oomph

The word "oomph" is an Americanism that dates back to 1935–40. It's an imitative word that sounds like the sound made during exertion, such as lifting a heavy object. It is an onomatopoeia that imitates a sound. Ah, but what sound is it imitating?

According to Online Etymology Dictionary , “oomph” means "sexual attractiveness," 1937 (umph), suggestive visceral physical sound.

Ann Sheridan (1915–1967) was the original Hollywood "oomph girl."

Some say the word comes from the forceful sound of being hit in the belly, like a boxer taking a punch to the midsection. Others say it may be imitative of the bellow of a mating bull. If you said that a powerful car has plenty of oomph, then on acceleration it pins you back in your seat and makes you say “oomph.”.

"Oomph" has multiple meanings: Power and strength; enthusiasm, vigor, or energy; sex appeal; or expressive of exertion

Electric Prunes

 

Electric Prunes are an American psychedelic rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. Incorporating psychedelia and elements of early electronic rock, the band's sound was marked by innovative recording techniques with fuzz-toned guitars and oscillating sound effects. 

Guitarist Ken Williams' and singer James Lowe's called the sound "free-form garage music" that set them apart from many of their contemporaries.

According to Lowe, the name Electric Prunes started off as a joke, but he eventually convinced other band members to keep it, saying, "It's the one thing everyone will remember. It's not attractive, and there's nothing sexy about it, but people won't forget it."

The band was signed to Reprise Records in 1966 and released their first single, "Ain't It Hard", in the latter part of the year. Their first album, The Electric Prunes, included the band's two nationally charting songs, "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" and "Get Me to the World on Time". With the appearance of their second album, Underground, the band was more free to create their own material. However, the original group disbanded by 1968 when they proved unable to record the innovative and complex arrangements by David Axelrod on the albums Mass in F Minor and Release of an Oath. Both albums were released under the band's name, the rights to which were owned by their record producer David Hassinger, but were largely performed by other musicians. Several of the original band members reconvened in 1999 and began recording again. The band still performs occasionally, although the only remaining original member is lead singer James Lowe.

They produced albums and got FM airplay but did not really have hit singles.

Mass in F Minor is their third studio album and explains pretty well why they were not a mainstream rock band. Released in 1968, it consists of a musical setting of the mass sung in Latin and Greek and arranged in the psychedelic style of the band, and was written and arranged by David Axelrod.

hullabaloo

Hullabaloo is defined as a commotion, usually over something of little or no importance.
"There was a hullabaloo about who should cut the wedding cake."

The Cambridge Dictionary defines it a bit more seriously as "a loud noise made by people who are angry or annoyed; a lot of angry comments made in public about someone or something," so it might have a slightly different meaning in the UK. 

The origin is given as being mid-18th century as a reduplication of hallo, hullo, etc. I'm not sure that satisfies my curiosity. 

It is a word I associate with an old American TV show that I have seen clips of on YouTube. Wikipedia says it was "an American musical variety series that ran on NBC from January 12, 1965, through April 11, 1966 (with repeats to August 1966). Similar to ABC's Shindig! and in contrast to American Bandstand, it aired in prime time."