Bein' Green

"Bein' Green"
Song by Kermit the Frog
Published	1970
Writer	Joe Raposo
Cover versions
Ray Charles Van Morrison Andrew Bird Damian McGinty

"Bein' Green" (also known as "Green") is a popular song written by Joe Raposo, originally performed by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show and later covered by Frank Sinatra and other performers.

In the Muppets version, Kermit begins by lamenting his green coloration, expressing that green "blends in with so many ordinary things" and wishing to be some other color. But by the end of the song, Kermit recalls positive associations with the color green, and concludes by accepting and embracing his greenness.

The song's signature line "It's not easy being green" is a phrase that has since appeared in many contexts in pop culture. It is often quoted as an expression of melancholy over one's lot in life. The song is associated with questions of identity and individuality, but also with themes such as self-love and celebration of diversity, especially in terms of race (or "color"), which was at the forefront of social debate within American culture at the time of the song's debut. With the growing usage of green as a reference to environmentalism, the phrase (or its counterstatement) is often used in that context as well.

Recordings of Bein' Green

• Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, various Muppet productions, starting with the The Sesame Street Book & Record in 1970.
• Frank Sinatra, 1971 album Sinatra & Company.
• Buddy Rich, 1972 album Stick It
• Van Morrison, 1973 album Hard Nose the Highway
• Diana Ross, 1974 album Live at Caesars Palace
• Ray Charles, 1975 album Renaissance; this version gained popularity thanks to an episode of The Cosby Show. Charles then sang a duet with Kermit on Sesame Street and The Cher Show and also sang the song on the 1989 special Sesame Street… 20 Years & Still Counting.
• Thurl Ravenscroft
• Jackie McLean, 1978 album New Wine in Old Bottles.
• Keith Harris and Orville the Duck, 1983 single
• Mandy Patinkin, 1990 album Dress Casual
• Rowlf the Dog, 1993 album Ol' Brown Ears is Back
• Jill O'Hara, 1993 album Jill O'Hara, titled "Green"
• Shirley Horn, 1993 album Light Out of Darkness (A Tribute to Ray Charles)
• Stan Kenton, 1992 7.5 on the Richter Scale, titled "It's Not Easy Bein' Green"
• Don Henley with Kermit, 1994 album Kermit Unpigged
• Mike Campbell, 1994 Easy Chair Jazz;
• Urbie Green, 1994 Bein' Green
• Vanessa Rubin, 1995 album Vanessa Rubin Sings
• Paul Schmeling, 1995 album One for the Road
• Boston Pops Orchestra, 1996 album Wish Upon a Star/All-Time Children's Favorites
• Fools and Critters, 1995 album Flinging Powdered Doughuts
• Daboa, 1997 album From the Gekko
• Johnny Lytle, 1997 album Easy Easy, completely instrumental
• Tony Bennett, 1998 album The Playground
• Bob McGrath, 1998 album Bob's Favorite Street Songs
• Manfred Krug, 2000 album Schlafstörung, titled "Frosches Lied (Bein' Green)" with German lyrics
• Donna Leonhart, 2001 album Bein' Green
• Maestro Pocero (Josele Santiago), 2002 album, Patitos feos
• 2003 album Drew's Famous Kids St. Patrick's Day Party
• Andy Hallett, as Lorne in TV series Angel episode "The House Always Wins", and on the 2004 soundtrack album, Angel: Live Fast, Die Never
• Mark Murphy, 2005 album Once to Every Heart
• Oscar the Grouch, 2005 season of Sesame Street
• Till Brönner, German jazz bugler, 2005 album That Summer
• Audra McDonald, 2006 album Build a Bridge
• Sophie Milman, 2007 album Make Someone Happy
• 2 Different People, 2008 Single EDF Energy TV Advert
• Leine, 2008 album Truth Be Told
• Matthew White, Music and Sweet Poetry Agree
• Take 6, 2008 album The Standard
• Naim Amor, 2009 single Precious Second EP on The Orchestra Pit Recording Co. label
• Della Reese, recorded the song for her 1973 album "Let Me in Your Life"
• Andrew Bird, 2011 tribute/cover album Muppets: The Green Album
• Damian McGinty, 2011 episode "Pot O' Gold" Glee (TV series)
• George Miserlis, 2006 album Big City Sessions
• Greg McCruden, 2012 album Fedora
• League of Legends, 2012 game Zombie Brand'
• Cee Lo Green and Kermit, 2012 episode The Voice

Memorial

The song was sung by Big Bird at the two memorial services for Jim Henson in 1990. (In his comedy special No Cure For Cancer, Denis Leary incorrectly mentions, in passing, Kermit singing the song at the Henson funeral as well.)

External links

• Bein' Green at Muppet Wiki
• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics