Mah num ah num - The Muppets' musical debut
August 17, 2006 7:33 PM Subscribe
Mah num ah num (Google Video) - The Muppets debut their first music video in 1976.
wow... like that hasn't been all over the internet already.
and: it's ma nah ma nah. not mah num ah num.
posted by matt_od at 7:38 PM on August 17, 2006
and: it's ma nah ma nah. not mah num ah num.
posted by matt_od at 7:38 PM on August 17, 2006
How on earth could you possibly call that the Muppets' first music video? Good lord, they'd been making cool odd videos for years before that.
posted by mediareport at 7:41 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by mediareport at 7:41 PM on August 17, 2006
Feels like I’m seeing the seasons change
For the very first time
Like the flesh of a fruit
Rotted and left behind
posted by fleetmouse at 7:42 PM on August 17, 2006
For the very first time
Like the flesh of a fruit
Rotted and left behind
posted by fleetmouse at 7:42 PM on August 17, 2006
Awesome.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 7:43 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 7:43 PM on August 17, 2006
Why is everyone so mad about the Muppets?
This was good.
posted by BackwardsCity at 7:43 PM on August 17, 2006
This was good.
posted by BackwardsCity at 7:43 PM on August 17, 2006
It's the best thing ever commited to any medium, in my opinion.
Well, okay. Maybe not the best thing, but certainly among them.
Meanwhile, the song "Mah Nà Mah Nà"1, has its own street creds. Written by the recently deceased Piero Umiliani2, it is interesting in its own right, as least for it's use in Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso and many other places.
posted by SteelyDuran at 7:44 PM on August 17, 2006
Well, okay. Maybe not the best thing, but certainly among them.
Meanwhile, the song "Mah Nà Mah Nà"1, has its own street creds. Written by the recently deceased Piero Umiliani2, it is interesting in its own right, as least for it's use in Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso and many other places.
posted by SteelyDuran at 7:44 PM on August 17, 2006
Take a breath haters. It's still a great skit, and I haven't seen this version of it since the original Muppet show. Thanks persona non grata.
posted by maryh at 7:45 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by maryh at 7:45 PM on August 17, 2006
Ouch, fleetmouse, just... ouch.
posted by persona non grata at 7:45 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by persona non grata at 7:45 PM on August 17, 2006
Nothing brings out rage like Miss Piggy.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:46 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:46 PM on August 17, 2006
From SteelyDuran's link:
"Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian softcore pornography movie Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso (Sweden, Hell and Heaven) (1968), a pseudo-documentary film about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden. ("Mah Nà Mah Nà" played under a portrayal of lesbian BDSM in the film.)
Chist, how cool is that? Henson was a mad genius.
posted by maryh at 7:48 PM on August 17, 2006
"Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian softcore pornography movie Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso (Sweden, Hell and Heaven) (1968), a pseudo-documentary film about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden. ("Mah Nà Mah Nà" played under a portrayal of lesbian BDSM in the film.)
Chist, how cool is that? Henson was a mad genius.
posted by maryh at 7:48 PM on August 17, 2006
Chist=Christ, of course. I fully intended to take The Lord's name in vain
posted by maryh at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by maryh at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2006
ROCKS. Majorly.
posted by WaterSprite at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by WaterSprite at 7:49 PM on August 17, 2006
ooooooo that makes me so happy. thanks for reminding me to be silly.
posted by tarantula at 7:52 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by tarantula at 7:52 PM on August 17, 2006
I'm sure this wildly popular video has been on MeFi before, but I can't find it. Here is a mefi 2002 post 'Mais Non, Mais Non?' which goes into a lot of the backstory but doesn't seem to link the video.
And just since I think this is a dupe, here is a gratutious gif:
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:54 PM on August 17, 2006
And just since I think this is a dupe, here is a gratutious gif:
posted by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:54 PM on August 17, 2006
whimsy++
posted by boo_radley at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by boo_radley at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
Ha ha! I'm sorry, persona non grata, I found that whilst digging around and couldn't help it.
posted by fleetmouse at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by fleetmouse at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
> Henson was a mad genius.
Absolutely. Having an ear for a catchy pop song is one thing, but imagining the action happening this way is pure poetry. It fits perfectly, and adds as much depth and character back to the song as the song added to it.
I have never seen Sweden, Heaven and Hell, but if I ever do, I'm fairly sure I'm going to laugh hysterically when the song comes on. Because whatever might be happening on the screen, in my mind I'll be imagining the Snowths, just trying to sing their happy song, and embarrased by an overzealous, fuzzy-headed scat singer.
posted by SteelyDuran at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
Absolutely. Having an ear for a catchy pop song is one thing, but imagining the action happening this way is pure poetry. It fits perfectly, and adds as much depth and character back to the song as the song added to it.
