{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{short description|Animated internet meme}} [[File:Badgers_Badgers.gif|thumb|Looping [[GIF]] of the animation of badgers]] "'''Badgers'''", also known informally as "'''Badger Badger Badger'''" or "'''The Badger Song'''", is an animated [[Internet meme|meme]] by British animator [[Jonti Picking]], also known as Mr Weebl. It consists of twelve [[animated cartoon]] [[European badger|badgers]] doing [[calisthenics|callisthenics]], a [[Amanita muscaria|mushroom]] in front of a tree, and a [[snake]] in the [[desert]]. The [[cartoon]] is accompanied by a music, above which a [[voiceover]] sings the names of what is shown on [[Electronic visual display|screen]].<ref name="Silverman">{{cite news |url=http://www.chron.com/business/article/Computing-1497072.php |title=Youth culture finding unity with online animations |first=Dwight |last=Silverman |date=14 February 2004 |work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref>

The cartoon went live on [[B3ta.com]] on 2 September 2003 at 3:59&nbsp;a.m. BST.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=25 August 2023 |title=The lost era of memes |url=https://www.fasthosts.co.uk/blog/the-lost-era-of-memes/ |access-date=31 August 2023 |website=Fasthosts}}</ref> In its original Flash version, the cartoon [[Endless loop|loops]] indefinitely. According to Mr Weebl, the inspiration behind "The Badger Song" comes from the song ''[[Saturday Night (Whigfield song)|Saturday Night]]'' by [[Whigfield]]:<ref name=":0" /> "[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_(Nik_Kershaw_song)|The Riddle]] by [[Nik Kershaw]], the placeholder became the actual thing."

==Reception== The cartoon brought Picking to the attention of [[MTV Europe]], for whom Picking produced ''[[Weebl and Bob]]''.<ref name="Silverman"/> 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.<ref name="Dennis">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/jan/21/uknews.onlinesupplement |title=Dancing badgers help Weebl's website win award |author=Jon Dennis |date=21 January 2005 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=16 April 2008}}</ref> "Badger Badger Badger" was also listed as one of the top five internet fads of all time by [[PC World (magazine)|''PC World'']] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/fp;2;fpid;10004;o;0;id;1510015981 |title=PC World - Shortlist - Internet fads |publisher=Pcworld.idg.com.au |access-date=9 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070415203238/http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/index.php/fp%3B2%3Bfpid%3B10004%3Bo%3B0%3Bid%3B1510015981 |archive-date=15 April 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In May 2026, the video was preserved as part of the [[British Film Institute]]'s Online Video collection.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Growcoot |first=Matt |date=2026-05-18 |title=Badger Badger Badger Video Officially Preserved by British Film Institute |url=https://petapixel.com/2026/05/18/badger-badger-badger-video-officially-preserved-by-british-film-institute/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=PetaPixel |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-19 |title=All about... online video and the third age of the moving image |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/all-about-online-video-third-age-moving-image |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=BFI |language=en}}</ref> In 2026, the [[British Film Institute]] (BFI) has officially preserved a copy of "Badger Badger Badger".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weisberger |first=Jason |date=2026-05-19 |title=The UK has formally declared Badger Badger Badger worthy of preservation |url=https://boingboing.net/2026/05/19/the-uk-has-formally-declared-badger-badger-badger-worthy-of-preservation.html |access-date=2026-05-28 |website=Boing Boing |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Other 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/badgers2/ |title=Badgers 2 - a Halloween version |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001519/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/badgers2/ |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/testy/AdventCalendar/day24.html |title=Badgers Christmas version |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001208/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/testy/AdventCalendar/day24.html |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> "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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/trailer/ |title=trailer - Weebl's Stuff |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001907/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/trailer/ |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> In 2007, "Big Ass Badgers" was released to spoof the ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/Big+Ass+Badgers/ |title=Big Ass Badgers - Weebl's Stuff |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001654/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/Big+Ass+Badgers/ |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> Also in 2007, a live-action version of the cartoon called "Baby Badgers" was released to promote the new Badger toys.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/Baby+Badgers/ |title=Baby Badgers |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001807/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/Baby+Badgers/ |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref>

A "Euro 2004 Edition" was also created during the [[UEFA Euro 2004]] football championship, where the badgers wore [[England national football team|England]] football jerseys to "[[Association football|footy]] footy footy" and "England! England! Goal! A goal! Oh, it's a goal, scored by England, England..."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/footy/ |title=footy - Weebl's Stuff |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |access-date=9 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717001330/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/footy/ |archive-date=17 July 2009}}</ref> A new version titled "Footy 2010" was created for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] with [[vuvuzela]]s drowning out the audio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Footy+2010/ |title=Footy 2010 |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |date=18 June 2010 |access-date=22 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621005759/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Footy%2B2010/ |archive-date=21 June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> Another version, titled "Realistic Football Badgers", was created in response to England's [[2014 FIFA World Cup]] loss. 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 [[hippogriff]]s in the background. The chant is "Potter Potter Potter Potter", "Weasley! Weasley!", and "Snape! Snape! Oh, it's a Snape!".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thefifthdistrict.com/potter/ |title=Potter Potter Potter |publisher=The Fifth District |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820154607/http://thefifthdistrict.com/potter/ |archive-date=20 August 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2011, a [[dubstep]] version called "Guess I Got My Badger Back" was released based on "Swagga" by [[Excision (musician)|Excision]] & [[Datsik (musician)|Datsik]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Guess+I+got+My+Badger+Back/ |title=Guess I got My Badger Back |publisher=Weebls-stuff.com |date=21 March 2011 |access-date=27 March 2010 |archive-date=24 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324091253/http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Guess+I+got+My+Badger+Back |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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. Occasionally, there is a break where "Monster", or even rarer, "Moshling", is said instead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moshimonsters.com/community/blog/entry/moshi_moshi_moshi |title=Moshi Moshi Moshi |date=15 April 2011}}</ref> On 6 March 2013, Canadian musician [[Devin Townsend]] released a previously unreleased cover of the song while recording the album ''[[Deconstruction (Devin Townsend Project album)|Deconstruction]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0apsOhWV2M |title=Deconstructing Badgers |via=YouTube |date=6 March 2013}}</ref>

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 of the 1980 film ''[[Flash Gordon (film)|Flash Gordon]]'', in addition to vocals from [[Jonti Picking|Weebl]] and [[Brian Blessed]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EllYgcWmcAY |title=Save the Badger Badger Badger |via=YouTube |date=19 May 2013}}</ref> 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 video's 20th anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web |title=20 Years of Badger |url=https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/897466 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Newgrounds.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== *[[List of Internet phenomena]]

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [http://weebls-stuff.com/toons/badgers/ The original Badger animation]

{{Weebl's Stuff}} {{Authority control}} {{Newgrounds}} [[Category:2003 animated short films]] [[Category:Badgers in popular culture]] [[Category:Internet memes introduced from the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Internet memes introduced in 2003]] [[Category:British novelty songs]] [[Category:Songs about mammals]] [[Category:Surreal comedy]] [[Category:2000s viral videos]] [[Category:Snakes in popular culture]] [[Category:2008 YouTube videos]]