 | |
| Type | Noveltyanimatronic |
|---|---|
| Company | Gemmy Industries |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | 2000–present |
| Materials | polyvinyl chloride, plastic |
| Features | Motion detection, singing fish |
Big Mouth Billy Bass is ananimatronic singingprop, representing alargemouth bass, invented by Gemmy Industries in September of 1999; sold beginning in February of 2000; and popular in the early 2000s.[1][2]
Gemmy Industries (/ˈdʒɛmi/) is an Americannovelty manufacturing company,[3] best known for its animatronic and inflatable characters. It is currently headquartered inCoppell, Texas. Founded in 1984, the company originally began producing ballpoint pens.[4] Gemmy eventually ventured into novelty manufacturing, and in 2000, it achieved marketing success with the Big Mouth Billy Bass. Following that success, the company began predominantly making animatronic figures focused on the Christmas and Halloween seasons.[5] The company distributes products internationally, especially to the United Kingdom and Japan.[citation needed]
The fish is made of a softpolyvinyl chloride with an internal plastic mechanical skeleton. At first glance, the product appears to be a mountedgame fish. The item was conceived by a Gemmy Industries product development vice president following his visit to aBass Pro Shop.[6] The mounted fish turns its head, wiggles its tail on the trophy plaque, and sings cover songs, such as "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (1988) byBobby McFerrin; and "Take Me to the River" (1974) byAl Green.[7]Teenie Hodges, who co-wrote "Take Me to the River" with Green, said in a 2013 interview that he received more royalties from Big Mouth Billy Bass than from any other recordings of the song.[8]
On the original prototype, the unit was solely activated by a motion sensor, designed to startle a passerby. In production, an additional button was added.
There have been many variants of Big Mouth Billy Bass produced by Gemmy. These use different types of game fish and aquatic animals. Variants include Big Mouth Billy Bones (askeleton fish that sings "Bad to the Bone" byGeorge Thorogood and the Destroyers), Travis the Singing Trout (arainbow trout that sings "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" byJeff Barry andEllie Greenwich; and "Rock the Boat" byThe Hues Corporation), Cool Catfish (acatfish that sings "Bad to the Bone"), Rocky the Singing Lobster (alobster that sings "Sea Cruise" byFrankie Ford and "Rock the Boat"), Lucky the Lobster (a lobster that sings "Doh Wah Diddy Diddy" and "Rock the Boat"), and Frankie the Fish (a bluecod fish from aMcDonald'sFilet-O-Fish commercial that sings an original song called "Give Me Back That Filet-O-Fish" plus a remix).[citation needed]
The concept was later adapted into a large mounted deer head, known as Buck – the Animated Trophy (voiced byClint Ford) as well as a medium-sized mounted bear head.[9]
During Christmas of 2000, special holiday version of the Big Mouth Billy Bass was released. The fish had aSanta hat on his head and a ribbon with asleigh bell on his tail.[9] An anniversary edition followed in 2014.[10][better source needed]
A version from 2001 features agreat white shark which playsJohn Williams's theme fromJaws and a cover ofBobby Darin's version of "Mack the Knife".[11]
In 2002, a version named "Big Mouth Billy Bass Superstar" was released. This spin-off features Billy Bass standing upright on a base with a microphone in his hand. The first version sang "Stayin' Alive" and "Act Naturally", and a later revised version replaced "Stayin' Alive" with "I Will Survive". An exclusive version was sold only in France, with the songs "Don't Worry Be Happy" and "I Will Survive".[12]
In 2018, Gemmy Industries partnered withAmazon to create anAmazon Alexa-enabled version of the animatronic. This variant pairs with anyAmazon Echo device throughBluetooth, and it will move its mouth when responding to Alexa commands. It also shakes its tail when playing music throughAmazon Music but does not lip sync to songs. When not connected to an Alexa device, the fish sings an original song titled "Fishin' Time" when its red button is pushed.[13]
In late 2021,TikTok user Kevin Heckart hacked a Big Mouth Billy Bass to not only lip-sync to any voice track or song, but to also dance via head and tail movements to whatever song is played through any smart speaker connections. Heckart later made a similar hack to the Cool Catfish and Frankie the Fish by the same company along with Loftus International's Tommy Trout as well as an orange Chinese Big Mouth Billy Bass 15th Anniversary Edition knockoff in mid-2022, all of them synced to an Amazon Alexa playingNathan Evans's cover ofThe Wellerman.[citation needed]
A remake of the original Big Mouth Billy Bass was released in 2021. This new version cut "Don't Worry Be Happy" byBobby McFerrin forLuke Bryan's 2015 "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day" in addition toTalking Heads' 1978 iteration of "Take Me to the River".[14][15]
In August 2024, a Billy Bass-inspired "As seen on TV" product called "Trumpy Trout" - an animatronic trout head that resemblesDonald Trump - was released via inventor distribution / marketing company Top Dog Direct. When activated, Trumpy Trout repeated fish-themed parody phrases of familiar Trump pastiches, such as "I'm building a new pond, and the bass will pay for it."[16]
As part ofGreen Day'sDookie Demastered, a 30th-anniversary edition of their third studio albumDookie in which each song appeared on a separate novelty format, "Basket Case" was released on a Big Mouth Billy Bass rechristened the "Big MouthBillie Bass". Big Mouth Billie Bass was given out on a drawing, along with the rest of the album, October 11. The project was a collaboration with Los Angeles art studio BRAIN.[17]
In early 2025, a video showing two prototype 25th Anniversary versions of Billy Bass was found. The video shows two versions of Billy Bass, one being a standard version, singing "Take Me To The River" and a re-recording of "I Will Survive", and a Christmas version, singing "Fancy Like Christmas" and a parody of "Jingle Bells".[18] As of February 2026, neither prototype has been released.
Also in 2025, a 25th Anniversary Billy Bass was released, but only in Canada.[19] It sings a parody of "Rockin' Robin".
It was reported thatElizabeth II had a Big Mouth Billy Bass displayed on the grand piano ofBalmoral Castle.[9] TheNetflix dramaThe Crown incorrectly depictsPrince Andrew giving it to her as a birthday present in 1997.[20]
The success of the Big Mouth Billy Bass has led to several pop culture appearances, including product placements. Some of the device's notable appearances includeThe Simpsons,The Magicians,Family Guy,The Sopranos,King of the Hill,WALL-E,The Pirates! Band of Misfits,The Office,Peppa Pig,What We Do in the Shadows,The Act of Killing,We Bare Bears,Solar Opposites,Big City Greens,King Tweety,Arthur,Zig & Sharko,Barbie,Phineas and Ferb,The Electric State andToy Story 5.[21][22][23][24][25][26]
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