MAH NA' MAH NA'

Mah Nà Mah Nà" debuted as part of Umiliani's soundtrack for the Italian mondo film Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell) (1968), a pseudo-documentary about wild sexual activity and other behavior in Sweden. The song accompanied a scene in the film set in a sauna. The lead part was sung by Italian singer/composer Alessandro Alessandroni.^[1]The song also appeared on the 1968 soundtrack album released for the film.

"Mah Nà Mah Nà" was a hit in many countries in 1968–1969. In the U.S. it peaked at #55 in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and #44 on the Cash Box magazine chart in October 1969.In 1969, Henri Salvador recorded a variation titled "Mais Non, Mais Non" ("But No, But No" or "Of Course Not, Of Course Not"), with lyrics he had written in French to Umiliani's tune.

The song became familiar to many from its renditions by the Muppets on television. On 30 November, 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on the The Ed Sullivan Show by a Muppet also known as Mahna Mahna, and the Snowths. Also in 1969, "Mahna Mahna" was performed on Sesame Street by a character that was later known as Bip Bipadotta, along with twoAnything Muppet girls.

During its 1969-70 season, "The Red Skelton Show" used the Umiliani recording as background music for a recurring blackout sketch. The otherwise silent bits featured Red and another performer, dressed as Moon creatures, playing with equipment left behind by the Project Apollo astronauts.

In 1973, a rendition of "Mah Nà Mah Nà" on the Moog synthesizer was released on the album More Hot Butter (Musicor MS 3254) by Hot Butter, best known for the pop tune "Popcorn". It was re-released on CD in 2000. In 1969, the first season of Sesame Street featured a sketch featuring two muppet girls who are unsure of what to do, until they decide to sing a song, enter an unusual-looking version of the latter Muppet character Mahna Mahna (whose named was later changed to Bip Bippadotta, so as to differenciate him from the Mahna Mahna character on The Muppet Show) who begins singing "Mahna Mahna", prompting the girls to join him.

In 1976, the first episode of The Muppet Show to be recorded (featuring Juliet Prowse), used "Mahna Mahna" as the first sketch. It was performed by the Muppets "Mahna Mahna and the Snowths". As a result, the original Piero Umiliani recording finally became a hit in the UK, where the Muppet Show soundtrack album featuring the Muppets' version went to number one.^[2]

PEGGY MOFFITT

PRIMITIVE SPRING FLING IS TONIGHT

BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH GOLDIE

FAITHFUL

PEANUT BUTTER!!!!!!!

WE THE WAY THE TIMES ARE RIGHT NOW A LITTLE BIT OF PEANUT BUTTER GOES ALONG WAY!!!!!

The Marathons of "Peanut Butter" (1961) fame featured on this page were actually the Vibrations. The Arvee label wanted to release another hit single but apparently could not wait for the Olympics (Arvee's then-main act) to get back from their tour. So Arvee signed on the Vibrations, then under contract with Chess, to record "Peanut Butter." What followed was a really sticky situation which led to various re-recordings of "Peanut Butter" by both the Vibrations (on Chess/Argo) and some unknown group scraped together by Arvee and given the Marathons moniker. Besides "Peanut Butter" (b/w "Talkin' Trash"), there were no other songs recorded by the Vibrations as the Marathons.

THE DEVILLES

THE BEATLES had not yet spearheaded "the British invasion" of pop music in the USA when Danny Smythe was given his first set of drums as a present on his fifteenth birthday in August of `63. While still learning to play, he responded to an announcement posted by two guitarists from Memphis' Bartlett High School, Mike Wright and Ronnie Carnie. They were looking for a drummer "to start a band". Wright, Carnie, Smythe, and bassist Freddie Schaeffer formed the group. Like many groups from the during that period, they named themselves after a popular car of the time. In this case, the name chosen was THE DEVILLES, a derivative of Cadillac's Coupe De Ville.

At the time live music was everywhere in Memphis Tennessee, and opportunities to play abounded. High schools typically held proms, sock hops, and fund raisers; social clubs and fraternities/sororities frequently found reasons to throw parties. Even YMCA's, roller skating rinks, and any place frequented by teens with enough room held dances. Local groups, often with limited experience, provided the music. They cost little to hire, but could fill venues with the live music sound needed to create excitement in these days before disco and its expensive and powerful sound systems. The groups could gain experience performing, sample the party food and drinks, and even earning a little spending money! And so it was that THE DEVILLES developed a strong following performing at these local events.

When Schaeffer left the group to join THE SCEPTERS, a well-established local recording group, Russ Caccamisi (a schoolmate of Smythe's) assumed the role of bassist. In addition to playing the sousaphone in his high school band, Caccamisi had played bass for another local Memphis group called THE CHANTELLES.

Later Wright and Carnie left the group and were replaced by guitarists Bill Fargie and Richard Malone. Since Fargie and Malone did not sing, the group was forced to audition vocalists. Lead vocalist Steve Jourden brought with him to the audition two other singers--Ronnie Jordan and Mike Moseley. The three vocalists ultimately joined the group, and THE DEVILLES began to present themselves as a singing group--lead vocalist and two background vocalists--with a backing rhythm section comprised of two guitars, bass, and drums.

As the group began to play more British-style pop, Jordan began to sing lead on more songs because of his particular style, tone, and delivery. When background vocalist Moseley left the group, both Jourden and Jordan shared the role of lead-singer, each offering his own specialty-- Jourden sang the soul music songs and Jordan sang the British pop songs.