I have never seen Sweden, Heaven and Hell, but if I ever do, I'm fairly sure I'm going to laugh hysterically when the song comes on. Because whatever might be happening on the screen, in my mind I'll be imagining the Snowths, just trying to sing their happy song, and embarrased by an overzealous, fuzzy-headed scat singer.
posted by SteelyDuran at 7:55 PM on August 17, 2006
In fact, hell, I'm going to start imagining this during other times, some quite inappropriate.
That, and everyone scooting around to "Yakety Sax"1.
Let the good times commence.
posted by SteelyDuran at 8:07 PM on August 17, 2006
That, and everyone scooting around to "Yakety Sax"1.
Let the good times commence.
posted by SteelyDuran at 8:07 PM on August 17, 2006
> Mahnamahna
If the links are old and busted, does it still count?
posted by SteelyDuran at 8:11 PM on August 17, 2006
If the links are old and busted, does it still count?
posted by SteelyDuran at 8:11 PM on August 17, 2006
OK, Does anyone remember an offshoot of this song, but Star Trek themed? Instead of mahna mahna, the chorus was "phenomena".
"Captain... we seem to have encountered an unusual phenomena... phenomena... phenomena [and so on into the chorus]"
It was awesome, it was an MP3 (or .au or .wav or some old school format) and the last time I saw it was on some FirstClass server in about '98. Anyone?
posted by heydanno at 8:15 PM on August 17, 2006
"Captain... we seem to have encountered an unusual phenomena... phenomena... phenomena [and so on into the chorus]"
It was awesome, it was an MP3 (or .au or .wav or some old school format) and the last time I saw it was on some FirstClass server in about '98. Anyone?
posted by heydanno at 8:15 PM on August 17, 2006
SteelyDuran- Henson did an early version of the skit on Sesame Street this is the version I remember from my toddler days. And it's from 1969, right around the same time Sweden, Heaven & Hell was released. He wasted no time finding new ways to interpret the song!
posted by maryh at 8:24 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by maryh at 8:24 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
The Muppets have not been very successful or funny since Jim Henson died. Fran Leibowitz is still great even though Andy Warhol died. Is there a connection?
posted by longsleeves at 8:28 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by longsleeves at 8:28 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
I grew up with the Muppets but I don't remember this song at all. Now I get the scene in The Office (U.K.) where they were singing this.
posted by zardoz at 8:38 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by zardoz at 8:38 PM on August 17, 2006
In related news, here are the yip yip aliens and a telephone.
posted by scodger at 8:39 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by scodger at 8:39 PM on August 17, 2006
Sweden; Heven or Hell is more properly an exploitation documentary, in the manner of Mondo Cane or Mondo Baladoro or Mondo Freudo or Mondo ...
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:40 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:40 PM on August 17, 2006
Heh. At least one of my friends has mahna mahna as a ring tone on his phone.
That was good! (forallmankind: are you channelling Statler or Waldorf?)
posted by jlkr at 8:41 PM on August 17, 2006
That was good! (forallmankind: are you channelling Statler or Waldorf?)
posted by jlkr at 8:41 PM on August 17, 2006
zardoz: you can find that clip here, entitled The Sing-a-long.
posted by forallmankind at 8:56 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by forallmankind at 8:56 PM on August 17, 2006
Phenomenon.
(hate me all you want. I like that version better)
posted by Kickstart70 at 8:57 PM on August 17, 2006
(hate me all you want. I like that version better)
posted by Kickstart70 at 8:57 PM on August 17, 2006
scodger and angrycandy beat me to the best thing on the internet
posted by Meatbomb at 8:59 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by Meatbomb at 8:59 PM on August 17, 2006
Have y'all not explored the 'muppets' tag on YouTube before? Not hating, honest (although calling Mahnamahna the "Muppets' musical debut" *is* pretty silly, given that "It's not easy being green" showed up on Sesame Street years earlier), just surprised that there are folks who didn't make Muppet videos a priority after discovering YouTube in the first place. :) I mean, it's hard to beat an amazing African chant gem like "Turn the world around."
posted by mediareport at 9:04 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by mediareport at 9:04 PM on August 17, 2006
Oh my God, thank you for this. I'm home sick, recovering from being in the hospital, and generally feeling bleccchhhhh. I just smiled for ten straight minutes. Thank you!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 9:14 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 9:14 PM on August 17, 2006
Fans of this song (without the video) can download a crazy upbeat sixties version of it here, and it's totally worth it.
posted by jonson at 9:25 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by jonson at 9:25 PM on August 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
Seriously. Im stuck in Palm Springs dogsitting and that just cheered me the fuck up.
posted by fillsthepews at 9:29 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by fillsthepews at 9:29 PM on August 17, 2006
WALDORF: That was wonderful!
