When recorded the band members were Jack Ely (vocalist/rhythm guitar; d. April 28, 2015), Lynn Easton (drummer), Mike Mitchell (lead guitar), Don Gallucci (electric piano) and Bob Nordby (bass guitar). Ken Chase (Kingsmen manager and Portland radio station KISN music director) produced the recording session. Robert Lindahl (Northwestern Inc. recording studio owner) was the audio engineer.
"Louie Louie" was kept from the top spot on the charts in late 1963 and early 1964 by the Singing Nun and Bobby Vinton, who monopolized the #1 slot for four weeks apiece. The Kingsmen single reached #1 on the Cashbox chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally in the UK it reached #26 on the Record Retailer chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The B-side of the single was an instrumental, "Haunted Castle".
The band attracted nationwide attention when "Louie Louie" was banned by the governor of Indiana, Matthew E. Welsh, also attracting the attention of the FBI because of alleged indecent lyrics in their version of the song. The lyrics were, in fact, innocent, but Ely's baffling enunciation permitted teenage fans and concerned parents alike to imagine the most scandalous obscenities. All of this attention only made the song more popular. In April 1966 "Louie Louie" was reissued and once again hit the music charts, reaching #65 on the Cashbox chart and #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
After the success of "Louie Louie", the members of the Kingsmen took varied paths. Easton, whose mother had registered the name of the group and therefore owned it, declared that from this point on he intended to be the singer, forcing Ely to play the drums. This led Jack Ely and Bob Nordby to quit the group.
Ely would later form his own group Jack Eely And The Courtmen (with the reason for the extra "e" in his surname not clear). Don Gallucci was forced out because he wasn't old enough to tour and later formed Don and the Goodtimes, which morphed into the short-lived Touch. Later, Gallucci would become a record producer with Elektra Records, with his most famous production being The Stooges' seminal second album Fun House. ("Louie Louie" was frequently performed at Stooges concerts; the song appears on their live album as well as an Iggy Pop solo record.) The two remaining original Kingsmen, Lynn Easton and Mike Mitchell, toured as the official band.
Following legal action on both sides, Easton established his right to the "Kingsmen" name. Thus Ely was forced to stop using it, and Easton was forced to stop lip syncing to Ely's vocals. This initially hurt the Easton Kingsmen's popularity, after audiences realized that this was no longer the band they had come to see. Eventually, though, the official band (with Easton on vocals) charted several more singles in the 1960s.
The Kingsmen's 1964 follow up to "Louie Louie" was a party version of "Money (That's What I Want)" which hit the Billboard Hot 100 at #16 and on Cashbox at #17. Then came "Little Latin Lupe Lu" peaking on Billboard at #46 and Cashbox at #49. After that it was "Death of An Angel" #33 on Cashbox and #42 on Billboard.
1965 saw the Kingsmen return to the Top 10 nationally with "The Jolly Green Giant" reaching #4 on Billboard and #8 on Cashbox. The follow-up song was "The Climb" #45 on Cashbox and #65 on Billboard. "Annie Fanny" was released next reaching #43 on Cashbox & #47 on Billboard. Next came "(You Got) The Gamma Goochee" #98 on Cashbox & #122 on Billboard.
In 1966 the Kingsmen continued to hit the charts, with "Killer Joe" reaching #77 on Billboard & #81 on Cashbox. In 1967 they made the chart for the last time with "Bo Diddley Bach" reaching #128 on Billboard.
On November 9, 1998, The Kingsmen were awarded ownership of all their early recordings released on Wand Records from Gusto Records, including "Louie Louie." They had not been paid royalties on the songs since the 1960s.
Original vocalist Jack Ely passed away in 2015, and original guitarist Mike Mitchell in 2021. A reformed Kingsmen performed at the "24 Hour Louie Louie Marathon" in Portland in October 2023, a testament to the enduring fascination with this song.
--Other Groups--
Prior to this group's formation, another group called The Kingsmen operated in 1958 and was made up of members of Bill Haley & His Comets who were moonlighting from their regular work with Haley. This group scored a hit record (#35) on Billboard with the instrumental entitled "Week End", written by Rudy Pompilli, Franny Beecher, and Billy Williamson, backed with "Better Believe It" as the B side. They released a follow-up single on East West Records featuring "The Catwalk" backed with "Conga Rock". Although the Comets did the actual recordings, when The Kingsmen went on tour a different set of musicians performed instead of Haley's people. The band made at least one appearance on American Bandstand in 1958.
Various other groups have used the name "The Kingsmen", including a gospel vocal group formed in 1956 (also referred to as The Kingsmen Quartet) and bands that were later re-named as Flamin' Groovies, The Gants and The Statler Brothers. An a cappella group at Columbia University is traditionally known as The Kingsmen; one incarnation of that group became Sha Na Na; also circa 1962-63, Bruza / Magnoli / Nofz / Tomczyk adopted that name in SE MI until dis-banding during the late-1970s.
