- A trio of very young
and very musical brothers called Hanson
erupted out of Oklahoma.
- It's the kind of thing that you always hope for
and it's the kind of thing you're going for
but there's no guarantee it's gonna happen.
- We got Hanson stopping by later on.
I remember hearing "MMMBop" for the first time
and being like, "This is a song that was made in a lab
to be the biggest hit in the history of the world."
- Yes. - You can hear
the screaming girls. - I'm aware
of the Hanson phenomenon, yeah.
- Mercury Records turned us down three times
before they actually signed us.
- They're so hot, Hanson,
and I was here since 7:00 AM this morning!
- We were just a little bit different.
- What does "MMMBop" mean anyway?
- Yeah. I mean- - It means-
- You know, these kids. (indistinct)
- So either it's so different
that it can't possibly succeed
or it's so different that it has to succeed.
(crowd screams)
- [Announcer] Hanson!
♪ Mmm bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du, yeah, yeah ♪
(static buzzing)
- [Interviewer] We ready to roll? You guys cool?
- I don't wanna roll. I prefer sitting.
- [Interviewer] Let's start at the beginning.
- [Interviewer] When did you first realize you wanted
to be musicians?
- When we were born, it happened.
The part of the story that is still very much
an important piece of the puzzle, which is,
when I was in first grade, my dad took a job going
to Latin America for a year to work as an accountant.
This is like a very isolating situation.
But on that trip, we had compilations that were
from the late 50s rock and roll.
And so we basically had one thing to listen to
that wasn't Spanish and it was Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin.
You had all of the famous, iconic pop tracks from that year.
So that music began to kind of get into our DNA.
- In the early 90s, Hanson's peers in America
were just getting onto hip hop in a huge way.
Acts like the Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre,
The Notorious B.I.G.
Thank God they didn't have top 40 radio to listen to
because then they would probably be trying
to make somebody else's idea of a hit record
rather than their idea of a hit record
based on what they had been raised on,
which is not what the rest of the world was listening to.
That is how you get something totally fresh.
- Our parents just instilled a level of self confidence
in us early on that it was just
okay to just be yourself.
- By the time we came back from South America,
what we had culturally was this rock and roll music.
We started off singing harmony
and we started talking about wanting to play instruments
and be able to really write among,
you know, the family friends,
and all of a sudden there was a piano
waiting in the driveway.
A family friend had gone
and bought it at a local shop and said, "Well, here you go."
We'd play piano for a long time classically.
Isaac then went to a pawn shop,
got an electric guitar,
Zac got some old drums, and we just went for it.
A week after Zac got the drums,
we played for the first time with our instruments.
So we basically just
jumped in. - Yeah, we really jumped
into it, yeah.
- It was a borrowed drum set from a friend of a friend.
Someone taught me one drum beat
and I played that drum beat enough that a week later,
I could play that drum beat on every song.
I didn't actually realize, when you're lefthanded,
you set the drums up backwards.
So for the first several months of playing drums,
I was playing right handed,
not knowing I was playing it backwards.
Really, honestly, struggling with a lot of, like,
"This is so much harder than it should be."
- And how'd you pick who would play what?
- Zac has the philosophy the bag.
- Let's hear it, Zac. - No.
- No. - His philosophy is,
Ike's arms were long enough to play the guitar.
So he got the guitar.
And Zac, and I could play the piano better
than Zac could at the time 'cause Zac was younger.
So I got the piano and he had the drums.
And he works better on the drums
'cause it's our shield from him, 'cause he's crazy.
- Are you crazy? You are a little crazy, aren't you?
- I'm a little bit weird.
- The first moment that we, as a group,
looked out at what we were doing and thought, "Whoa,
this is something special," is we did a performance
at an extremely conservative church.
I probably would've been 10.
And we got a standing ovation.
The rock and roll was spilling out
and we were singing a gospel song that we wrote.
We walked off that stage and Isaac
and I were old enough to kind of be fired up about it.
And he looked at our mom at the time and said,
"We need to make a record."
The next day she would go, "Hey, I looked up this place,
there's a studio and it cost this much an hour.
Do you think you could make an album in an hour?"
And we didn't know we couldn't, so we went and we did.
- Your parents love this, right?
- Oh, they were completely behind it.
They've been, I mean, we did two independent records
and it's not like we were gonna do it
with our lawn mowing money, and so.
Our mom is a firecracker.
There is no rule that should not be broken.
There is no opportunity too impossible.
When we needed to make a record, she found out how to do it.
We would not have been able to do what we've done
in our lives as adults, much less as kids,
were it not for them and their willingness to
embrace a dream that their kids had.
- [Producer] Your parents sacrificed so much
for your guys' career?
- That's kind of a rare quality.
I don't actually, sorry.
I don't actually talk about that very much.
Yeah. People don't normally ask that question.
- I'm Isaac, I'm 11.
- I'm Taylor, I'm nine.
- I'm Zachary and I'm six.
- [Boys] And we're the Hanson brothers and we like to
- Sing. - Sing.
- [Boys] Sing.
- Our process was kind of interesting.
