90s

9 Facts About Hanson That Will Make You Say "MMMCool"

When it comes to music, the 90s gave us a lot of gems, but none of them has defined an era as much as 'MMMBop' did.

Everyone who's lived through the 90s knows exactly where that quasi-gibberish word came from and has definitely sung along to it. The band behind the hit song, Hanson, was formed in 1992, but it wasn't until they dropped their debut single in 1996 that they became worldwide sensations.

Composed of brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac, Hanson went on to sell over 16 million records worldwide and steal even more teenage hearts along the way. Although their subsequent releases never peaked as much as their first album, Middle of Nowhere, Hanson continued to hold a very special place in every 90s kid's heart.

Here are 9 interesting facts about the trio to help you get to know them as more than just "the band who sang MMMBop":

1. 'MMMBop' originally sounded very different

The upbeat and catchy song that we've all grown to love didn't always sound like that. The Hanson brothers explained to Vulture that the original version "started slow," and it wasn't until later studio sessions that the song took on a new life to become what the single the band is best known for.

The boys also revealed that the hit also has a much deeper and darker meaning than most people realize.

“I think a lot of people did not [realize that MMMBop is a darker song]. And that makes sense. But hopefully over time, the staying power of that song is about the fact that it’s more than it looks like at first glance. That hook is what gets you in, but what’s below that is what keeps you there.”

2. People sing the 'MMMBop' chorus wrong

Broadly

The chorus may sound like gibberish, but Hanson begs to differ. In fact, they claim everyone has been singing the song wrong since 1997, and they even demonstrated how it should be sung by belting out the hook during an interview on Kyle & Jackie O In The Morning.

Here's are the right lyrics: "Mmmbop, ba duba dop/ Ba du bop, ba duba dop/ Ba du bop, ba duba dop/ Ba du, yeah/ Mmmbop, ba duba dop/ Ba du bop, ba du dop/ Ba du bop, ba du dop/ Ba du, yeah..."

"Too many people put a 'wop' in there. What happens is people go to sing that song, and they start making it up as if it's nonsense. But it's actually a repetitive part," explained Zac.

3. They own a beer line

Tulsa World

The Hanson brothers started are craft beer enthusiasts so they turned their passion into business by starting their own beer line called...wait for it...MmmHops.

The beer is described as "a smooth-bodied Pale Ale crafted with rich malt and a signature blend of hops, with 7.5% alcohol."

4. They also launched a music festival

Mmmboptastic

Combining two of their favorite things, music and beer, the brothers launched The Hop Jam, Oklahoma's largest craft beer and music festival. The annual late spring event features over 200 varieties of craft beer and free all-ages concerts from many different artists. Past festivals have featured artists like Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes, KONGOS, X-Ambassadors, and of course Hanson.

5. Taylor is part of another band

The weirdest Band in The World

Although Taylor still jams with his brothers, he is involved with an unexpected side project called Tinted Windows. In addition to Taylor, the rock super group consists of James Iha of The Smashing pumpkins, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick.

6. Issac's wife was a super fan

NY Daily News

Nikki basically achieved what many super fans dream of: marry their idol. Nikki was standing five rows from the stage when Isaac spotted her in the crowd. They instantly shared a connection, so after the show, the singer went to the guitar tech and stage manager to help him find her before she made her exit.

7. Zac waited for marriage

The youngest of the Hanson brothers, Zac, made the decision to wait until his wedding night to do the deed. In an interview with Howard Stern, he explained that his decision wasn't based on religion, "it's just a personal thing."

He added, "Everybody’s got their own preference. I’m not telling everybody 'Don’t go have permarital sex'. I’m just saying that I didn’t, and that seemed like the right thing to do for me."

8. They were in a Katy Perry video

It's possible that you haven't gone out of your way to watch Katy Perry's music video for 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)', so you might've missed the cameos made by some popular 90s stars including Hanson. The brothers were the band playing at the party.

"We had a really good time. It was one of those things that worked out really well. They said [they] needed a band to play the party, and we thought we could bring the party — even if it was a fictional party," said Taylor.

9. They each walk a mile before every show

Zimbio

Since 2007, Hanson has been leading an initiative called Take The Walk. The brothers walk a mile barefoot before their shows to raise money and awareness for poverty and AIDS in Africa. The band donates a dollar for every fan that shows up to walk with them. So far 67729 miles have been walked in cities all over the world.

Hard to believe that the brotherly trio have been around for a quarter of a century. I can still picture their baby faces and flowing blonde locks as they goofed around the streets of LA in their debut video.

Did you learn something new about Hanson?

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