Mojo
Definition and etymology
Historical origins
The term "mojo" originates linguistically from the Gullah creole language spoken by African Americans in the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia, where "moco" or "moco'o" denoted witchcraft, magic, or conjure practices.[1][2] This Gullah form is traced to West African languages, particularly Fulani (Fula), in which "moco'o" signifies a medicine man or shaman responsible for healing and spiritual workings.[3][4] The transmission occurred via the transatlantic slave trade, as enslaved West Africans from regions including modern-day Senegal, Guinea, and Mali contributed linguistic and cultural elements to Gullah, a creole preserving African substrates amid English dominance.[2] In 19th-century African American folk practices in the U.S. South, particularly hoodoo—a syncretic tradition rooted in West and Central African spiritual systems adapted under slavery—"mojo" manifested as a tangible amulet, typically a small flannel pouch enclosing roots, herbs, coins, or bodily tokens.[5][6] These items were prepared by rootworkers or conjurers and carried for ascribed benefits such as personal empowerment, warding off harm, or amplifying sexual allure and fertility, reflecting pragmatic adaptations to oppression rather than formalized theology.[7] Ethnographic records from the post-emancipation era document mojo bags in conjure rituals across Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Carolinas, with their efficacy tied to individual belief and ritual activation, such as "feeding" the bag with prayers or fluids.[8] The earliest printed attestations of "mojo" in English appear in 1926, linked to blues musicians in the Mississippi Delta, who referenced mojo hands or bags in lyrics for luck in gambling, love, or survival—evidencing oral traditions predating literacy.[1][2] These uses underscore hoodoo's persistence into the early 20th century, distinct from European occultism, as a decentralized, community-based system emphasizing causality through sympathetic magic and herbalism derived from African precedents.[9]Linguistic evolution and primary meanings
The term "mojo" entered recorded American English in the 1920s, initially denoting a magic spell, hex, charm, or voodoo practice, as evidenced by its earliest attestation in a 1922 Birmingham, Alabama newspaper.[10] Of probable Creole origin, related to Gullah "moco" meaning witchcraft or magic, it reflected African American folk traditions without implying supernatural efficacy.[3] By the mid-20th century, "mojo" had evolved in slang usage to signify an abstract personal charm or hexing influence, appearing in dictionaries as "magic; voodoo" or a talismanic power.[11] This phase marked a transition from concrete conjure associations to broader metaphorical applications, influenced by dissemination through vernacular speech in the American South and urban centers.[12] In contemporary English, the primary meaning has shifted to slang for confidence, charisma, energy, or personal magnetism, often denoting a quality enabling success or appeal, as in phrases like "get one's mojo back."[13] Corpus analyses of word usage indicate this semantic broadening accelerated post-1960s, decoupling from literal magical connotations toward psychological or motivational attributes, though retaining a connotation of elusive potency.[14] This evolution prioritizes observable patterns in dictionary inclusions and idiomatic expressions over folkloric claims, with modern definitions emphasizing non-supernatural interpretations.[15]Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
In music, "mojo" refers to an artist's personal magnetism, rhythmic command, or seemingly supernatural ability to connect with and energize listeners, a concept rooted in African-American hoodoo folklore where a mojo bag served as a talismanic pouch filled with herbs, roots, or other items believed to confer luck, protection, or potency.[16][17] This evolved into slang for sexual appeal or performative flair, especially in blues contexts, as captured in lyrics evoking the recovery of lost personal power.[18] The phrase entered popular music via Preston "Red" Foster's 1955 composition "Got My Mojo Working," which Muddy Waters recorded on December 1, 1956, and released as a single in March 1957 on Chess Records (catalog no. 1652), pairing it with "Rock Me."[19][20] Waters' electrified Chicago blues rendition, featuring his raw vocals and band including Little Walter on harmonica, transformed it into a staple of live sets and a blues archetype for invoking charismatic revival, influencing rock performers from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin.[21] Mojo is also the title of a prominent British music magazine launched on October 15, 1993, by Emap (acquired by Bauer Media in 2008), dedicated to in-depth coverage of rock, pop, and related genres through archival features, artist retrospectives, and reissue critiques.[22][23]Artists and bands
Several musicians and groups have adopted "Mojo" as a stage name or band moniker, often evoking the term's connotations of raw energy or blues heritage.- Mojo Nixon (born Neill Kirby McMillan Jr., August 2, 1957, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; died February 7, 2024), was an American psychobilly and alternative rock performer whose satirical, high-octane style blended punk, country, and novelty elements; he gained MTV airplay with "Elvis Is Everywhere" from his 1987 album Bo-Day-Shus!!! on Enigma Records.[24][25]
- Blacktop Mojo, a hard rock band from Palestine, Texas, formed in late 2012 by vocalist Matt James and drummer Nathan Gillis, with later additions including guitarist Kenneth Irwin; their sound fuses southern rock, grunge, and blues, yielding albums like Blacktop Mojo (2017) on Cuhmon Records.[26][27]
- The Mojos, a Liverpool-based Merseybeat outfit active in the 1960s, originally formed as the Nomads in 1962 and renamed after adding pianist Terry O'Toole in 1963; led by vocalist Stu James, they charted with "Everything's Alright" (1964, UK No. 49 on Decca Records) before evolving into Stuart A. & The Mojos.[28][29][30]
Recordings and albums
- Mojo (2010) by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers marks their twelfth studio album, recorded at The Clubhouse in Clewiston, Florida, and released June 15, 2010, on Reprise Records; produced by Petty and Mike Campbell, it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, emphasizing blues-rock grooves with tracks like the title song and "Jefferson Jericho Blues."[31][32][33]