Sunday, March 22, 2009

Abra-dee, Abra-do, with a Hay and a Ho and a Nonny Nonny No

Abra-dee, abra-do, with a hay and a ho and a nonny nonny no are magic words to grant a wish, featured in an episode of the television series Today’s Special (1982). Similar to hey diddle diddle and hey derry down, hey nonny nonny are nonsense words to English folk songs dating back to the Elizabethan era. Such songs were typically performed by dancing jesters. Nonsense phrases were often used by troubadours in Renaissance song lyrics as substitutes for words considered risqué (Bill Markwick, Classical 96 FM Music Dictionary, 2001).

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