Muppets - Mahna Mahna (original Version)

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channeloneplus
August 29, 2008

Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a well-known pop music song, written by Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the film Sweden: Heaven and Hell, but its most famous version was on the first episode of The Muppet Show.

The Muppets:
"Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian softcore pornography movie Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell) (1968), a pseudo-documentary film about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden ("Mah Nà Mah Nà" accompanied a scene set in a sauna). A soundtrack album, "Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso" was released in 1968. The movie was also released under the English title Sweden Heaven and Hell.

It was a hit in many countries in 1968--1969. In the U.S. it peaked at #55 in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #44 on the Cash Box magazine chart in October 1969. The song's lyrics contain no actual words, only nonsense words resembling scat singing. The original version interpolates melodies from "Swedish Rhapsody" (Midsummer Vigil) by Hugo Alfvén, "Santa Lucia", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", the jazz standard "Lullaby of Birdland", and others.

n 1969, Henri Salvador recorded a variation titled "Mais Non, Mais Non" ("But No, But No" or "Of Course Not, Of Course Not"), with lyrics he had written in French to Umiliani's tune.

The song became familiar to many from its renditions by the Muppets on television. On 30 November, 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on the The Ed Sullivan Show by a Muppet also known as Mahna Mahna, and the Snowths. Also in 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on Sesame Street by a character that was later known as Bip Bipadotta, along with two Anything Muppet girls.

During its 1969-70 season, "The Red Skelton Show" used the Umiliani recording as background music for a recurring blackout sketch. The otherwise silent bits featured Red and another performer, dressed as Moon creatures, playing with equipment left behind by the Project Apollo astronauts.

In 1973, a rendition of "Mah Nà Mah Nà" on the Moog synthesizer was released on the album More Hot Butter (Musicor MS 3254) by Hot Butter, best known for the pop tune "Popcorn". It was re-released on CD in 2000.

Versions by the Muppets:
In 1976, the first episode of The Muppet Show to be recorded (featuring Juliet Prowse), used "Mahna Mahna" as the first sketch. It was performed by the Muppets "Mahna Mahna and the Snowths". As a result, the original Piero Umiliani recording finally became a hit in the UK, where the Muppet Show soundtrack album featuring the Muppets' version went to number one.[1]

The Muppets' comeback series Muppets Tonight (1996-1998) revisited it as a parody using the word "phenomenon" in place of the title. Kermit the Frog and actress Sandra Bullock appeared in place of "Mahna Mahna" to provide the lyric "phenomena". The Muppets filmed a new version of the song in 2005, for a New Zealand charity called CanTeen. In the ad, an updated version of the Mahna Mahna puppet was performed by Bill Barretta, and the lyrics were changed to "Bandanana", supporting CanTeen's "Bandanna Week".

Category: Comedy

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Muppets Mahna manha muppets mahna kermit wisdom snowths original Version comedy serie sketch The Mana mana bromas

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MsSuperJ (1 hour ago) Show Hide

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This is so cool! Reminds me of when I was a kid! Loved this song. Try listening to the version by the group Cake. It's awesome!

OmegaShenron6574 (2 hours ago) Show Hide

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this is really good. muppets are win god bless you jim henson

psvs1 (16 hours ago) Show Hide

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yes he is sooooo jeff lynne

elledancer (22 hours ago) Show Hide

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Its a Satchel Not a purse

StOeL1 (23 hours ago) Show Hide

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@tf2whackyengineer Totally. XD

tf2whackyengineer (2 days ago) Show Hide

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Does the Mahna mahna guy remind anyone of Jeff Lynne from ELO?

anotherjeni (2 days ago) Show Hide

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It was on Sesame Street NOT the first episode of The Muppet Show.

jaded1too (2 days ago) Show Hide

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This isn't the original Muppet version. I have the first season on DVD and this is different.

MorningUgly (2 days ago) Show Hide

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I dont know why i laugh at this every time! its not even that funny! ...but i just cant help it n_n

iansax3 (2 days ago) Show Hide

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JAJAJAJA
ke porno
los muñecos rosas tienen una boca perfecta!!!
XDDDD

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Muppets - Mahna Mahna (original Version)

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