In the days before cable TV, music videos, and ROLLING STONE magazine, disk jockeys were the music authorities. As a result, radio stations often received calls from people in their listening area who were looking for live entertainment. Local DJs named Johnny Dark and Roy Mack (Ronnie Jordan's uncle who worked for WMPS) began booking THE DEVILLES. The group began to play in small towns around the Memphis area. Eventually DJ Roy Mack became their de facto manager by getting the group the most work.

THE BOX TOPS

The Box Tops began as The Devilles, who had started playing in Memphis in 1963. As the band's personnel changed from time to time, so did the band name on occasion, which at one point became "Ronnie and The Devilles" and then later changed back to "The Devilles". By January 1967 the group was composed of founding member Danny Smythe (drums) (b.25 Aug1948, Memphis, Tennessee), along with newer arrivals John Evans (guitar, keyboards, background vocals) (b.18 Jun 1948, Memphis, last seen 2000), Chilton (lead vocal, guitar)(b.28 Dec1950, Memphis), Bill Cunningham (bass guitar, keyboards, background vocal) (b.23 Jan 1950, Memphis), and Gary Talley (lead guitar, electric sitar, bass, background vocal) (b.17 Aug1947, Memphis). They were soon renamed a final time. They changed their name to "Box Tops" to prevent confusion with another band recording at the time with the name "The Devilles".

As the Box Tops, they recorded Wayne Carson Thompson's "The Letter." Though under two minutes in length, it was an international hit in late 1967, reaching Billboard's number-one position and remaining there for four weeks. The record, produced by Dan Penn, sold over four million copies and received two Grammy awards nominations. Their single "Cry Like a Baby"was a major hit in 1968, peaking at number two on Billboard, and has been covered by such artists as the Hacienda Brothers and Kim Carnes. The album of the same name contained a song written by Spooner Oldham and Penn, "Fields of Clover." Some of their recordings' instrumental tracks were performed by session musicians like Reggie Young, Tommy Cogbill, Gene Chrisman, and Bobby Womack at Moman's American Sound Studio, and by future Chilton producer Terry Manning at Ardent Studios, although the actual group members performed on a number of the recordings, including their first hit, "The Letter," and on all live performances.

By January 1968, John Evans and Danny Smythe returned to school and were replaced by Rick Allen (b.28 Jan 1946, Little Rock, Arkansas) (from The Gentrys) and Thomas Boggs (b.16 Jul 1947, Wynn, Arkansas, d. 5 May 2008, Memphis, Tennessee.) (from the Board of Directors). The band recorded seven more singles, including the Moman-produced "Soul Deep,"which was the group's final Top 40 entry. Bill Cunningham left to return to school in August 1969 and was replaced by Harold Cloud. But eventually, the group's tolerance for the disrespect and fleecing they had endured as teen musicians from managers, lawyers, and promoters they had made rich came to an end. According to a 2004 article in Puremusic.com by Talley, a December 1969 British tour was cancelled by the band after arriving in London to discover that instead of respecting the rider agreement, the local promoter insisted they play the tour with the opening reggae act's toy drums, public address system amplifiers (instead of proper guitar amplifiers), and a keyboard with a broken speaker. Finally, in February 1970, the remaining founding members, Talley and Chilton, were ready to move on and disbanded the group.

THE STANDELLS!!!!!

The band was formed in 1962 by guitarist Tony Valentino and organist Larry Tamblyn. After the addition of vocalist & drummer Dick Doddand bassist Gary Lane, The Standells' had their first hit single with "Dirty Water," which reached #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966.

Other popular tracks included "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" (later covered by Washington, D.C. hardcore band Minor Threatand Swedish garage band The Nomads), "Why Pick On Me," "Riot On Sunset Strip," and "Try It."

Earlier in the 60's, Dick Dodd was the original drummer for The Bel-Airs, known for the hit surf rock song "Mr. Moto". Dodd is also a formerMouseketeer. Larry Tamblyn is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn and uncle of Amber Tamblyn, star of "Joan of Arcadia". Lowell George, who would go on to play with Little Feat, briefly played guitar in The Standells prior to their breakup in 1968. Gary Walker, later of The Walker Brothers, was also a member of the band.

Prior to their success on the Capitol Records label Tower, they were signed by Liberty and issued an album "The Standells In Person At P.J.'s" in 1964. After having no success with Liberty they recorded one single for Linda Records, then signed to Vee Jay in 1965 for two singles and to MGM for one single. When they signed to Capitol, their first single on Tower was "Dirty Water", which became a hit.

The group appeared in several low budget films of the 1960's, including Get Yourself a College Girl and Riot on Sunset Strip. The Standells also made an appearance on the televisionsitcom The Munsters in the episode "Far Out Munster," wherein the band performed "Come On and Ringo" and a version of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

Despite the references to Boston and the Charles River in "Dirty Water," The Standells are not from Massachusetts. "Dirty Water" was actually written by record producer, Ed Cobb. Nevertheless, "Dirty Water" is still played after every home victory won by the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and Boston Bruins.

In 1999, the original band members got together for a live show at the Cavestomp festival, and their performance was subsequently released as an album called Ban This!

The band continues to play shows occasionally, having performed at the second game of the 2004 World Series as well as the first game of the 2007 American League Division Series atFenway Park.