Turns Out If You Listen To Hanson’s ‘MMMBop’ As An Adult, The Lyrics Hit Hard

The other day I was browsing TikTok, as I, a 32-year-old woman who definitely has my life together, is allowed to do.

As I was flicking through my For You page which is mainly made up of tarot card readers telling me the person I used to have a crush on WILL message me soon and IS my twin flame, a small snippet of ’90s nostalgia popped up to smack me in the face.

It was boy band, Hanson, all grown up, performing their hit 1997 song ‘MMMBop’.

Suddenly, it was a hot day in my country hometown, I was eating a frozen tropical fruit box, and watching three golden-haired boys singing nonsensical lyrics on Rage.

My biggest memory of ‘MMMBop’ as a song was simply having NO idea what Taylor Hanson (one of my first crushes) was singing about but enthusiastically nodding along and singing “MMMBOP” when he did.

But, back to TikTok. As I was mindlessly scrolling through and then pausing on the moment that the three Hanson boys were performing (I still have a crush on Taylor for what it’s worth), I realised not only are there more lyrics than just “MMMBop” but the lyrics kinda… slap.

Like, they slap you in the face. These pre-teen kids were talking some absolute f**king TRUTH.

Literally, at the tender ages of 10, 12, and 14, these kids penned lyrics such as:

“You have so many relationships in this life
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.”

Do you know what I was doing at 12? Reading Sweet Valley High and setting my Sims on fire, that’s what! And for the most part, I consider myself a relatively emotionally mature person.

But it doesn’t end there! The boys continue:

“So hold on the ones who really care
In the end they’ll be the only ones there
And when you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care?”

My 32-year-old self is screaming. They were onto something! They knew! Who indeed will still care?! WHO?

Of course it then dissolves into “Mmmbop/ba duba dop/Ba du bop/ba duba dop/Ba du bop/ba duba dop“.

But they were right to say that. That’s what I also say after a couple of tequila shots.

Watch Hanson performing ‘MMMBop’ below:

@90snightly The lyrics hit harder now!! Man 10, 12 and 14 years old with these lyrics! #wisebeyondtheirage #90s #1997 #90s #90smusic #hanson #mmmbop #whowillstillcare #live #livemusic #jamaica #btti23 #btti2023 #backtotheisland #fyp #fypシ #foryou ♬ original sound – 90’s Nightly