October 7, 2002

5:26 PM

'Mais Non, Mais Non?'... Well, there goes the neighbourhood. You go for nigh on a quarter of a century crediting The Muppets with an all time classic, when you find out that it was someone elses - Italian soundtrack composer Piero Umiliani. Not only that, but used as part of the score for an oh-so-dodgy a Swedish porn film!?!?. But no, that's not the end of it, as it transpires (see bottom of page) that 'Mahna Mahna' was originally performed by a Frenchman, Henri Salvador, and was called 'Mais Non Mais Non'. Still, in any of these forms, it's one of the few songs that still makes me smile every time I hear it, especially so when accompanied by the visuals.
posted by boneybaloney (19 comments total)

the score for an oh-so-dodgy a Swedish porn film!?!?.

Apologies for my oh-so-dodgy a syntax. My nuts are now removed from the blender.
posted by boneybaloney at 5:47 PM on October 7, 2002

Wonderful post! I've always loved that song, but had no idea it went beyond the scope of Muppetdom.

I know a guy from college named Zac Mouneimneh. He was born to carry the torch for that song.
posted by cortex at 5:55 PM on October 7, 2002

Those watching the new series of 'The Office' will find these links especially timely. Thank you.
posted by riviera at 5:58 PM on October 7, 2002

I just hope that someday, Kermit and Miss Piggy will cover Serge Gainsbourg's "Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus."
posted by MrBaliHai at 6:00 PM on October 7, 2002

I introduced my Italian girlfriend to 'Mahna Mahna' via mpeg recently, and she loves it to bits, even taking to singing it when we're out for a walk. Then, the other day, we're sitting at home, watching 'The Office'....my god, I felt like a twat. It's still great though.
posted by boneybaloney at 6:06 PM on October 7, 2002

MrBaliHai: I just hope that someday, Kermit and Miss Piggy will cover Serge Gainsbourg's "Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus."

Cibo Matto does a fun version, if you're shopping around in the meantime.
posted by Danelope at 6:08 PM on October 7, 2002

Adding more to the history of the Muppet version of this song, the "Mahna Mahna" song was apparently performed on the Ed Sullivan show. I've seen it on a few of the Sullivan highlight shows...
posted by Electric Elf at 6:13 PM on October 7, 2002

For those interested, I found a copy of the Henri Salvador version on WinMX.
posted by internal at 7:14 PM on October 7, 2002

This post makes me indescribably happy.
posted by homunculus at 7:46 PM on October 7, 2002

Outstanding post. Bookmarked for further pointing-to. Thank-you!
posted by Marquis at 9:12 PM on October 7, 2002

This is a guilty pleasure song, one I hum to myself under my breath and hope nobody around me has noticed. This and the banana-splits theme song. Are there any links to an MPEG or an MP3 of this song (as done very properly by the Muppets)?
posted by Winterfell at 9:38 PM on October 7, 2002

Does anyone have a link to a Nokia ringtone for it?
posted by Frasermoo at 1:29 AM on October 8, 2002

Winterfell, there's no e-mail address in your profile, so here you go.

Everyone else is welcome to it as well. Just be gentle on the poor server, I don't know how much traffic it can take.

And why in the world would you feel guilty for humming this song? It's great!
posted by toddshot at 1:51 AM on October 8, 2002

Winerfell: I found that on WinMX also.
posted by internal at 5:38 AM on October 8, 2002

It's such an infectious song. One of my friends started singing this as we walked into a restaurant and by the end of the evening even the waiters were singing parts of it. I'm going to have "Mahna Mahna" stuck in my head for hours now. The spelling lesson is an added bonus. Nice link boneybaloney, thanks.
posted by Tarrama at 5:45 AM on October 8, 2002

chris morris has purged this song from my head with his jam. *shudder* don't make me think about it.
i suppose you had to be there.
posted by asok at 7:26 AM on October 8, 2002

Piero Umiliani's non gimmicky cult stuff is pretty good too. He did tons of great loungey, Moog driven Air type music 3 decades before Air. Check Kazaa/whatever Lady Magnolia or Cotton Road for starters.
posted by kersplunk at 12:28 PM on October 8, 2002

Bookmarked. Sent to family. Sent to friends. It's spreading....
posted by redshoes3 at 4:24 PM on October 8, 2002

i suppose you had to be there.

No, no, I totally dig! That Chris Morris is one crazy character. His jam, hoo boy! I mean, yeah. Ha ha ha! I can't stop laughing, thinking back on those crazy, hazy days with the jam and Chris and the shuddering!

THIS MESSAGE PAID FOR BY THE OVERWROUGHT SARCASM 2002 CAMPAIGN
posted by cortex at 4:32 PM on October 8, 2002