googly-moogly

See also: googly moogly

English

Alternative forms

• googly moogly, googa mooga, googamooga

Etymology

A related form appears in 1953 as the title of the song “Good Googa Mooga,” a B-side recorded by the Magic Tones, and in the song “Stranded in the Jungle” recorded in 1956 by The Cadets, who added the line “Great goo-ga-moo-ga!” which did not appear in other artists' recordings of the song made that same year. The current form first appears in Howlin' Wolf's 1961 cover of blues singer St. Louis Jimmy Oden's 1942 song “Goin' Down Slow". The 'great googly moogly' version of the term is heard in the song "Nanook Rubs It", the second part of the Yellow Snow saga, on Frank Zappa's 1974 album 'Apostrophe.'

Interjection

googly-moogly

1. Expression of surprise, disbelief, delight, or fear.
   • 1994, Brad Warner, Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality:

     Googly-moogly! What more could any human being possibly want?

   • 2003, Beth Elliott, Don't Call it Virtual:

     Great googly-moogly! M'Chunga thought. Now this was more like it!

   • 2005, Brian McCreight, The Legend of the Lowcountry Liar and Other Tales of a Tall Order, →ISBN:

     “Great googly-moogly!” the Vinaigrettes cry together. “We're rich,” says Olive. “It's a mighty fine find,” says Herb.

Usage notes

Often preceded by "great" or "good", as in "great googly-moogly" or "good googly-moogly".

Synonyms

• (expression of surprise): See Thesaurus:wow