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.