# mojo

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 27, 1999, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878 "1999-08-27T20:54:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![asl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eada6e/32.png) [@asl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asl)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 1999, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/1 "1999-08-27T20:54:00Z")

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everybody is workin’ their mojo now, but when did the first mojo get worked? was it mojorison with the doors, or is this something even farther back than that?

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**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 1999, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/2 "1999-08-27T21:01:00Z")

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Well, Cecil covered it here:  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_257.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_257.html)

Personally I’ve been workin’ mine for quite some time.

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**Author:** ![BigRoryG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigRoryG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigRoryG)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 1999, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/3 "1999-08-27T21:03:00Z")

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Jimi Hendrix had some serious mojo, but i think Jim Morison brought it out into the light a lot. As with all cool things, it was African American Blues musicians that created it. They used it and white guys like us warped and stole it from tem. We’re good at that.

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Sincerely, SDStaff hopeful

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 1999, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/4 "1999-08-28T01:33:00Z")

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Only mojo I recall is stuff I’ve had in the Philippines. Wickedly strong drink which tastes like Kool-Aid.

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**Author:** ![Big\_Iron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Big\_Iron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Iron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 1999, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/5 "1999-08-28T18:53:00Z")

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As Cecil (with uncharacteristic awkwardness, IMO) notes:  
Mojo = magic

A Mojo = a magic charm  
Comes in handy if somebody tries to put a bad root on you.

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**Author:** ![TerryTerrific](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@TerryTerrific](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerryTerrific)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 1999, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/6 "1999-08-29T05:12:00Z")

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mojo

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mo\*jo (noun), plural mojoes or mojos

[probably of African origin; akin to Fulani moco’o medicine man]

First appeared 1926

## : a magic spell, hex, or charm; broadly : magical power

Terence in Marietta, GA

_ **Be someone’s hero** _

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 1999, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mojo/2878/7 "1999-08-29T06:03:00Z")

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## Sorta like juju, right? Peace, mangeorge

Work like you don’t need the money…  
Love like you’ve never been hurt…  
Dance like nobody’s watching! …(Paraphrased)