S 40 Simsim (see open sesame and sim sala bim) Mystique: "Some words are ancient beyond our knowledge. They express our common human heritage. Simsim has a magic power to remove obstacles and open doors."45 Origins: Simsim is said to be the authentic translation of the magic phrase "open sesame."46 It is "the modern Arabic form of the Akkadian word for what we call sesame."47 Sis Boom Bah (see also ali-sis-koombah) Variations and Incantations: • Abner cadaver sis boom bah "In the seconds before the explosion Kianne screamed the only magic words that came to mind hoping she could maybe bluff him into run ning away. 'Abner Cadaver Sis Boom Bah!'" -- Kianne and Theodore Spazmodeous, "Kenders and Towers" (2001) • Flash bang sis boom bah • Ha ha sis boom bah • Hocus-pocus alla-ma-gocus sheeba-shaba-shooby fire-cracker-fire-cracker sis-boom-bah -- Travis, "Travis Inside Out" (200 ) • Hocus pocus dominocus, sis sis siscumbah, rah rah rah -- Stephanie Calmenson and Joanna Cole, Miss Mary Mack (1990) • Karaborrah-karaborrah, Sis-boom-bah This phrase is from a Scout Patrol yell. • Rah rah sis boom bah • Rah rah siskoombah This is a phrase from a college fighting shout. • Sis boom bah Johnny Carson, playing the psychic "Carnac the Magnificent" on The Tonight Show, predicted "sis boom bah" to be "the sound of a sheep exploding." 45 Jonathan Fine, "Formatting SGML Manuscripts" (1995) 46 Donald A. Norman, The Design of Everyday Things (1988) 47 Jonathan Fine, "Formatting SGML Manuscripts" (1995)