View source for Mahna Mahna and the Two Snowths

[[Image:Mahnamahna.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Left: Snowth; right: Mr. Mahna]]OK, you know the song. But why? Probably due to this group's odd appearance on the Juliet Prowse-hosted episode (first aired 25 Apr. 1977, but actually taped Jan/Feb 1976) of ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074028/reference The Muppet Show]''. Goofy catchy song, goofy muppets, whatever, right? If only it were that simple. Let's dig a little deeper, shall we? 

The song "M&aacute;h-n&aacute; Mah-n&aacute;" was written by Italian composer [http://www.geocities.com/pieroumiliani/ Piero Umiliani] for the 1968 movie ''[http://us.imdb.com/Title?0063660 Sweden, Heaven and Hell]'' (''Svezia, inferno e paradiso''), which was, uh, a "Swedish documentary," i.e., PORNO movie! The song did okay in America, chartwise (peaked at #55 on 4 Oct. 1969). Muppets man Jim Henson adapted it into a ''Sesame Street'' bit that aired Nov. 27, 1969, featuring a character later christened [[Bip Bippadotta]].

In 1970, Jim Henson performed the song with the muppet character Mahna Mahna on ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040053/reference The Ed Sullivan Show]''. So this was some seriously old schtick being recycled here. Anyhoo, perhaps due to ''The Muppet Show'' performance, or not (the song was also used frequently on ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063869/reference The Benny Hill Show]'') on 30 Apr. 1977, Umiliani's original version re-entered the UK charts at #38, peaking at #8 on May 28th, 1977. Then, the week of 18 June 1977, Kermit's nephew Robin's song "Halfway Down the Stairs," with the Muppet version of "Mahna Mahna" as the B-side, peaked at #7 on the UK charts. The Muppet version (rerecorded, I believe) was included on the 1977 Arista records ''The Muppet Show'' album. The song is also on the 1993 ''Muppet Hits'' CD on Jim Henson Records/BMG Kidz. 

And finally, in the 1996 ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115279/reference Muppets Tonight]'' series, they brought back Mahna Mahna and the song for a skit where Kermit hears singing whenever he says the word "phenomena" (show #7, US airdate 23 June 1996, UK airdate 20 Sept. 1996). 

So. Nonsensical pop tune composed by an Italian for Swedish porno, later co-opted by the muppetmaster for a family-friendly kids' show. If you've seen Henson's 1965 avant-garde ''[http://us.imdb.com/Title?0059807 Time Piece]'', you'll realize that this odd performance is closer to the true Jim Henson than all the syrypy renditions of "It's Not Easy Being Green" put together. 

==External Links==
*https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/blog/mahna-mahna-at-50-fascinating-facts-about-the-unforgettable-muppets-song-1.5375722
*https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Mahna_Mahna
*https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Bip_Bippadotta
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N_tupPBtWQ

{{#ev:youtube|8N_tupPBtWQ}}

[[Category:1977]]
[[Category:The Muppet Show]]
[[Category:Muppets Tonight]]
[[Category:Muppets]]