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We’ll start off with a cover song for my son, then toss out some Depeche Mode covers and The Sweet, The Beatles and The Stones:
“Mahna Mahna” – Cake (popularized by The Muppets)
“Love Is Like Oxygen” – Doug Powell (originally The Sweet)
“Behind The Wheel”- CHORE (originally Depeche Mode)
“Never Let Me Down Again” – Smashing Pumpkins (originally Depeche Mode)
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – Damon & Naomi (originally The Beatles)
“Can I Get A Witness” – The Rolling Stones (originally Marvin Gaye)
“Popularized” by The Muppets is right. It predates Henson, but I can’t pinpoint the origins right now. Some say it’s World Music or a traditional island chant from the Caribbean. One theory — which I’m fairly certain is wrong — is that it’s an old European hit from an Italian “adult movie.” No, I don’t believe that, either.
Here’s some more history on it from the Muppets side of things, though:
http://www.toughpigs.com/anthhipster07.htm
where’d you get the Cake cover of “Mahna Mahna” ?
The original composer of Mah Na Mah Na was someone named Piero Umiliani, and rumor has it that Henson et al picked it up from the soundtrack of a Swedish porn film called “Heaven or Hell”.
Any combination of those into your favorite search engine will pull up more than you ever want to know.
I’d like to second the request to find out where I can lay hands on that Cake cover.
It’s a popular disk, so I’ll post a reply here rather than reply to individual emails. The Cake track comes from a compilation called “For The Kids”, a combination of covers of Sesame Street and Muppet stuff, along with Free To Be You And Me and things along those lines. It’s available, along with it’s sequel disk (which I haven’t heard yet, but just ordered) at Amazon.com.
Isn’t it sonic union? As in union station? Not onion?
My workmate says the banner is from Breakfast in America by Supertramp
Brian, Are you a closet Supertramp fan? My Canadian husband is and we would love to hear a Supertramp Coverville!
Happy Birthday to Tristan! We’re about to celebrate a 9th birthday over here. The almost nine year old dug the mahna mahna song as well, and was a bit shocked to hear her sweeper afterwards! Thanks for running it.
Kim
Since it was asked, our name is Sonic Unyon and that is pronounced “onion.”
Thank you to Brian for taking the time to play some of our music, the support is appreciated.