• by Erik Oster , March 28, 2024

In an effort to put the flatulence anthem behind it, Bush’s Beans is launching a “Musical Fruit Contest” calling on fans to put their own spin on the schoolyard staple song (“Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat…")

A campaign video announcing the contest gives some indication of what the brand is looking for, while sharing some details about its top prizes. The spot opens on a country singer singing the familiar “musical fruit” refrain, but changing the ending to “If you like making music, here’s a contest for you!”

Those interested in entering can submit their tune via Instagram or TikTok by tagging @BushsBeans and using hashtag “#themusicalfruitcontest” through April 18. According to a release from Bush’s “Songs should celebrate beans and nod to all there is to love about the humble pantry staple,” and can be either “an updated or new song that’s short, sweet and, most of all, hones in on the many bean-efits of beans,” according to the contest landing page.

The winner of the contest’s grand prize will receive $10,000 in cash prize, as well as Bush’s Beans for life (awarded as a $4,800 check,which presumably can buy many other things besides a hill of beans) and a trip to Nashville for an exclusive Grand Ole Opry experience -- including having their song played on a videoboard during intermission,a “hosted backstage VIP experience,” a tour of the Opry and Ryman Auditorium, and recording studio time.

“In our continuing efforts to elevate beans to their rightful place in the world, Bush's wants to tap into the imagination of our bean lovers to help create a song worthy of the beautiful bean," Bush’s senior vice president of marketing and innovation Stephen Palacios said in a statement.

The campaign is actually not the brand’s first attempt at supplanting the schoolyard chant. Back in 2021, Bush’s teamed up with musician Josh Groban, who wrote  an ode to the canned legume staple.

"I got this idea that they sent to me that they wanted to do something musical about beans, and there are certain things that you get where your first instinct is that it's so crazy that it might just work!" Groban told Peopleat the time. “"Honestly, this was just one of the fastest processes I've ever had. I sat down and it just kind of wrote itself. It wound up becoming something that was just super fun to write and made me feel good to sing it, and has made people feel good to watch it."