We went down to South by Southwest
thinking that we would meet somebody
that would become a manager or a label would sign us.
And none of that happened.
- I'll bet you the people saw Hanson
at South by Southwest and were like,
"These guys are really talented,
but I don't know what to do with them."
The mid 90s was a really strange time for music
because the alternative thing was sort of fading away.
The sound was very post-Nirvana.
There was music like Beck that has stood the test of time.
The sound of the late 90s was boy bands and girl groups
and young pop stars and like really shiny pop confections.
And right in the middle of that,
with kind of the sound of the radio just before
and the look of video just after, was Hanson.
- "MMMBop" started as a background part
when we were making our record "Boomerang."
And it did sit around for a couple years.
- We're like, "Oh, that's too complicated.
Can't put that in there. It's too hooky.
It's like it's walking all over the song.
But that's really catchy, though."
- "MMMBop" became a song at the moment where
you have this incredibly hooky chorus,
which you can't get rid of in your own head,
and you have a story.
And when you put those two things together,
you have the foundation of a good pop song.
We learned that from people that wrote better songs
than we've ever written.
- When Taylor came and said, "Hey,
what do you think about finishing this song?"
It was like, "Oh, we finally get to sing this?
It's not just the thing you sing in the shower?
It's actually a song we're gonna sing on stage."
It was kind of like, "Yeah, that's a great idea."
- I absolutely had a feeling that day
that there was something really special.
Suddenly the inspiration of this song,
which was kind of in here, became the actual song.
"MMMBop" is really about friendships.
The first verse says,
"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."
And that's really
that's really what it says. - That's the point
of the song. - It's deeper than
it really sounds.
- At the time, us choosing to do music as our career
and us really taking it on at such a young age,
we kind of felt like we were having to choose,
and in some cases being slightly rejected
by friends who really didn't get it.
So that's really what the song was kind of about.
- The thing about "MMMBop" is, obviously,
it's a made up word.
It means a frame of time,
but it also intentionally kind of is lighthearted,
I think, in a way that disguises some of the meaning.
It's kind of sad.
It's kind of sad to hear a young person singing, like,
most things in life are gonna pass.
Most of the things you're going through won't matter.
Most of your friends are gonna leave you
or be gone 'cause in an mmmbop, it's all gonna be over.
- Mercury Records turned us down three times
before they actually signed us.
But Steve Greenberg saw something
because there wasn't anyone speaking
from a youthful perspective.
It's rare to have a label that does sort of see the moment
and say, "Hey, no, this is going to be successful."
- I was introduced to them
by Steve Greenberg over at Mercury Records.
When we got the demo,
it was like one of those ones when you'd receive it
as a record producer, you go,
"There's pretty much very little chance
of me screwing this up."
- The two producers, Stephen Lironi and the Dust Brothers,
I think they really just added a flavor to us.
Our music has its certain sound
and they added the little twist that made it more unique.
And I think that's important,
a lot of times, that's what the producer does.
- The Dust Brothers set a tempo and a drum loop
to go with it, and it was quite a sort of technical process
to go through.
- Stephen was the glue.
He really produced the whole record
and assembled the pieces that caused the song
to be what it was.
- Speaking of "MMMBop." - Yes, speaking of "MMMBop."
The song actually started out kind of slow,
kind of more like this.
And the song started to speed up.
And ended up like this.
♪ Mmm bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du bop ♪
- When we finished the record, there was a strong feeling
that this was the calm before the storm.
Here we go.
We're gonna kick some butt!
- All right guys.
And this is just for the sound check!
(crowd screaming)
- Please welcome from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Hanson.
♪ Mmm bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du, here we go, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Mmm bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du, yeah, yeah ♪
- You guys got so many girls out there, it's nuts!
- So when you guys go out, you get like mobbed, right?
- (burps) Yep. - Oh boy.
- Save me. - Yeah, we're gonna spend
a week. - I need help!
- Yeah, you're all excited for Hanson, right?
- Yes! - Oh, yes!
- Yeah! (crowd screams)
- To have heard it was to know
that you were witnessing pop music history,
but then to have seen it was like,
oh, this is, the culture's in trouble.
Like here comes Hanson.
They're going to be around for a while.
- All of a sudden here we are in year one
and you're in Indonesia and then you're in Melbourne
and then you're in Sydney and then you're in Rio
and then you're in London
and they're all singing this song that we had written
a year and a half before, sitting in our living room.
Frankly, it's beyond words.
- Those early visits from Hanson
were before the boy bands really dominated,
but it was a taste of what was to come.
They were the young boys that were the object of millions
of young girls' affection and attention.
And they screamed.
You could hear it throughout the building.
And you know, anytime they came by,
you knew traffic was gonna be a problem in Times Square.
Hanson was really the first to bring
that energy to the studio.
And it was memorable.
But right now, we're gonna check him with Mandy Moore,
who's in our Midtown studio with the brothers Hanson
who are getting ready for their MTV week special.
Mandy, what's going on in there?
- Nothing much, thank you so much, Dave.
That's right, I'm here. Chatting with Hanson.
