Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
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Wynona's Big Brown Beaver is the first single off Primus's 1995 album Tales From the Punchbowl.
| “Wynona's Big Brown Beaver” | |||||
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| Single by Primus from the album Tales from the Punchbowl |
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| Released | 1995 | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock Funk metal Alternative Metal |
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| Length | 4:23 | ||||
| Label | Interscope Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Claypool/LaLonde | ||||
| Producer | Primus | ||||
| Primus singles chronology | |||||
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Contents |
[edit] Music and lyrics
The song epitomizes Primus's musical eccentricities, whereby the group's signature funk metal 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 baboons, Taco Bell, carnies, and porcupines).
[edit] Music video
The band also filmed a video for "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver," centered around 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. 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 "Wynona..." video also features some air brushed drawings done by Claypool. The video's live action sequences were filmed at Claypool's home, known as "Rancho Relaxo."
Since 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. The final product is sped up back to "normal" speed. The video appeared on Primus's Tales from the Punchbowl CD-ROM album as well as 2003 EP/DVD release Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, along with an in-depth making-of feature.
[edit] Controversy
Many incorrectly believed "Wynona" was about actress Winona Ryder. 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. Claypool was apparently not even aware of this at the time, although this did cause tension between fans of Primus and Soul Asylum for a brief period.
[edit] Trivia
- In the video, Tim Alexander's bass drum reads "Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys." This was meant as a tribute to the man, Buck, a close friend to the band, who had died in 1992.
- The video marks the 2nd video appearance of Les' Red jazz bass.
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