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Mah Nà Mah Nà

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! NPR

Let me know you how much I love NPR. I subscribe to all their podcasts, and there is one show that I look forward to every week: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! This "quiz show" makes me laugh so much every Monday!

 

 

Piero Umilani - Mah Na Mah Na

This week's show, they were on a roll with a weird reference to that Piero Umiliani's "Mah Nà Mah Nà" song.

What you probably didn't know about this song was that it started life as a soundtrack to a porno softcore/exploitation film (see comment below) called Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell) (1968). The movie was eventually banned in Sweden, according to imdb.

With this knowledge, it's easy to suddenly see this as a Benny Hills soundtrack, doesn't it? 

By late 1976, the song was long disassociated with its roots when the Muppets known as Mahna Mahna and the Snowths appeared on the The Muppet Show. This song was a big hit, probably due to the nonsense lyrics ("mah na mah na") and catchy Caribbean-sounding music.

Links: npr.org/programs/waitwait

Soup wrote: Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 9:12 PM

Actually, it's apparently an exploitation film version of a documentary about porno films and other related topics. From IMDB:

"Edmund Purdom narrates a pseudo-documentary about sexuality in Sweden. It shows contraceptives for teen girls, lesbian nightclubs, wife swapping, porno movies, biker gangs, and Walpurgis Night celebrations. It also examines Sweden's purported drug, drinking and suicide problems. It features the original appearance of the Piero Umiliani's nonsense song "Mah Nà Mah Nà" which was later popularized by "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show"."

 

Kermit and Fozzie - Movin' Right Along

THE MUPPETS MOVIE [1979] The Muppets Soundtrack (8-track) [1979] The Muppets Soundtrack (UK) [1979] The Muppets Soundtrack (US) [Jan 1993] The Muppets Soundtrack (CD) discography courtesy of muppet.wikia.com

 

 

Kermit and Fozzie - Movin' Right Along

After I saw that Sad Kermit video on youtube, I have decided that I disagree with the fans who made the videos and songs. Supposedly, Sad Kermit came about because shortly after Jim Henson died, Kermit turned to a life full of drugs, alcohol and sex. But I don't think Kermit would ever turn to this lifestyle!

Instead, we should enjoy some wholesome songs by Kermit and the Muppets.

The Muppets Movie, which came out in 1979, shortly after the Muppets Television series ended (after five seasons). The opening number, "The Rainbow Connection" was nominated for an Oscar but lost out to "It Goes Like It Goes" (music by David Shire/Norman Gimbel).

I'm not sure about the origin of "Movin' Right Along", other than that the song fits very well in the movie. Kermit is playing the banjo while Fozzie is driving the car to Hollywood. Obviously, they are terrible at directions and ended up in Rhode Island and Saskatchewan of all places.

The music is written by Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams. Ascher was best known for his keyboard and arrangements on John Lennon's album Walls and Bridges and Yoko Ono's A Story. As for Williams, he recently collaborated with Scissor Sisters' album Ta-Dah.

Trivia: Jim Henson did the voice of Kermit the Frog, The Swedish Chef, Rowlf the Dog, Mahna Mahna, The Muppet Newscaster, Link Hogthrob, Waldorf and Dr. Teeth.

vu Links: muppets.go.com | www.henson.com | muppet.wikia.com | www.sadkermit.com