If you were anything like I was circa 1998, you’ll have had an embarrassing number of Hanson friendship bracelets, a copy of Hanson: Tulsa, Tokyo And The Middle Of Nowhere on VHS, and the Snowed In Christmas album (which I still listen to annually, btw…).
So, imagine my disdain when I heard from the man himself – Taylor Hanson – that ‘MMMBop’ was very nearly a completely different song. And even started out as just “a background part” for another song.
Sacrilege!
Speaking exclusively to Cosmopolitan UK, Taylor revealed that he and his brothers – Zach and Isaac – originally came up with the ‘MMMBop’ hook when they were writing another song. But it was so damn good, they shelved it knowing that it would soon have the makings of a pop banger.
“We were working on a part for another song and it was too hooky and too dominant, so we logged it, and put it aside as it wasn’t a background part. And then over the next two years it was there – it was an idea that we knew existed.
“Then one day the emergence of a verse pattern came and they worked together [to create ‘MMMBop’].”
And thank God they did work together – imagine a life without the lyrics, “Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose. You can plant any one of those…”
It doesn’t bear thinking about.
Once more for old time’s sake?
“Keep planting to find out which one growssssss. It’s a secret no-one knowsssssssss.”
Also best not to think about are some of Hanson’s fashion choices from back in the day.
When asked if there was anything he looked back and cringed at, Taylor replied: “Mostly just polyester. The ‘90s included a lot of materials that all of us hope don’t make a return. But a lot of materials are coming back in fashion – it’s really frightening.”
Hanson are currently in the UK touring their new album String Theory, which is out now.