Badgers (animation)

Last updated

Looping GIF of the badgers dancing Badgers Badgers.gif
Looping GIF of the badgers dancing

"Badgers", also known informally as "Badger Badger Badger" or "The Badger Song", is a Flash animated meme by British, Bristol-based animator Jonti Picking, also known as Mr Weebl. It consists of 12 animated cartoon badgers doing calisthenics, a mushroom in front of a tree, and a snake in the desert. The Flash cartoon is accompanied by a bass line, above which a voiceover sings the names of what is shown on screen. [1]

Contents

The Flash cartoon went live on B3ta.com on 2 September 2003 at 3:49 a.m. GMT. [2] The cartoon loops indefinitely.

According to Mr Weebl, the inspiration behind "The Badger Song" comes from the song Saturday Night by Whigfield: [2] "[Saturday Night] has a duck quacking throughout. I decided that the tune needed an annoying squeak sound in the background. The lyrics were meant to be a placeholder, but much like The Riddle by Nik Kershaw, the placeholder became the actual thing."

Critical reception

The cartoon brought Picking to the attention of MTV Europe, for whom Picking produced Weebl and Bob . [1] That cartoon series, together with the dancing badgers, helped Picking's website Weebl's Stuff win a People's Choice award from users of Yahoo! in the UK. [3] "Badger Badger Badger" was also listed as one of the top five internet fads of all time by PC World in 2009. [4]

Follow-up versions

There have been several follow ups to the "Badger Badger Badger" cartoon posted to the Weebl's Stuff website. "Badgers 2" was created in 2003, and features zombie badgers on a black background with a scratching sound added to the music. [5] A Christmas-themed version, with the badgers dressed in Santa Claus suits, the mushroom replaced with a present, and the snake replaced with baby Jesus in a nativity scene, is also available, and was made for the 2004 Weebl Advent Calendar. [6] "Badgers on a Plane" consists of a scene from a Snakes on a Plane trailer that includes badgers and a mushroom, which have been digitally edited into the scene, tumbling from their seats while a bit of the song plays in the background. [7] In 2007, "Big Ass Badgers" was released to spoof the Transformers film. [8] Also in 2007, a live action version of the cartoon called "Baby Badgers" was released to promote the new Badger toys. [9]

A "Euro 2004 Edition" was also created during the UEFA Euro 2004 football championship, where the badgers wore England football jerseys to "footy, footy, footy" and "England! England! Goal! A goal! Oh, it's a goal, scored by England, England..." [10] A new version titled "Footy 2010" was created for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with vuvuzelas drowning out the audio. [11] Another version, titled "Realistic Football Badgers", was created in response to England's loss in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The song is referenced in the January 2004 comic strips of JD Fraser's User Friendly. A few of the characters interpreted "the song goes on about badgers, mushrooms and a snake" and that the song does not make sense.

A parody by a group called Fifth District, titled "Potter Potter Potter", depicts several images of Harry Potter dancing on the Hogwarts Campus, one image of Ron Weasley dancing in another area of the campus, and Severus Snape advancing menacingly toward the figures of the bespectacled wizarding teen, with a Whomping Willow tree and flying hippogriffs in the background. The chant is "Potter Potter Potter Potter" and "Weasley! Weasley!" and "Snape! Snape! Oh, it's a Snape!". [12]

In 2011, a dubstep version called "Guess I Got My Badger Back" was released based on "Swagga" by Excision & Datsik. [13] On 6 April 2011 he uploaded a 3D version.

A new version of the song was launched on the Moshi Monsters website, where the Monsters appear on the screen as, "Moshi Moshi" is sung instead. Every now and then, there is a break where "Monster", or even rarer, "Moshling", is said instead. [14]

On 6 March 2013, Canadian musician Devin Townsend released a previously unreleased cover of the song while recording the album Deconstruction . [15]

Another adaptation of the song, "Save the Badger Badger Badger", was released on 19 May 2013, in response to proposed badger culling in the United Kingdom. The song features vocals and guitar from Brian May and visuals reminiscent to the 1980 film Flash Gordon , in addition to vocals from Weebl and Brian Blessed. [16] Some of the song's lyrics are changed.

