0 MAGIC WORDS Abbadabba (see abba, abba-dabba-ooga-booga-hoojee-goojee-yabba-dabba-doo, and abracadabra) Ever and ever on an abbadabba. -- Carl Sandburg, "The Abracadabra Boys" (1970) Mystique: Abbadabba suggests a casual kind of manipulation of life in which one can operate outside the rules or break the rules with a deceptive flourish, leaving even the victim feeling a sort of admiration for the perpetrator's gift. Meanings: • Abracadabra "[F]rom the gangsters of the 19 0s, particularly Dutch Schultz's legendary financial handler, Otto Berman (whose nickname 'Abbadabba' was derived from 'abracadabra'), came a recognition of exactly how the numbers could be manipulated; Abbadabba used quadratic equations and probability formulas to rig his boss's illegal gambling rackets, increasing gross profits by more than 50 percent." -- Art Kleiner, The Age of Heretics (1996) • Gibberish, incomprehensible language -- Jim Bouton, Ball Four • I love you -- Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan, "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (1914) • Jargon Facts: Abbadabba is a palindrome. Aba daba is monkey chatter for "I love you" in the old ragtime song "Aba Daba Honeymoon" by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan (1914): "Aba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab," Said the Chimpie to the Monk, "Baba, daba, daba, daba, daba, daba, dab," Said the Monkey to the Chimp. Variations and Incantations: • Aba Daba • Abba Cadabra • Abba Dabba • Abba dabba cadabra -- BrothersJudd.com (2004) • Abbadabba dabbadabba -- Jim Bouton, Ball Four (1990)