Do you remember the Muppets singing Ma-Nah Ma-Nah? I have found it to be one of the most universal phrases that can bring a crowd of strangers to immediately respond with a smile and, in some cases, an almost whispered: “Doot-doo-doo-doo-doot!” until they hear others do (doot?) it, too.
Did you know (<– three of my most favorite words, BTW) that it was written by an Italian composer, Piero Umiliani, for a documentary about life in Sweden? The Muppets first performed the song on an episode of Sesame Street (by a character whose name is super-crazy fun to say three times fast: Bip Bippadotta – go ahead, I’ll wait), but the most famous version was featured on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 – which is where I first experienced it and my second grade brain exploded on the spot, from the possibilities of the magic of music.
Years later, I laughed ‘til tears ran down my face while watching the Muppets Tonight with my toddler, when Kermit the Frog complained to his psychiatrist that he could not say the word “phenomena” without singers (known as the Snowths – furry pink creatures horns on the top of their heads and permanently rounded yellow lips whose ONLY appearances in life were to sing back-up for the Ma-Nah Ma-Nah song) popping out to complete the next phrase… (come on, say it with me), “Doot-doo-doo-doo-doot!”
There are a lot of reasons to love Ma-Nah Ma-Nah, but I love it for the Ma-Nah Ma-Nah Phenomena. Seriously. Whenever you are in a tense or uncomfortable situation < insert difficult personalites (sometimes family members) here > you utter the words Ma-Nah Ma-Nah under your breath and watch what happens. You will weed out the bad seeds and find your people. The ones who respond with the obligatory “Doot-doo-doo-doo-doot!” are, more often than not, the folks who will kick your joy level up a notch and take a whole lot of sting out of whatever madness you’re mired in.
Sure, it would help if “your people” were easier to identify in a crowd (furry pink creatures with horns on the top of their heads and permanently rounded yellow lips) – but think of Ma-Nah Ma-Nah as a code word for “Help me?!” And your own version of the Snowths are bound to appear. It is a magical occurrence that will do your heart good, the Ma-Nah Ma-Nah Phenomena.
xo – t.
Doot-doo-doo-doo-doot!
Ma-Nah Ma-Nah
Doot-doo-doo-doo-doot!
Ma-Nah Ma-Nah
Doot-doo-doo-doot!
Doo-doot-doot! Doo-doot-doot! Doo-doo-doo-doo-doot! Doot-doot-doot-doot-doo!
[Feel free to scat on your own now…]