On 2 September 2023, Weebl's Stuff uploaded "20 Years of Badgers" in honour of the original Flash video's 20th anniversary. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severus Snape</span> Fictional character in the Harry Potter series

Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose extremely cold and resentful exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Snape is hostile to Harry due to his resemblance to his father James Potter, who bullied Snape during their time together at Hogwarts.

<i>Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone</i> 1997 fantasy novel by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling. The first novel in the Harry Potter series and Rowling's debut novel, it follows Harry Potter, a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday, when he receives a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry makes close friends and a few enemies during his first year at the school and with the help of his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, he faces an attempted comeback by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents, but failed to kill Harry when he was just 15 months old.

<i>Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</i> 2003 fantasy novel by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fifth novel in the Harry Potter series. It follows Harry Potter's struggles through his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the surreptitious return of the antagonist Lord Voldemort, O.W.L. exams, and an obstructive Ministry of Magic. The novel was published on 21 June 2003 by Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom, Scholastic in the United States, and Raincoast in Canada. It sold five million copies in the first 24 hours of publication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Order of the Phoenix (fictional organisation)</span> Fictional organisation in the Harry Potter universe

The Order of the Phoenix is a secret organisation in the Harry Potter series of fiction books written by J. K. Rowling. Founded by Albus Dumbledore to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, the Order lends its name to the fifth book of the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The original members of the Order of the Phoenix include Sirius Black, Emmeline Vance, Nymphadora Tonks, Benjy Fenwick, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Edgar Bones, Lily Potter, James Potter, Sturgis Podmore, Caradoc Dearborn, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Fleur Delacour, Alice Longbottom, Frank Longbottom, Dorcas Meadowes, Albus Dumbledore, Hestia Jones, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Aberforth Dumbledore, Dedalus Diggle, Minerva McGonagall and Marlene McKinnon.

The everyday happenings of Weebl and sometimes Weebl's friend, Bob is a flash-animated cartoon series created by Jonti Picking and co-scripted by Chris Vick. It revolves around a "grammatically challenged weeble" and his friend Bob and their quest for pie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Potter (character)</span> Protagonist of the Harry Potter literature series

Harry James Potter is a fictional character and the titular protagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of eponymous novels. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Harry, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard. Thus, he attends Hogwarts to practise magic under the guidance of the kindly headmaster Albus Dumbledore and other school professors along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry also discovers that he is already famous throughout the novel's magical community, and that his fate is tied with that of Lord Voldemort – the internationally feared Dark Wizard and murderer of his parents, James and Lily Potter. The book and film series revolve around Harry's struggle to adapt to the wizarding world and defeat Voldemort.

<i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</i> 2007 fantasy novel by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the seventh and final novel in the Harry Potter series. It was released on 21 July 2007 in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publishing, in the United States by Scholastic, and in Canada by Raincoast Books. The novel chronicles the events directly following Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005) and the final confrontation between the wizards Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.

The following is a list of magical objects used in the fictional universe of Harry Potter in the original book series, as well as in the adapted film series.

<i>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</i> (film) 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) and the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series. It stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger respectively. The story follows Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts as he receives a mysterious textbook, falls in love, and attempts to retrieve a memory that holds the key to Lord Voldemort's downfall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonti Picking</span> British internet personality (born 1975)

Jonathan "Jonti" Picking, also known as Weebl and Mr Weebl, is a British Internet personality and Flash animator and is the creator of Weebl's Stuff.

The following is a list of Hogwarts staff in the Harry Potter books written by J. K. Rowling.

<i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1</i> 2010 film by David Yates

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is a 2010 fantasy film directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The film is the first of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. It is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) and the seventh instalment in the Harry Potter film series.

<i>Potter Puppet Pals</i> Parody web series

Potter Puppet Pals is a puppet show web series parodying the Harry Potter novel series by J. K. Rowling, created by Neil Cicierega..

<i>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</i> (soundtrack) 2009 film score by Nicholas Hooper

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the soundtrack to the 2009 film of the same name, written and composed by Nicholas Hooper. The score was conducted by Hooper alongside Alastair King. It is the second Harry Potter film to be scored by Hooper, who also composed the score for the previous film in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The soundtrack was released on 14 July 2009, a day before the film's release, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginny Weasley</span> Fictional character in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series

Ginevra Molly "Ginny" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novel series. Ginny is introduced in the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as the youngest sibling and only daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley. She becomes Harry's main love interest and eventually marries him at the end of the series. She is portrayed by Bonnie Wright in all eight Harry Potter films.

<i>A Very Potter Sequel</i> Harry Potter parody musical

A Very Potter Sequel is a musical with music and lyrics by Darren Criss and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang, and Brian Holden. The story is a parody, based on several of the Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling, as well as their film counterparts.

<i>A Very Potter Musical</i> Harry Potter parody musical

A Very Potter Musical is a musical with music and lyrics by Darren Criss and A. J. Holmes and a book by Matt Lang, Nick Lang and Brian Holden. The story is a parody, based on several of the Harry Potter novels by J. K. Rowling, as well as their film adaptations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save the Badger Badger Badger</span> 2013 single by Weebl and Brian May featuring Brian Blessed

"Save the Badger Badger Badger" is a mashup of Jonti Picking's 2003 viral Flash animation Badgers and "Flash" by Queen. The song was released on 19 May 2013, in response to proposed badger culling in the United Kingdom. The song features vocals and guitar from Brian May and visuals reminiscent to the 1980 film Flash Gordon, in addition to vocals from Weebl and Brian Blessed. Said May of the song:

The British people are speaking in their many thousands, and yet the Government is refusing to listen. We thank them for buying this track and giving the badgers a voice. Let’s get this to number one so David Cameron cannot avoid it. This cull is unscientific, unethical and won’t work. The government is set to murder 5,000 badgers and yet all the peer-reviewed scientific evidence shows that the answer to the problem of bovine TB in cattle does not lie in this slaughter and that this action will be ineffective and potentially damaging to the welfare of both farm animals and wildlife. It is shocking that the NFU and the government have been allowed to continue with a politically led policy with no basis in science against the will of the people. Badgers rock!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellatrix Lestrange</span> Fictional Harry Potter character

Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. She evolved from an unnamed periphery character in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire into a major antagonist in subsequent novels. In the final installment of the story, Rowling established her as Lord Voldemort's "last, best lieutenant". Bellatrix was the first female Death Eater introduced in the books. Bellatrix had a fanatic obsession with the Dark Lord although she was clearly fearful of his magical abilities and absolute power over his forces. She is almost as sadistic and homicidal as Lord Voldemort, with a psychotic personality.

References

  1. 1 2 Silverman, Dwight (14 February 2004). "Youth culture finding unity with online animations". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "The lost era of memes". Fasthosts. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Jon Dennis (21 January 2005). "Dancing badgers help Weebl's website win award". The Guardian . Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  4. ↑ "PC World - Shortlist - Internet fads". Pcworld.idg.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 April 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  5. ↑ "Badgers 2 - a Halloween version". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  6. ↑ "Badgers Christmas version". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "trailer - Weebl's Stuff". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "Big Ass Badgers - Weebl's Stuff". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  9. ↑ "Baby Badgers". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  10. ↑ "footy - Weebl's Stuff". Weebls-stuff.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "Footy 2010". Weebls-stuff.com. 18 June 2010. Archived from the original on 21 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  12. ↑ "Potter Potter Potter". The Fifth District. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006.
  13. ↑ "Guess I got My Badger Back". Weebls-stuff.com. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  14. ↑ "Moshi Moshi Moshi". 15 April 2011.
  15. ↑ "Deconstructing Badgers". 6 March 2013 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "Save the Badger Badger Badger". 19 May 2013 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "20 Years of Badger". Newgrounds.com. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.