Mahna Mahna

When was the last time you saw the Muppets perform "Mahna mahna"?

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It's Thanksgiving here in the States; so I plan on taking the day off from blogging that I might partake of the American custom of stuffing myself to the point of unconsciousness while hanging out with my family. In the meantime, bow before the genius of the Muppets, as they perform one of my…
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The science-loving band OK Go (whose newest video messes with time perception) has another hilarious video out there. Not a music video, mind you. Just a video. It appears they had a bit of a run-in with Animal, of the muppets, at the Webby Awards. Those dudes are hilarious.

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.

I love when scat man looks in her mouth.

Great - Didn't realise how much we miss the muppets.Would they thrive in today's "sour" world? Yes - archaeology CAN be fun!
Desmond

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.

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)?

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.

By Christina (not verified) on 27 Jul 2008 #permalink

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.

Nooo! The tunes are similar, but not identical. Love them chase scenes. In fact, I aspire to be the Benny Hill of science blogging.

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)

I find these Muppet versions more hilarious because they are more ambiguous than I expected - on first 'reading' the chorus seems unspontaneous and rigid in their reaction to the skat artist whose trying to explore new horizons, and then on second thoughts HE comes across as crazed and theirs seems the sane reaction.

But here's an archeological discovery:
A French friend sent me this link - apparently the original song was "Mais non, mais non"!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4guwc_henri-salvador-mais-non-mais-no…

By Shelley Poplak (not verified) on 26 Jan 2009 #permalink