If you were in 1997, you couldn't miss it. "MMMBop" was everywhere. This song from Hanson's debut, "Middle of Nowhere," contributed to over 10 million album sales and pushed Notorious BIG from the top of the charts. The song reached number one for him in 27 countries, turning the child musician into a true global celebrity.
Twenty-five years after this, no one knows better than his three brothers who created the success of "MMMBop."
"We all know how catchy this song is," said Isaac Hanson. "It worked."
"It was a phenomenon," said Zack. "It was kind of a cultural wave, a tsunami."
Taylor added, "I got on with my life."
"CBS Morning" co-host Tony Dukpil said, "They say it sounds like a song made in a lab specifically designed to grab the attention of the whole world." ' said.
"People almost feel that way and say these things out of elation," Taylor said. But for you it's like, 'That's great, butthis is what we wrote.'
Click the video player below to hear Hanson perform "MMMBop":
Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the brothers formed a band and released a 1958 rock and roll hit.
"Then very naturally we started emulating," said Taylor. "So songwriting starts with emulating something, and all of a sudden you're singing along and making it your own." It came to mind while working on a completely different song.
Zach said. "I was about to write a background part for a song called 'Boomerang' but it was already syncopated.Bing bang, hit me like a boomerang. The light turns green and the blood flows.And for some reason, ``This isn't complicated enough, we thought we should add more complexity underneath.''
Putting the two pieces together , Isaac admitted, "It's just a lot of gumbo.
They ended up splitting the two songs, and a year or two later adapted the enchanting song to the idea …and a lesson you may have missed.
"A frame of time," Isaac replied. "In MMMBop they are gone. In MMMBop they don't exist."
added Zach. Taking on is something you may never have the chance to make again.
You have had so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last Experience
Then you turn away and they fly by
You get old and your hair starts falling out
Tell me who still cares
Dokoupil said that when they wrote the song, Isaac was thirteen, Taylor was eleven, and Zac was nine.
"Yeah," Zak said with a laugh. "Well, we were already getting these messages from our parents: 'Hey, you have to be you. And people don't always understand you.' I was.
Although the band recorded other hits ("Where's the Love," "This Time Around," and "If Only"), none matched the commercial success of "MMMBop." was. Still, the brother found a loyal fan base and found a new path to success through his own independent record label, his 3CG Records.3CG Records
"You know what success is, let's argue. It's about talking to the fans of , and let's see if we can hit #1 on Billboard's independent albums." And we did. ''
''We've been doing it ever since,'' he added Isaac.
'CBS Morning' joins legendary Ryman in his auditorium in Nashville on a world tour of his latest album 'Red Green Blue' featuring five of his songs for each brother. I caught up with a band.
Zack said, "I don't think there are many bands where everyone sings, plays, writes, and is completely on their own, but together
To watch Hanson perform "Write You a Song" from the album Red Green Blue, click the video player below. Please:
's HANSON official music video by, it's fans still cramming into theaters to hear the band's latest and greatest performances. Twenty-five years after they first got together about hugging the people they care about, the Hanson brothers still live by those words.
Zack said ``We are a band that is probably less understood than was misunderstood when the band started.''
"Why do you say that?" asked Dokpil.
"Because I think it's a happy band outside their genre, just as influenced by music that's out of their time. And what's important is the story." Yes, that's the message behind the song.
"Even if it took 25 years, we're still here." Click the embed to stream Hanson's album Red Green Blue (free Spotify subscription required to hear full track):
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