STATLER: Bravo!
WALDORF: I loved that!
STATLER: Ah, that was great!
WALDORF: Neh–it was pretty good.
STATLER: Well, it wasn’t bad…
WALDORF: There were parts of it that weren’t very good, though.
STATLER: It could’ve been a lot better.
WALDORF: I didn’t really like it.
STATLER: It was pretty terrible.
WALDORF: It was bad.
STATLER: It was awful!
STATLER & WALDORF: Terrible! Take ‘em away! Bah, BOO!!!
posted by sourwookie at 9:40 PM on August 17, 2006 [2 favorites]
STATLER: Bravo!
WALDORF: I loved that!
STATLER: Ah, that was great!
WALDORF: Neh–it was pretty good.
STATLER: Well, it wasn’t bad…
WALDORF: There were parts of it that weren’t very good, though.
STATLER: It could’ve been a lot better.
WALDORF: I didn’t really like it.
STATLER: It was pretty terrible.
WALDORF: It was bad.
STATLER: It was awful!
STATLER & WALDORF: Terrible! Take ‘em away! Bah, BOO!!!
posted by sourwookie at 9:40 PM on August 17, 2006 [2 favorites]
I remember seeing that on tv. loved it then love it now, in fact we should make it every post on the site one day :)
manamana!
posted by MrLint at 9:51 PM on August 17, 2006
manamana!
posted by MrLint at 9:51 PM on August 17, 2006
Statler & Waldorf would fit in just fine 'round here.
posted by turbodog at 9:58 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by turbodog at 9:58 PM on August 17, 2006
*mefi dies*
posted by mediareport at 10:58 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by mediareport at 10:58 PM on August 17, 2006
My boss used to work with Jim Henson on the Muppet Show. One of the most memorable stories she's told about her time there was when Henson came up behind her with a naked Kermit and made some dirty jokes. Kind of funny to think about muppets on their days off.
posted by pkingdesign at 11:09 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by pkingdesign at 11:09 PM on August 17, 2006
*mediareport has no sense of humour or history*
posted by persona non grata at 11:21 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by persona non grata at 11:21 PM on August 17, 2006
The singing of the Muppet chicken chorus affects me about the way the Monty Python knights on stick horses do.
Sorry you are ailing dirtynumbangelboy, but laughter IS the best medicine. Rx: The Muppet Show videos.
posted by Cranberry at 11:22 PM on August 17, 2006
Sorry you are ailing dirtynumbangelboy, but laughter IS the best medicine. Rx: The Muppet Show videos.
posted by Cranberry at 11:22 PM on August 17, 2006
Say it aint so, cortext: I wouldn't get my Vincent fix.
posted by persona non grata at 11:28 PM on August 17, 2006
posted by persona non grata at 11:28 PM on August 17, 2006
That was brilliant. If for no other reason than it led to the posting of the Yep Yep Yep link. I laughed out loud. Now I'm off to spend a few hours browsing the Muppet tag on YouTube.
posted by antifuse at 1:00 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by antifuse at 1:00 AM on August 18, 2006
FOZZIE: Heya Heya it's Fozzie Bear, telling you jokes both old and rare!
STADLER: What does he mean by rare?
WALDORF: He means they're not well done!
Manamanah makes a great ringtone. I've gotten lots of smiles and a few singalongs walking through airports when the phone rings.
One of the most memorable stories she's told about her time there was when Henson came up behind her with a naked Kermit and made some dirty jokes.
If only we had that on Youtube.
posted by eriko at 5:20 AM on August 18, 2006
STADLER: What does he mean by rare?
WALDORF: He means they're not well done!
Manamanah makes a great ringtone. I've gotten lots of smiles and a few singalongs walking through airports when the phone rings.
One of the most memorable stories she's told about her time there was when Henson came up behind her with a naked Kermit and made some dirty jokes.
If only we had that on Youtube.
posted by eriko at 5:20 AM on August 18, 2006
OMG!