The Jolly Green Giant
The Kingsmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard about the Jolly Green Giant (potatoes)
He's so big and mean (artichoke hearts)
He stands in his valley with his hands on his hips
And then he hits you with a can of beans
He lives down in his valley (brussels sprouts)
Well, he ain't no prize, and there's no women his size
And that's why the cat's so mean
One day he left his valley pad
I mean to say this cat was mad
Now listen 'round he wasn't gone long
And then he ran into an Amazon
Now this changed his whole complexion (broccoli)
You have never seen such a beautiful sight (corn)
he looked at her and she looked at him
And she almost passed out from fright
He looked at her thought, "What a dilly"
He touched her once, she slapped him silly
This was something he'd never sensed
He looked at her and she commenced
"Now listen, pal, this ain't no fluke
I can't see goin' with no big green kook"
You've heard about the Jolly Green Giant (eggplant)
Don't let his troubles cross your mind (celery stalks)
He couldn't get Sally, so went back to his valley
The cat was color-blind
Carrots
Snap peas
"The Jolly Green Giant" is a song by The Kingsmen, an American garage rock band, released in 1965. The lyrics of the song refer to a giant green character who lives in a valley and is known for being mean. He hits people with a can of beans and is unable to find a woman his size. The character’s mood changes when he sees a beautiful Amazon woman, but she doesn't feel the same way and slaps him. The song concludes by revealing that the giant is color-blind, and he will return to his valley.
The song can be interpreted as a humorous commentary on the theme of unrequited love or rejection. The Jolly Green Giant can be seen as an outcast who is unable to find love, which makes him bitter and aggressive. The character's color-blindness could signify his inability to see beyond superficial appearances.
Line by Line Meaning
In duh valley of duh jolly (Ho - ho - ho)
In a place called the valley of happiness where everyone laughs with joy.
Heard about the Jolly Green Giant (potatoes)
I have been told about a green giant who is famous around here.
He's so big and mean (artichoke hearts)
He is both large and frightening.
He stands there laughin' with his hands on his hips
And then he hits you with a can of beans
He appears to be happy with his arms on his hips, but then he surprises you by throwing a can of beans at you.
He lives down there in his valley (Brussels sprouts)
He resides in the valley where the environment is great for growing vegetables.
The cat stands tall and green (spinach)
He is a tall and green creature, like a vegetable.
Well, he ain't no prize, and there's no women his size
And that's why the cat's so mean
He is not physically attractive and there is no one like him, which is why he behaves badly.
One day he left His valley pad
I mean to say this cat was mad
One day he left his home and he was very angry.
Now listen 'round He wasn't gone long
And then he ran into an Amazon
He did not go away for long before he met a beautiful woman.
Well, this changed his whole complexion (broccoli)
He had never seen such a beautiful sight (corn)
Seeing such a beautiful woman changed his attitude completely.
Well, he looked at her
And she looked at him
And she almost passed out from fright
They made eye contact and she was so afraid that she almost fainted.
He looked at her thought, "what a dilly"
He touched her once She slapped him silly
He thought she was amazing, but when he touched her, she hit him hard.
This was something He had never sensed
He looked at her As she commenced
He had never experienced rejection before and was shocked when she started to speak.
Now listen, pal This ain't no fluke
I can't see goin' with a big green kook"
This is not a coincidence. I cannot date someone who is a big, green monster.
You've heard about the Jolly Green Giant (eggplant)
Don't let his troubles cross your mind (celery stalks)
Do not worry about the Jolly Green Giant's problems that he encountered with women.
He couldn't get Sally, so went back to his valley
The cat was color-blind
He was unable to pursue a relationship with the woman he met and went back to his home in the valley. He did not understand that his color was a factor in her rejection.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dewey Terry, Don Harris, Lynn William Easton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dee Tunzzlistener
That guy in the background always cracked me up "Brussel Sprouts", "Spinach", "Broccoli" "Corrrn" "Carrots!" "Split Peas". I was a kid when I got this album. So much as see canned veggies and this song pops into my brain all my life now.
Rooney
I was a kid when this came out, but I don't remember it at all. I would have laughed at it, too. I had a cloth Jolly Green Giant doll, about a foot tall.
Rick Cudog
Me too! My exact words, cracks me up. lol
sauquoit13456
On this day in 1965 {February 3rd} the Kingsmen performed "The Jolly Green Giant" on the ABC-TV weekly program 'Shindig!'... One month earlier on January 9th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #4 and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100... Between 1963 and 1966 the group entered the Top 100 nine times; with two making the Top 10 and one reaching #2 {"Louie, Louie" for 6 weeks}... R.I.P. Jimmy O'Neill {Shindig's host; 1940 - 2012}...
David Marrs
I saw these guys back in the day at the Minnesota State Fair. They did a lot of comedy schtick, and put on a fun show. In addition, they were a solid band and sounded good.
Mark arlington
The bass player founded SUNN amplifiers Check out The Hendrix bass player gear or the Who... or Woodstock...they were great and big
Mike Quebec's Hepcats Hangout '50's Channel
Probably the healthiest song you'll ever eat...er...hear! Who says rock n' roll is bad for you?
Christine Klinger
Another blast from the past thanks for sharing the video it brings back memories for me when i was a teenage girl in the mid sixtie.
John kola
i'll never be able to listen to this timeless classic without thinking of WACKY PACKAGES!!! 60'S BABY! YEAH!!!!!
Roxsox221
Along with the Liverpool Five these guys made life in the Sixties in the Pac NW a music bonanza.