While you may not be familiar with Van Morrison singing the now always-associated with The Muppets song ‘Bein’ Green’, it was indeed the Irish singer songwriter who sang the iconic track on the new episode of Resident Alien this week.
It was played while Harry is sitting in his car outside Asta’s house admitting he used to prefer working alone — Resident Alien, Season 3, Episode 1, “Lone Wolf’ — and stops as he arrives in Asta’s bedroom to tell her he was planning on killing her.
Morrison’s version of the song then continues playing over the episode’s end credits.
When did Van Morrison release his cover version of ‘Bein’ Green’?
‘Bein’ Green‘ was originally written by Joe Raposo for the children’s TV shows Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, and was first performed by the show’s creator the late Jim Henson as the much loved character Kermit the Frog.
The song became Kermit’s signature song, and has been mainly associated with the frog since his first performance of it in 1970.
The track was written from Kermit’s perspective — being a green frog, and wondering if being a different, more interesting color, would be better.
The song ends though, with Kermit realizing there are also many wonderful things associated with being green, and so he will happily remain green for the rest of his life.
Since its first release in 1970, ‘Bein’ Green‘ has been recorded by a huge number of now-iconic singers, including Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Don Henley and even the American acapella group Take 6.
Van Morrison’s ‘Bein’ Green‘ was recorded by the Irish singer for his seventh studio album Hard Nose the Highway in 1973.
It was the first non-original song he ever recorded for an album but one he loved, as he said it was about being true to yourself and not worrying if other people don’t like you because they can’t see the real you.
Listen to Van Morrison’s ‘Bein’ Green‘ as heard on the new season of Resident Alien in the video below, and via Spotify.
His version of the song, by the way, is one of the best ever released as his bluesy vocals, particularly in the last half of the track, are astounding.