lead singer of the Jolly Green Giants is my brother. Chuck Anderson. My brothers group started in Spokane. With Gary on drums; Dennis on keyboard; Harvey on sax; and Vick on bass.

I also played in a band based out of Spokane WA. The Madd Hatters. We had a record out for a while called “Little Girl In The 4th Row”. Written by Paul Revere. The other side was “Hey Girl” written by Chuck Anderson. We changed it a little.

My band the Foosteps changed the name the the Madd Hatters when we put out the 45. A lot of air time in the northwest but only sold a few thousand copies.

The 45 was produced by John Fisher, and released in January of 1967. A Cash Box article from January 7, 1967 notes the single was out and the band currently playing at the Haunted House. Fisher owned Redcoat Records, and also had ownership or interest in the Crusader, Park Ave, Current and Rally labels. According to Record World, Fisher had experience doing promotion in an area stretching from Seattle to Phoenix to Los Angeles and beyond.

That’s all I have for now, but I hope to get more answers soon.

Anyone have a photo of the group?

Thanks to Tage Weie for the Redcoat label scans.

23 thoughts on “The Jolly Green Giants”

  1. yeah, love cuaght you red handed, for the obsessives out there the Fuzztones recently covered this on the Boom EP and did a pretty respectable job of it too.

  2. Powefull stuff!!!
    Amazing site, great job!!!
    All those little (7″ records) but big lost musicals treasures for all the world, now in 2008!!!
    Really thanks for let me know, learn and listen what I would never hear in my life otherway!
    Excuse my bad english and receive my best regards from Argentina.

  3. Good version of the song. I would agree it was lifted from the Dynamics live at Parker’s album. I was a regular at Parkers and heard them do this song hundreds of times. When the Dynamics recorded the song, they came in late with the vocal on one verse. The mistake was reproduced on this version by the J.G.G. The song was a staple of all Northwest bands in the early 60s. Thanks for the info and I appreciate the website. I’ll be back.
    Mike Allan

    1. Hey Mike,
      I wrote ‘Wild Wild Mustang with Gary Paxton who was the lead singer in the Hollywood Aregyles 0f Ally Oop fame in the early 60s and we were also good friends and worked with John Greek of the Wailers who earlier had been on Golden crest records with the hit ‘Tall Cool One’ He came out of the northwest too , Tacoma Washington was where he was from. Mysel, I was from Antioch in Northern Ca originally. I failed to tell chucks brother earlier in my post,The Jolly green Giants lead singer Chuck Anderson was really a great talent.
      God Bless and Take care,
      Buddy Biglow

    1. Hi Tage and everybody,
      That happened to be friends or fans of the ‘Jolly Green Giants’. I was living in Hollywood in the 60s writing with Gary Paxton at the time for Artists like Dick Dale ‘Wild Wild Mustang’ and ‘Cute Little Colt’ for the Road Runnewrs and also such things as ‘The wind Blows your hair’ for myself, check it out on YouTube and it was also cut by my friend Sky Saxon of the ‘The Seeds’. I ran into a Guy who I had seen around by the name of Wes Conn who was the manager of the JGGs at the time. I told him he could probably get a gig at the ‘The Haunted House’ that was on Hollywood Boulavarde . I said go see if they will let them play there and if you are able to, I’ll put a bug in Gene Orndorf s ear and tell him And John Fisher to go hear them, I was working for Gene at that time. He was the same guy who started Canadian American records, do you remember Santo and Johnny with their mega hit ‘Sleep Walk’ or maybe Linda Scott with’I told evvery little star’ etc. Long story short, Gene owned RedCoat records which was a subsidery label of American Records, he was impressed and thought they were very good too.
      So John and I took them in the Studio and cut ‘Busy Body’ and ‘Caught you Red Handed’, with Chuck singing his ass off.
      God bless all of you,
      Buddy Biglow

  4. My family lived on Bowmont Street in Cedar Hills, Beaverton, Oregon in the early sixties. Across the street a band called “The Jolly Green Giants” practiced in the garage of a house lived in by the Geigle family. My older brother was/still is best friend of Mike, one of the brothers who lived there. I remember when they would practice, all of the neighborhood kids would sit on their driveway and listen. They left the garage door shut until the end of practice when they would open the door and put on a little show. They also filmed a music video, ala Richard Lester, in our neighborhood (of course this was long before music videos became popular).

  5. When I first started performing and writing I was told about ‘Busy Body’ by the late David Ruffin who lovede the Green Giants version.
    I have attempted to track members down over the years to no avail.
    Any word would be great!
    Thanks to all and thanks so much to those responsible for providing this vital site.

    1. The lead singer of the Jolly Green Giants is my brother. Chuck Anderson. I also played in a band based out of Spokane WA. The Madd Hatters. We had a record out for a while called Little Girl In The 4th Row. Written by Paul Revere. The other side was “Hey Girl” written by Chuck Anderson. We changed it a little.

      1. Hi Chucks Brother,
        I am a little over the hill now, but I posted something earlier about the JGGs. I haven’t talked to any of the guys for years, but Danny Hart was also a friend of mine and I introduced him to Chuck and the group and he played bass on the ‘Busy Body session. I hope all is well with you and also If Chuck is still alive plesae tell him Buddy Biglow sends him his best.
        God Bless.

      2. Hi.my x-husband David Madson was the drummer for JGG. He is from Spokane. We had good times back in the day in so-cal.

      3. Hi.my x husband. Davld Madson was drummer forJGG
        He was also from Spokane Wa. He played on both
        records.We had good tlmes in the 60s in so Cal.

      4. Chuck and I were good friends hope he is well and doing good chuck is a great talent he outdid himself on busy body and caught you red-handed hats off to Chuck does anyone know where Danny Cole is

  6. You Guys Are Just As God As The Beatles And The Monkees And I Ought To Know, I Want To Live The place And I Want To Have A Really Real Rocking Good Time, And So What Do You say to That We Shall Get The Good Living people And Also Acts And Sing And Also Bring Man, Cool And Also Groovy I’m Hip,

  7. Vick was my father. Since his passing in 2008 I’ve had what I think is the master recording of “Hey Girl.” In addition, I have a double sided release when he played with “The Esquires” with, I’M SETTING YOU STRAIGHT and CAN YOUR MONKEY DO THE DOG. I also have the original bass that he played on these tracks. Sharing for anyone who is interested… 🙂

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