# The Evolution of Mahna Mahna: A Professional's View



## SifuPhil (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm often asked in my professional capacity as Keeper of the Silly Television Memories about the history of *Mahna Mahna*. This wondrous progeny of Children's Television Workshop, and especially the fertile mind of Jim Henson, inventor and Grand Pooh-Bah of _Sesame Street_, is known the world over as the single most addictive song ever created.

But the song did not originate on _Sesame Street_, oh, no, children. Originally titled "Mah-Na Mah-Na," it was written by composer Piero Umiliani for an Italian documentary about life in Sweden, titled _Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso_ (_Sweden, Heaven and Hell_). 

The song went on to appear in the 1969-1970 season of _The Red Skelton Show_, the 14[SUP]th[/SUP] episode of _Sesame Street_, the first episode of _The Muppet Show_ and, of course, as the _de rigueur_ comic sketch scene music for _The Benny Hill Show_. 

Here is the song's original appearance on _Sesame Street_ in 1969, performed by Bip Bippadotta and two "Anything Muppet" girls - simple, unadorned, pure genius ...






By the time the song reached the inaugural episode of _The Muppet Show_ it had been the recipient of expensive staging and costuming as well as refined audio and video editing. The two little girls from the original version were replaced by The Snowths and the star turn was played by none other than Mahna Mahna himself ...

   [video=youtube_share;RAhd6M-Ddzg]http://youtu.be/RAhd6M-Ddzg[/video]

The song went on to make starring appearances on _The Ed Sullivan Show_ (1969), _The Dick Cavett Show_ (1971), _This Is Tom Jones_ (1971), _Pure Goldie_ (starring Goldie Hawn, Ruth Buzzi and Johnny Carson) (1971) and countless other shows and specials, up to and including a wonderfully insane turn by Sandra Bullock in 1996, ably supported by evergreen star Kermit the Frog ...

[video=youtube_share;g4l1k4XLvo0]http://youtu.be/g4l1k4XLvo0[/video]

Regardless of who is singing, the basics of the performance remain the  same: a central character starts out conforming to the structure of the  song, but falls into improvisational scat passages whenever possible.  Although the back-up singers attempt to bring order back to the number,  their effort is ultimately futile. This is indicative of the hopelessness of Man and his place in the Universe.

*Mahna Mahna* is more than just a song, much more - it is a grand admission of lunacy, a comfortable veil of insanity and an opportunity to smile when all around you is darkness.


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