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Sad Songs to Happy Music: Hanson's "MMMBop"

Back to Jim's Sad songs to happy music page.

A classic sad song with happy music. I love how catchy and happy it sounds. Even the chorus is fun, but the term "MMMBop" refers to the amount of time it takes for someone you care about to leave your life. Weee!

You can buy the album it's from here:

Middle of Nowhere by Hanson

and the single here:

MMMBop [CD-SINGLE] by Hanson

Lyrics and commentary:

You have so many relationships in this life,

But only one or two will last.

You go through all the pain and strife,

Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast.

Oh yeah. they're gone so fast.

Oh, so hold on to the ones who really care,

In the end they'll be the only ones there.

When you get old and start losing your hair,

The above lyrics are self-explanatory.

Can you tell me who will still care?

Can you tell me who will still care? oh care.

I like that they ask the listener, challenging him or her to tell them if they think they can tell the difference.

Mmmbop, ba duba dop ba do bop,

Ba duba dop ba do bop,

Ba duba dop ba do. oh yeah,

Mmmbop ba duba dop ba do bop,

Ba duba dop ba do bop,

Ba duba dop ba do

Oh yeah, in an mmmbop they're gone. yeah.

Here we see the meaning of the song's title. Mmmbop is the time it takes for someone to leave your life.

Plant a seed, plant a flower,

Plant a rose, you can plant any one of those

Keep planting to find out which one grows.

It's a secret no one knows.

It's a secret no one knows.

Oh, no one knows.

The message here is to cultivate many friendships and meaningful relationships because you cannot afford to trust your ability to predict which ones will be there when you need them.

(repeat chorus twice....)

In an mmm bop they're gone. In an mmm bop they're not there.

In an mmm bop they're gone. In an mmm bop they're not there.

Until you lose your hair. But you don't care.

(Repeat Chorus)

Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.

Can you tell me which flower's going to grow?

Can you tell me if it's going to be a daisy or a rose?

Can you tell me which flower's going to grow?

Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.

The song is very direct, talking directly to you. It anticipates that you think you can tell which friends will be loyal, but then Hanson you flat out tells you're wrong.