What's a Mojo?

Question

The African-American pot washer was listening to his blues once in 1996 when I was working at Hershey Hall in UCLA. The song he was listening to said, "...I got the mojo blues..." etc., etc. I remembered back home in Fresno County I used to eat Mojo potatoes with melted nacho cheese, but this was obviously a completely new use of the word. Actually, I'd heard it many times before, usually in blues songs, but I'd never actually asked anyone what it meant. I just figured it meant something like "a lot" or "heavy," as in, "I've got the heavy blues" tonight.

Anyway, so I asked the pot washer, "What's a mojo?" and he had this delayed reaction, where he just stopped scrubbing what he was scrubbing, and without turning around to face me, tilted his head back toward the ceiling and opened his mouth: "Aaaaaa-haaa haaaaaa haaa-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-ha ha ha-ha-ha-ha...!" He just laughed like that and never answered me, so I left.

So now, 10 years later, "What's a mojo?"

Actually, darkmoon_red, that line from "LA Woman," that reads "Mr. Mojo Risin'" is actually a play on his own name: Unscramble the letters to spell Jim Morrison. He needed to spell (risin') without the g so it could fit. =)

Answer 1

in some cultures it refers to a spell a type of dark magic so to speak. More commonly it refers to your libido in modern times. in old soul ,rythm and blues , it's a combination of the two it's sort of what makes you, you. cause without my mojo I can never be at full power with money makin',booty shakin',or honey swayin'. know what I mean.

Answer 2

Mojo (pronounced: 'mO-"jO) is a term commonly encountered in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo. A mojo is a small bag, a type of magic charm, often of red flannel cloth and tied with a drawstring, containing botanical, zoological, and/or mineral curios, petition papers, and the like. It is typically worn by a person under the clothes.

Answer 3

There are two terms for mojo.

1. Mojo is another word for magic basicly in voodoo or hoodoo. Basicly how much magic potential someone has. "oh he has some powerful mojo dat one." it's also used like magic item such as a bag.

2. The libido. Sex Drive. How horny you get. Popularized by Austin Powers.

Answer 4

Haven't you heard The Doors? "It's the mojo rising" ;-)

Answer 5

have u seen the powerpuff girls cartoon? mojo is the villain out there. mojojojo!! Ahahahahaha!!!!

Answer 6

when ever i hear the word mojo, it's used in a sense that its your "charm"

example: "I've lost my mojo"
"I've lost my charm"

Answer 7

That thing in my pants that constantly overpowers my brain.

Answer 8

Sex drive

Answer 9

Gotta have it to know it.. ;)