Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
Encyclopedia
"Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" is the first single off Primus
's 1995 album Tales from the Punchbowl
.
stylings are comically inflected with a sound vaguely reminiscent of bluegrass
and southern rock
. During the song's guitar solos, Larry LaLonde
's playing shifts from almost "noise
" guitar in the first solo to a somewhat country-sounding technique and banjo-style finger-picking on the second (inspired by Jerry Garcia
). The song's lyrics constitute an absurd, rambling tale about a woman named Wynona and her "beaver". They combine an on-the-surface crude sexual double entendre
in "beaver" with the more purely nonsensical silliness typical of the band (e.g., strange references to baboon
s, Taco Bell
, carnies, and porcupine
s).
for "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver", centered on the band dressed as comical-looking, shiny latex-suited cowboys. The costumes bore a strong resemblance to those used in a popular Duracell
advertising campaign at the time which featured a family of battery-powered, toy-like people (the Puttermans
). In an interview, bandleader Les Claypool
revealed the suits were intended to resemble "cheap plastic cowboy action figures". The video jumps between shots of the band playing in a barn and of the band engaged in parodies of cowboy activities. The video also features some airbrushed drawings done by Claypool. The video's live action sequences were filmed at Claypool's home, known as Rancho Relaxo. The video marks the second video appearance of Les' red jazz bass.
Because the band's cowboy suits were so cumbersome, they played along to the track slowed down significantly to more easily coordinate their actions to the music. In the video, Tim Alexander
's bass drum reads "Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boy". This was meant as a tribute to Phillip Bury, who went under the name Buck. He was a close friend to the band, who had died in 1992. He was in the aforementioned Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys
. The video appeared on Primus' Tales from the Punchbowl [CD-ROM] album as well as the 2003 EP/DVD release Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
, along with an in-depth making-of feature.
. Claypool has stated several times that the song is not about Ryder, pointing out that the song's name is spelled and pronounced differently. While this placated Ryder, her then boyfriend Soul Asylum
vocalist David Pirner took offense and renamed one of his songs "Les Claypool's A Big Fucking Asshole" in concert.
One of the song's lyrics was edited in the music video. The original line, "But the beaver was quick and grabbed him by the kiwis, and he ain't pissed for a week (and a half!)" was replaced by "...and he egg-pressed for a week...".
's movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno
.
Voodoo Brewery makes "Wynona's Big Brown Ale" in honor of the song and band.
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
's 1995 album Tales from the Punchbowl
Tales from the Punchbowl
-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Daniel Gioffre describes the album as "unabashed prog rock... which even the thick dollops of irony that the band seeks to impart to its compositions are unable to mask completely." He also notes that "the high-energy angular rhythms that Primus is...
.
Music and lyrics
The song epitomizes Primus's musical eccentricities, whereby the group's signature funk metalFunk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
stylings are comically inflected with a sound vaguely reminiscent of bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
and southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
. During the song's guitar solos, Larry LaLonde
Larry LaLonde
Larry "Ler" LaLonde is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Jay Lane...
's playing shifts from almost "noise
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
" guitar in the first solo to a somewhat country-sounding technique and banjo-style finger-picking on the second (inspired by Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
). The song's lyrics constitute an absurd, rambling tale about a woman named Wynona and her "beaver". They combine an on-the-surface crude sexual double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
in "beaver" with the more purely nonsensical silliness typical of the band (e.g., strange references to baboon
Baboon
Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominoid members of the primate order; only the mandrill and the drill are larger...
s, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, carnies, and porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
s).
Music video
The band also filmed a music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver", centered on the band dressed as comical-looking, shiny latex-suited cowboys. The costumes bore a strong resemblance to those used in a popular Duracell
Duracell
Duracell is a brand of batteries manufactured by Procter & Gamble.Additionally, Duracell owns the Procell professional-use brand.-Products:Duracell manufactures alkaline batteries in many common sizes, such as AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V...
advertising campaign at the time which featured a family of battery-powered, toy-like people (the Puttermans
The Puttermans
The Puttermans starred in a series of advertisements created by New York-based advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather for Duracell in the mid-1990s....
). In an interview, bandleader Les Claypool
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
revealed the suits were intended to resemble "cheap plastic cowboy action figures". The video jumps between shots of the band playing in a barn and of the band engaged in parodies of cowboy activities. The video also features some airbrushed drawings done by Claypool. The video's live action sequences were filmed at Claypool's home, known as Rancho Relaxo. The video marks the second video appearance of Les' red jazz bass.
Because the band's cowboy suits were so cumbersome, they played along to the track slowed down significantly to more easily coordinate their actions to the music. In the video, Tim Alexander
Tim Alexander
Tim "Herb" Alexander is an American musician, best known as the former drummer for the rock band Primus. Tim played on the Primus recordings Suck on This to Tales from the Punchbowl, before leaving the band in 1996, only to rejoin in 2003 for the EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People...
's bass drum reads "Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boy". This was meant as a tribute to Phillip Bury, who went under the name Buck. He was a close friend to the band, who had died in 1992. He was in the aforementioned Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys
Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys
Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys were an American rockabilly band from San Francisco, California.-History:Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys came out of the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1980s...
. The video appeared on Primus' Tales from the Punchbowl [CD-ROM] album as well as the 2003 EP/DVD release Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People is a career-spanning retrospective DVD plus bonus EP by Primus, released on October 7, 2003. The title was inspired by a crayon-made story book written by guitarist Larry LaLonde's son, and the cover depicts a sculpture made by long-time Primus collaborator...
, along with an in-depth making-of feature.
Controversy
Many incorrectly believed "Wynona" was about actress Winona RyderWinona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
. Claypool has stated several times that the song is not about Ryder, pointing out that the song's name is spelled and pronounced differently. While this placated Ryder, her then boyfriend Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley. The latter was replaced by Grant Young in...
vocalist David Pirner took offense and renamed one of his songs "Les Claypool's A Big Fucking Asshole" in concert.
One of the song's lyrics was edited in the music video. The original line, "But the beaver was quick and grabbed him by the kiwis, and he ain't pissed for a week (and a half!)" was replaced by "...and he egg-pressed for a week...".
Appearances
The song appears at the beginning of Kevin SmithKevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
's movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a 2008 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, distributed by The Weinstein Company, and starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks. It is Smith's second film not to be set within the View Askewniverse and the first not set in New Jersey. It was...
.
Voodoo Brewery makes "Wynona's Big Brown Ale" in honor of the song and band.