I've always been a huge fan of The Muppets. I have vivid memories of sitting on the couch with my parents while we watched the goofy variety show that featured the incredible talents of Jim Henson and company.
Prior to the holidays, I bookmarked this article from CBC Radio that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the seemingly nonsensical tune, as well as the history behind it. Fascinating stuff:
If you grew up watching The Muppet Show, or have kids who did, you almost certainly know Mahna Mahna — also known as Mah Na Mah Na or Mah Nà Mah Nà.
The catchy song features two female singers who perform in an orderly way, but get interrupted by a far less restrained male singer.
An early version of the sketch first appeared on Sesame Street on Nov. 27, 1969, but it was an appearance of Jim Henson and His Muppets on The Ed Sullivan Show on Nov. 30 that cemented the song's fame.
But where did it originate?
The song originally appeared in a racy Italian film called Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell), in a scene where a bunch of Swedish models crowd into a sauna wearing little more than bath towels.
Yowza!
Some supremely interesting info, and well worth your eyeballs if you're a Muppets fan.
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