When was the last time you saw the Muppets perform "Mahna mahna"?
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Dr Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, skeptic, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two.
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Mahna Mahna
Category: Film • Humour
Posted on: July 25, 2008 5:50 AM, by Martin R
Comments
Too long, obviously. Much better than I remember it.
But then the conscientious YouTube surfer needs to ask themselves: "Have I really seen enough of M.A. Numminen sing Wittgenstein?"
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=57PWqFowq-4&feature=related
Posted by: Janne | July 25, 2008 8:12 AM
Daily...my son loves it. Unlike me, though, he likes the first version better:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AYJuKX2j-Cw
Posted by: Marmaduke | July 25, 2008 8:16 AM
I love that song! Though it does make me sad how the pink regime oppresses his scatting attempts.
Posted by: scicurious | July 25, 2008 8:44 AM
I get the impression that the guy's not entirely straight in the head, and so isn't sure if he's hallucinating the looks of the two chorus girls.
Posted by: Martin R | July 25, 2008 9:46 AM
I stumbled across the Mahna Mahna earlier this year - it was the solution to one of the questions in Swedens most difficult (or at least least sane) quiz "klurendrejeriet". Interestingly ,the orignial version apparently appeared in the Italian movie "Svezia, inferno e paradiso".
Posted by: Harald Cederlund | July 25, 2008 10:22 AM
Check out "funnyman" Don Costello doing "Mahna Mahna". Not very funny. Very surreal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v54INagevCY
Posted by: Pär | July 25, 2008 12:11 PM
I love when scat man looks in her mouth.
Posted by: Kevin | July 25, 2008 2:19 PM
OMG, that's on a level with the annual lip-synch show at my kids' school! Now I'm embarrassed!
Posted by: Martin R | July 25, 2008 2:19 PM
hahahahahahahaha, YAY!!
And for World of Warcraft / other various online videogamers...the WoW version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEWgs6YQR9A
Roflmao!
Posted by: Rhea Miller | July 25, 2008 5:19 PM
Great - Didn't realise how much we miss the muppets.Would they thrive in today's "sour" world? Yes - archaeology CAN be fun!
Desmond
Posted by: Desmond | July 25, 2008 5:38 PM
The graphic dates it as 1969, but I remember this from the 'Muppet Show' around 1980. It is possible that they performed it several times, but this had the laugh track and everything.
I second that, Desmond. Made me realize how much I missed the muppets as well.
Posted by: Ted H. | July 26, 2008 9:34 PM
Did you know that this song comes from the soundtrack of the infamous Italian documentary "Sweden - Heaven and Hell" (which I have to shamefully admit I haven't seen yet)?
Posted by: Mikael | July 27, 2008 8:11 AM
Funny you should ask... Actually it was the day before you posted this entry.
I once made the cross-Atlantic treck via Frankfurt. Two young men sat in the seats in front of me, and I quickly realized that their sense of humor was just as dry and warped as mine. We became fast friends. We've visited each other on a few occasions since, met girlfriends and boyfriends, attended weddings and babtisms. When my oldes one was my only one, one of these guys came to visit. I played a video of the then toddler, and Mana-mana was on it. My friend had never seen the video before. After that, I had to replay the damn video ever day fr his whole stay, and now, over a decade later, all out e-mails and phone conversations beging with "Mana-Mana!". It just one of those things that make me smile even when I'm in a pissy mood, all on account of that. And it's just a funny clip.
Posted by: Christina | July 27, 2008 4:08 PM
The YouTube page says that this appeared on a "popular prime time variety show" in 1969. From scanning IMDB, I'm guessing this was The Ed Sullivan Show, aka "Toast of the Town", on which the Muppets appeared 23 times. The date at the beginning matches the entry for show 23.10.
Posted by: OriGuy | July 28, 2008 6:36 PM
The Benny Hill Show routinely used an instrumental version of Mahna Mahna for its chase sequences...
Posted by: Tim Abbott | July 29, 2008 12:59 PM
Nooo! The tunes are similar, but not identical. Love them chase scenes. In fact, I aspire to be the Benny Hill of science blogging.
Posted by: Martin R | July 29, 2008 2:15 PM
I am not a Doctor of Hillology, but I believe the mahna mahan instrumental was used, not in the closing credits and chase, but as part of a recurring medley in Benny Hill shows. And how is it that you have not yet mentioned the Swedish connection?
The song has its roots in Piero Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian softcore pornograhy movie Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso (Sweden, Heaven and Hell) (1968). Or so I've heard. http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Mahna_Mahna_(song)
Posted by: Tim Abbott | July 30, 2008 9:09 PM