The band released two live recordings in 2001, "Live Frogs Set 1" and "Live Frogs Set 2". "Set 1" is a mix of covers and originals, including Thela hun Ginjeet (King Crimson) and Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd). "Set 2" is a live cover of the entire Pink Floyd album, "Animals". A studio album was also released in 2002 entitled "The Purple Onion".
All three albums were released on Les Claypool's Prawn Song Records, which is a play on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label.
History
Claypool formed the band to play the Mountain Aire Festival, a jamband festival that takes place in Northern California on Memorial Day weekends each year. Its initial lineup featured MIRV on guitar, Skerik on saxophone, and both Jack Irons (ex-Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Primus' Tim Alexander on drums.
In August 2000, Claypool created a new line-up of the Frog Brigade and took it on a tour that fall. The band consisted of Jay Lane on drums and Todd Huth on guitar, who had worked with Claypool in Sausage (which in itself was a re-formation of the first line up of Primus), guitarist Eenor, who got a place in the band by winning a mail-order competition, Jeff Chimenti, the keyboardist from Ratdog (Jay Lane also has worked with Ratdog), and Skerik continuing on saxophone. This version of the band played a show consisting of two sets - the first filled with covers and songs from Claypool's previous bands, and a second set where the band would play all of the Pink Floyd album, Animals.
After this tour, the Brigade released two live recordings, both taken from the Autumn 2000 concerts by the band in San Francisco. Live Frogs, Vol. 1 contained material from the first, free-form set, and Live Frogs, Vol. 2 was a recording of the band performing Animals.
In the summer of 2001 the band comprised of Claypool, Skerik, Eenor and a new drummer, Paul Svena. Les began writing new material and they began playing single-set live shows. In 2002, Mike Dillon was added as a percussionist and the Frog Brigade recorded their only studio album to date, Purple Onion.
In 2003, Eenor left the band and guitarist Brian Kehoe joined. Throughout their touring schedule the band has changed drummers multiple times. The current drummer is Paulo Baldi.
In 2004 Claypool formed a new jamband, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, with guitarist Buckethead, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and former Primus drummer Brian Mantia (aka Brain). This band had much the same genesis as the Frog Brigade; Formed to play at the Bonnaroo Festival of that year, it has since gone on the road, and recordings have become subsequent live albums.
As of Spring 2005, the Frog Brigade has not recorded any new material since Purple Onion, and the band has not gone on a major tour since Summer 2003, but has occasionally re-formed to play other one-off shows and music festivals. Claypool is currently undertaking a tour with Jay Lane, Gabby La La, Mike Dillon and Skerik as Les Claypool's Fancy Band.
Claypool currently plays with lots of people. He usually tours just as "Les Claypool" and plays with many different musicians and the many different instruments they play, both new and of his past. For example MIRV from the original frog brigade played with les at Bonnaroo '08 in a 4 piece with drums, a cello, MIRV on guitar and handsaw, and les on his many different types of basses. Later that night he was covering Tom Waits songs with members of gogol bordello. He plays an array of music and you truly never really know what you will see since the lineups is always evolving with different sounds. But the one thing you know you will always hear is the unique sounds Les can make. He also still whips out the classic lineups from time to time.
Buzzards of Green Hill
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They come from the city, out here to Green Hill
Driving like bastards
Stomping the throttle
The buzzards of Green Hill grow fat on road kill.
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy was a baby bear,
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy didn't have no hair,
But he didn't give a good hot damn.
Little Ruby had a purry kitty cat
Brother ran him off with a tee-ball bat
Out on the Green Hill the little kitty cat sat
'Til he met a '96 Dodge Ram.
Johnny come lately, all through the county
They come from the city, out here to Green Hill
Driving like bastards
Stomping the throttle
The buzzards of Green Hill grow fat on road kill.
Old John Donovon was drinkin' late
Took his car keys and taunted fate
Swervin' cross the interstate,
Crashed a mother and her son cold dead.
Took John Donovan hucked him in jail
He dipped in his wallet and posted bail
Headed back home before sunrise shine
And slept in his very own bed.