(btw i took my nickname from the indie rock band, not the muppets/swedish porn).
posted by Menomena at 5:54 AM on August 18, 2006
(btw i took my nickname from the indie rock band, not the muppets/swedish porn).
posted by Menomena at 5:54 AM on August 18, 2006
Anyone have a good quality mp3 version (so I can copy the others who have it on their cell phones)?
posted by inigo2 at 6:01 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by inigo2 at 6:01 AM on August 18, 2006
*mediareport has no sense of humour or history*
Dude, it was a joke. I love web videos and adjusted to the surge in YouTube links just fine, thanks. Plus, I can watch clips of cats flushing toilets all day.
posted by mediareport at 6:04 AM on August 18, 2006
Dude, it was a joke. I love web videos and adjusted to the surge in YouTube links just fine, thanks. Plus, I can watch clips of cats flushing toilets all day.
posted by mediareport at 6:04 AM on August 18, 2006
When this video fails to make me laugh it's time to join the choir invisible.
posted by substrate at 6:49 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by substrate at 6:49 AM on August 18, 2006
I couldn't get this song out of my head for 22 years and now it's back.
posted by Smedleyman at 7:46 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by Smedleyman at 7:46 AM on August 18, 2006
The song of course has been hardwired into my head for about 30 years, but I had no memory of the visuals at all ! Personally - I don't care if it is a re-post from 5 years ago - I loved it ! Thanks Persona Non Grata. You are very grata around here.
posted by AuntLisa at 8:24 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by AuntLisa at 8:24 AM on August 18, 2006
STATLER: It could’ve been a lot better.
I always loved the Yip Yip guys -- surely some of the most inventive and lovable of the Muppets...
posted by Ogre Lawless at 9:44 AM on August 18, 2006
I always loved the Yip Yip guys -- surely some of the most inventive and lovable of the Muppets...
posted by Ogre Lawless at 9:44 AM on August 18, 2006
Well, one might consider it the first music video from "The Muppet Show", as it was the first skit of the first episode shown on (American) TV (the show was filmed in the UK, and played there a few years earlier, and in different order).
dirtynumbangelboy: look for newly packaged Fraggle DVDs in the stores soon.
posted by obloquy at 11:12 AM on August 18, 2006
dirtynumbangelboy: look for newly packaged Fraggle DVDs in the stores soon.
posted by obloquy at 11:12 AM on August 18, 2006
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:42 AM on August 18, 2006
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:42 AM on August 18, 2006
This Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper (yuck!!) commercial must have been made by a fellow muppetaholic.
Weirder still than mahna mahna and the yip yips (btw, any leads on finding a dl source for the "yip yip radio" sketch would be greatly appreciated) was this sesame sketch (also on youtube) with the same wild-haired guy busting in on three nerdy rhyming muppets ("well the fat cat sat on hat....".
posted by ericbop at 12:07 PM on August 18, 2006
Weirder still than mahna mahna and the yip yips (btw, any leads on finding a dl source for the "yip yip radio" sketch would be greatly appreciated) was this sesame sketch (also on youtube) with the same wild-haired guy busting in on three nerdy rhyming muppets ("well the fat cat sat on hat....".
posted by ericbop at 12:07 PM on August 18, 2006
Not quite the same character, the Muppet show version got eyes to match the mouth on those pink singing things with the vestigial arms. A good choice because the eye expression is key to the character.
I was just thinking that you probably couldn't do the Muppet Show format these days now with the death of the varety show. Saturday Night Live is perhaps the lone holdout from that era.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:47 PM on August 18, 2006
I was just thinking that you probably couldn't do the Muppet Show format these days now with the death of the varety show. Saturday Night Live is perhaps the lone holdout from that era.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:47 PM on August 18, 2006
Frankly I'm a fan of the K & U / Zwerverstyle. But that's just me. Mnamana!
posted by mrzer0 at 1:16 PM on August 18, 2006
posted by mrzer0 at 1:16 PM on August 18, 2006
naked Kermit
Um...what? He didn't have that collar thing on?
posted by Sparx at 3:20 PM on August 18, 2006
Um...what? He didn't have that collar thing on?
posted by Sparx at 3:20 PM on August 18, 2006
Dudes, this is one of the greatest muppet threads out there. I'm glad it popped up.
posted by malaprohibita at 8:35 PM on August 18, 2006
posted by malaprohibita at 8:35 PM on August 18, 2006
And alright, even though I shouldn't do this, here's alterna-rock band Cake's funky horn powered version of MahnaMahna.
posted by jonson at 10:10 PM on August 18, 2006
posted by jonson at 10:10 PM on August 18, 2006
Never heard that, jonson, and I love the Cake. Thanks.
posted by cortex at 10:20 PM on August 18, 2006
posted by cortex at 10:20 PM on August 18, 2006
No problem. It's from an album of alternative rockers covering children's songs.
posted by jonson at 11:57 PM on August 18, 2006
posted by jonson at 11:57 PM on August 18, 2006
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posted by forallmankind at 7:36 PM on August 17, 2006