As a kid, we all learned the universal magic word when asked was supposed to be “pleeeease!” But so many other magic words are actually commonplace. According to Wikipedia, magic words are often nonsense phrases used in fantasy, fiction or by stage magicians. They are presented as being part of a divine, or secret empowered language. Comic books, movies, and shows use magic words to conjure a spirit, activate a character’s special powers or transform a situation in some way. Magic words are even used as Easter eggs or cheats in computer games, software, and operating systems.
The first magic words I remember hearing are “Ala Peanut Butter Sandwiches” used by The Amazing Mumford on the hit TV show Sesame Street. I’m not going to tell you that I remember the circumstances or the episode, but that phrase sort of stuck with me because it was so odd. Also, when I was a youngster in elementary school, I took peanut butter sandwiches to lunch each day. (No on the jelly by the way. Solo PB for me.) Sesame Street convinced me that my lunch might just have magical powers!
Then there is the ever popular “Abracadabra” which you were probably exposed to when you watched your first magician perform on stage. After the sleight of hand, whoosh of a cape or twirl of a box, Abracadabra– there was suddenly a bird, flowers, or a rabbit where a scarf was originally placed. Clearly Abracadabra made the magic happen. Furious clapping and wonderment followed, right?
My favorite use of a light-hearted magical incantation would have to be in Cinderella when Cin’s Fairy Godmother used the sing songy phrase “The thingamabob that does the job is Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” to transform an orange pumpkin into a gleaming white carriage, four mice into horsemen, a horse into a coachman, and a dog into a footman. I haven’t had much luck with this one, although I have tried to turn raw ingredients into dinner before. Perhaps my wand is on the fritz. I might need to reorder more fairy dust on Amazon.
I’ve only ever heard the term, “Hocus Pocus” to throw shade at an unbelievable situation. As in, “I have no idea how they could afford that house? Must be some crazy Hocus Pocus going on there.” Or used synonymously with bewilderment as in, “He doubled his money on that random stock? No way. Sounds like some Hocus Pocus is at play.”
I think the most musical use of magic words is from the spectacular songwriter and one of my all-time favorite artists, Nat King Cole, with his toe tapping hit, Orange Colored Sky. The genius lyrics describe meeting someone unexpectedly terrific. “I was walking along, minding my business when out of an orange-colored sky… Flash! Bam! Alakazam! Wonderful you came by.” That song just makes you want to dance!
“Open Sesame!” is a magical phrase used in the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in Antoine Galland’s version of One Thousand and One Nights. When spoken aloud, this phrase opens the mouth of a cave in which forty thieves have hidden a treasure. In my experience, I’ve taken the liberty to morph that phrase for my own personal use. Like I’ve used those words to open the garage door with the clicker back when I lived in a house, to entice my young toddler to eat his organic squash and carrot puree at dinnertime, and once or twice before I flung open the refrigerator doors to reveal a bountiful food shop.
Nowadays I think most people curb their use of magical phrases. The only time I ever hear Open Sesame is at the bagel place on Sunday when the deli guy is cutting sesame bagels. (He’s a riot.) Believing in the magic of something seems to be limited mostly to kids. But I hope the possibility of magic happening to all of us never wears off. Like the magical feeling we experience if that sesame bagel is topped with whipped cream cheese, a mountain of lox, salty capers, red onion, and fresh dill. Now that is pure magic. Abracadabra, it’s breakfast!
jenslittleblackbook.com 