This little piggy won't cast a stone,
This little piggy won't pick the bone,
But these little piggies won't stand alone when justice needs to be fed.
Johnny come lately, all through the county
They come from the city, out here to Green Hill
Driving like bastards
Stomping the throttle
The buzzards of Green Hill grow fat on road kill.
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade's song Buzzards of Green Hill tells the story of the peaceful, natural environment of Green Hill being disturbed by the constant influx of reckless city drivers who speed through the countryside, killing wildlife and endangering the lives of people. The buzzards that live on Green Hill thrive on the road kill left behind by these careless drivers, growing fat off the corpses. The lyrics suggest that these drivers, who are "Johnny come lately, all through the county," are not welcome in Green Hill, and their disregard for the environment and life around them is leading to destruction.
The song also touches on themes of justice and responsibility. When one of these drivers, John Donovan, causes a fatal accident, he is taken into custody and held accountable for his actions. However, the lyrics also suggest that the community should not rely on the justice system alone to hold people accountable, but rather take a stand themselves when "justice needs to be fed." The lyrics use animal imagery to convey this message, with the little piggy who will not cast a stone or pick the bone, but will not stand alone when justice needs to be done.
Overall, the lyrics of Buzzards of Green Hill paint a picture of a community and its natural surroundings under threat from outside forces, and the need for justice and responsibility in the face of these threats.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny come lately, all through the county
Newcomers arrive frequently from nearby counties
They come from the city, out here to Green Hill
People from the city come to the rural area of Green Hill
Driving like bastards
They drive recklessly and dangerously
Stomping the throttle
They are accelerating their vehicles rapidly
The buzzards of Green Hill grow fat on road kill.
The local scavenger birds are becoming well-fed due to all the animal casualties on the road
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy was a baby bear,
A young bear named Little Fuzzy Wuzzy is introduced
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy didn't have no hair,
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy has no fur on his body
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy was he
Despite his name, Little Fuzzy Wuzzy is not fuzzy
But he didn't give a good hot damn.
Little Fuzzy Wuzzy doesn't care about his lack of fuzziness
Little Ruby had a purry kitty cat
Another character, Little Ruby, owned a cat that purred
Brother ran him off with a tee-ball bat
Little Ruby's brother scared off the cat with a bat meant for playing tee-ball
Out on the Green Hill the little kitty cat sat
The cat stayed in Green Hill despite being scared off by Little Ruby's brother
'Til he met a '96 Dodge Ram.
However, the cat's fate was sealed when it met a speeding Dodge Ram
Old John Donovon was drinkin' late
Introducing another character, John Donovan, who drinks alcohol excessively
Took his car keys and taunted fate
Despite being intoxicated, John decided to drive a car
Swervin' cross the interstate,
He drove recklessly on a busy interstate
Crashed a mother and her son cold dead.
Unfortunately, his reckless driving caused a fatal accident
Took John Donovan hucked him in jail
John was taken to jail as punishment
He dipped in his wallet and posted bail
John was able to pay his way out of jail with money from his wallet
Headed back home before sunrise shine
John went home before sunrise
And slept in his very own bed.
Despite causing a fatal accident, John was able to sleep in his own bed
This little piggy won't cast a stone,
A reference to the nursery rhyme 'This Little Piggy', indicating that one character will not judge
This little piggy won't pick the bone,
Another nod to the nursery rhyme, indicating that another character will not take advantage of a situation
But these little piggies won't stand alone when justice needs to be fed.
However, when justice needs to be served, they will stand together
Johnny come lately, all through the county
Reiteration of the frequent arrival of outsiders to Green Hill
They come from the city, out here to Green Hill
Reiteration of people from the city coming to Green Hill
Driving like bastards
Reiteration of dangerous driving behavior
Stomping the throttle
Reiteration of rapid acceleration
The buzzards of Green Hill grow fat on road kill.
Reiteration of scavenger birds becoming well-fed due to the increase in animal casualties on the road
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LES CLAYPOOL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind