Primus, the band synonymous with quirky, unconventional sounds and the masterful bass playing of Les Claypool, gifted the world “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” in 1995. For those drawn to the bizarre and musically inventive, this song, rich with Claypool’s signature basslines and eccentric lyrics, became an instant earworm. It’s not your typical radio hit, but its peculiarity is precisely what makes it so captivating, especially when paired with its unforgettable music video.
The video experience is almost essential to fully appreciate “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.” Before ever hearing it on the radio, encountering the video was a formative experience. It possesses a Devo-esque quality, demanding attention and rewarding repeat viewings with its sheer oddity and creative visuals.
Image: Les Claypool of Primus performing “big brown beaver song” music video, wearing a cartoon cowboy foam suit.
Adding to the song’s intrigue were the rumors swirling around its meaning. A popular theory at the time linked the “Wynona” of the title to actress Winona Ryder. However, Les Claypool himself refuted this speculation in interviews, emphasizing the different spelling of “Wynona” and insisting the song had no connection to the actress. Interestingly, this denial didn’t entirely quell the rumors, and even provoked a humorous, albeit slightly aggressive, response from Ryder’s then-boyfriend, Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, who jokingly retaliated in concert by renaming one of his songs “Les Claypool’s A Big F–king Asshole.” This playful feud only added to the song’s already colorful narrative.
“Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” is a collaborative effort, penned by the Primus trio: Les Claypool, Larry LaLonde, and Tim Alexander. While Primus has never broken into the Billboard Hot 100, this track stands out as one of their most recognized and loved songs. It climbed to #12 on the Billboard Alternative Charts and #23 on the Mainstream Rock chart, solidifying its place as a 90s alternative rock staple.
The music video for “Big Brown Beaver Song” truly elevates the song’s impact. Words can hardly do it justice; it needs to be seen to be believed. The cartoonish cowboy suits worn by the band members are a stroke of genius, perfectly complementing the song’s whimsical nature.
Image: Primus band performing “big brown beaver” song in cartoonish cowboy costumes, jerky sped-up video effect.
The inspiration behind “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” is as quirky as the song itself. Les Claypool recounted the song’s genesis, stemming from a real-life encounter with a large beaver during a fishing trip:
“I was fly fishing with a friend of mine up in Lassen County (California), and the sun was going down and we were heading back to the car,” he said. “He was off in one direction, and I went off in another direction. I come around this corner and I step into the creek. And just as I spied this thing, it spied me. It was this big, furry mass coming my way. It flipped and popped its tail and scared the s–t out of me, and I scared the s–t out of it. It was this giant beaver. I mean, it was huge.”
This surprising wildlife encounter merged with a pre-existing bassline Claypool had developed, resulting in the birth of “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver”:
“It just happened that I had this bass part with all these triplets in it and it kind of fit real well with those lyrics,” “So when we did Punchbowl, we put the two together and that became the ‘Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver’ that everybody came to know.”
The song title itself, with its playful double entendre, might also have been subtly influenced by a line from the 1988 movie The Naked Gun. The movie features a memorable, slightly suggestive exchange:
Nice beaver.
Thank you. I just had it stuffed.
Claypool acknowledges this cultural reference as a potential seed for the song’s concept:
So it kind of got in my head. This big brown beaver, big brown beaver. Okay. Well, how can I make a song out of that? And then it became, ‘Wynona’s got herself a big brown beaver.’ And from there it just built into this little mythological character that obviously had a little double entendre to it.”
Initially, Primus envisioned the song as a lighthearted filler track, a brief comedic interlude within their album. However, the elaborate music video production, typical of the era when record labels invested heavily in MTV visuals, transformed the song into something much bigger. The video’s unique sped-up, jerky aesthetic was achieved by filming at 18 frames-per-second and then playing it back at the standard 24 frames-per-second, requiring the band to mime to a slowed-down version of the song during filming.
Despite its eventual popularity, “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” faced initial resistance from MTV, requiring some convincing from Claypool and ultimately being relegated to nighttime play. For Claypool, the song became a double-edged sword. While it brought wider recognition, it also led some to misinterpret Primus as merely a novelty act. He eventually came to terms with this, understanding that the song’s humor wouldn’t resonate with everyone, and focused on those who appreciated Primus’s multifaceted artistry.
Even in later years, Les Claypool revisited “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,” recording a more stripped-down version with his side project Duo de Twang on their 2014 album Four Foot Shack. This rendition echoed the song’s original, more raw and less produced conception.
The lyrics themselves contribute significantly to the song’s quirky charm, painting a surreal and humorous picture:
Wynona’s got herself a big brown beaver and she shows it off to all her friends.
One day, you know, that beaver tried to leave her, so she caged him up with cyclone fence.
Along came Lou with the old baboon and said “I recognize that smell,Smells like seven layers,That beaver eatin’ Taco Bell!”.
“Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” remains a testament to Primus’s unique place in 90s alternative music. It’s a song that embraces the bizarre, celebrates musical eccentricity, and proves that sometimes, the most unconventional ideas can become the most memorable hits.