- The next three extraordinary young gentleman
are nominated this year for Record of the Year,
Best New Artist,
Best Pop Performance by a duo or a group.
Let's just welcome them.
The gentleman of "MMMBop," Hanson.
- Go over to the window there! - Go to the window!
- Make 'em scream. - Say hi!
- See the funny thing is- - See, now they're on TV.
They're all excited. - Hello!
- Hanson is rehearsing for their performance of "MMMBop."
They're gonna be playing at the Grammy's Wednesday night.
- Absolutely getting the Grammy nominations
was a huge, huge deal, and it still is.
The most important one for us was the songwriting one.
That was really the biggest wow.
- From them hitting the scene in the spring of 1997
to them being nominated for Record of the Year was
just a few months.
And this is at a time when the Grammys
was at its most out of touch with the culture.
Pop usually doesn't get a whole lot of respect
at the Grammys, but that is how undeniable
and beautiful and perfect "MMMBop" was.
It was like, it didn't matter. It transcended.
You could not deny it.
- If you win the Grammy award,
which you're nominated in three categories,
and you're the critic's favorite right now
of walking away with at least one tonight.
How is that gonna change you?
- We can't expect too much. - Yeah.
- If we walk away with one,
that'll just be icing on the cake.
- When you guys first came out,
you were like the target of many jokes
on the internet. - Yeah.
- And now it's kind of turning around.
- I remember when "MMMBop" was out going,
"Man. nobody gets us. Nobody gets this."
- We had them on "TRL" for like an hour, maybe two.
And it was difficult to get them to sit down and focus.
Zac was antsy and full of energy.
And I remember thinking like, "What's his deal?
Oh, he's a child."
I think adults see kids making pop music
and they just, a wall goes up,
and it's maybe embarrassing to admit
that you like it or whatever.
That doesn't mean that they aren't also
really good songwriters and really good musicians.
- It's really hard when you're 12 years old
and everyone wants to analyze everything you think
and everything you like and everything you do.
I found myself, a lot,
just sort of going, "Man, I have just got to make fun
of someone or make someone laugh
or do something different," 'cause it kind of gets boring
and you just kind of take the piss out of people.
- I think it's really hard when you have your first record
and it's so enormous and you're that age.
It's hard not to be perceived as brats.
- I'd like to say hello to my fiance.
- Look at my muscles.
- Zac's actually been married - 18 children.
- Three times. - Boom, boom, boom!
- This guy can't stay married. - Boom, boom, boom!
- Tay, you may wanna blow your nose.
- I'm with rock stars. - We're like styrofoam stars.
- Come here, Zachy.
- Are you saying you think we're chicks?
(Zac laughs)
Yeah, I was a psycho.
(crowd screams)
- [Crowd] Hanson! Hanson!
Hanson! Hanson!
- You guys ready to rock? (crowd screams)
I said are you ready to rock? (crowd screams)
Let's rock.
When I reflect on now how incredibly rare it was
and the experience, I still get goosebumps.
- When I look back at what our life has been
and the beginning of our career,
where all of a sudden you're in New York City
or in Paris or wherever for the first time,
I am blown away that it actually happened.
- I think "MMMBop" has that timeless quality
that it could have come out in 1969 and been a sensation.
It could come out this afternoon and be a sensation.
It's great songwriting.
It's great production.
So much of what makes a hit song
is not always what makes a good song.
I mean, sometimes a good song is a hit,
and sometimes really terrible songs are hits.
The fact that it was so different was a huge benefit.
- When something has that big an impact,
it's never following a trend.
The only trend it's following is that it's good.
- It probably is a contributing factor
to the success of "MMMBop" all over the world
that the chorus has no English words in it.
It's that primal, these "Mmm bop, ba duba dop,"
Anyone can do it.
It's just, no one had done it.
(crowd screaming)
You write thousands of songs,
but you never know what's going to connect with people.
And then "MMMBop" was kind of at a level
that's unbelievable.
It was number one in 27 countries at the same time.
That doesn't happen to anybody.
- "Oh my gosh, hey guys, we did it!"
You know? Like. (laughs)
"We're good songwriters, see!"
- One of the things that I know is true
for us is that song was ours,
continues to be something that was authentic.
That's really what has allowed it to not be a pariah for us.
It's not something we've ever run from.
It's something that we've lifted up.
♪ Mmm bop, ba duba dop ♪
♪ Ba du bop, ba duba dop ♪
- One of the things for me that is so cool about
songs like "MMMBop" is that the lyric was right.
Hold on to the ones that really care
'cause in the end, they'll be the only ones there.
The people in the audience are those people
and they know it and we know.
(crowd screams)
- Dear Isaac, Taylor, and Zac, I suppose it is hard to put
into words exactly how much your music has meant to us.
The very first time we heard "MMMBop,"
we weren't quite sure what to make of it
but we knew it was something special.
During a time of Pearl Jam and Nirvana came this song,
but it wasn't just some pop song,
and you guys weren't just some pop band.
Thank you for making such wonderful music
and thank you for making so many people happy.
- Thank you so much! - Thank you guys.
♪ Mmm bop ♪