Hanson: MMMBop Meaning
Song Released: 1997
MMMBop Lyrics
-
The flower the seed and the rose all grow and all require different actions. The seed is your own idea. The flower is somthing you can copy. The rose is the final product. Don’t take the final product and don’t copy. create a seed, water the flower and your own roses will grow. - Chris Mitchell
-
Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose
You can plant any one of those
Keep planting to find out which one grows
It's a secret no one knows
It's a secret no one knows
this part is about planting your relationships in life, and seeing which one 'grows' and lasts. and obviously its a secret no-one knows, you dont know which relationships in your life will grow and last, some end up dying (relationship ending).
the whole song is about relationships so it makes sense. -
I was wrong...actually I wasn't wrong...it's just like with everything in life, there are layers upon layers.
Let's go back to the metaphor of seeds, flowers and roses that is found within this song.
YOU CAN look at this song the way I originally did which is as follows:
1. plant seeds - be creative and nurture from scratch- this requires FAITH and PERSEVERANCE and there is NO guarantee things will work out as planned
2.flower - already formed - but requires action - adding meaning to it-a lot easier than planting a seed but does require some work
3. rose - a flower that has already HAS meaning associated with it. MOST of the work has been done for you in this case. It's up to you to decide what exactly to DO with the rose.
So, what I am saying is this: You can TRY to reach spiritual enlightenment by 3 different ways- nurturing something from the ground up, building upon what has been created and cultivating more or spreading love with the symbols that represent love.
All are part of living...but they are NOT equal. Planting a seed requires a huge leap of faith...and when it comes to that, most of us (including me, until now) just go
hmmmmmmmmmmmm
....and move onto the other two alternatives. -
You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You go through all this pain and strife
Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast
And they're gone so fast
It's easy to dismiss this song as pure drivel. However, a closer inspection reveals there's a little bit more here than meets the ear.
The opening verse is clear as mud!
The truth is that while this song sounds like it could have been sung by The Archies, it is actually another case of a very heavy message wrapped in a sugary coating.
So hold on to the ones who really care
In the end they'll be the only ones there
When you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care?
Can you tell me who will still care?
This is a plea to value our relationships. It forces the listener to confront the reality that while we may know many people in this life, we will be fortunate to have a handful of true friends.
I won't discuss the chorus as it's just part of the spoonful of reality sugar.
But check out the next verse:
Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose
You can plant any one of those
Keep planting to find out which one grows
It's a secret no one knows
It's a secret no one knows
Again, easy to dismiss, but there is a much larger idea being suggested here. In life, we never know what path will lead to discovery. There is a big difference between planting a seed (which requires you water and nurture it in order for growth) and purchasing a flower - which is already formed and requires another type of nurturing - it already has some roots and formation (petals etc). Then we have a rose which is associated with love.
The secret is that it doesn't matter what you do in order to find your path, it's the fact that you ACTUALLY do something. You can reach spiritual enlightenment by 3 different ways- nurturing something from the ground up, building upon what has been created and cultivating more or spreading love with the symbols that represent love.
Each of us must keep trying figure out which particular item is the right path.
In an mmm bop they're gone.
In an mmm bop they're not there.
In an mmm bop they're gone.
In an mmm bop they're not there.
Until you lose your hair. But you don't care.
This speaks to the fleeting time we spend here on earth.
If you do find enlightenment your time on earth will go by extraordinarily quickly. You won't fear death even as you age and lose your hair.
Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.
Can you tell me which flower's going to grow?
Can you tell me if it's going to be a daisy or a rose?
Can you tell me which flower's going to grow?
Can you tell me? You say you can but you don't know.
The final verse seems to tie it all together. You've been given the secret to living a truly incredible and fulfilling life. It's right there...in front of you. But what do you do? Most of us just dismiss this song as teenage bubblegum music. That's what makes this song so deceptively powerful.
There is a lot going on in MMMBop, but you have get counterintuitive about things.
More Hanson songs »
Latest Articles
-
A new era for Millennial favorite, Linkin Park
-
Anime to watch for the soundtracks… and other reasons you’re undateable
-
Dolly, we need you
-
The Stranger Things Effect: How new media is drawing Gen Z and Alpha's attention to aging media
-
The most underrated soundtrack of the early 2000s
-
Buy the Soundtrack, Skip the Movie: Brainscan (1994)
Trending:
Blog posts mentioning Hanson
Eight Nineties #1 Hits You Wish You Could Forget |
Songs That May Actually Make You Stupid |
Just Posted
Eyes Closed | anonymous |
The Phrase That Pays | anonymous |
Montreal | anonymous |
Moonlight | anonymous |
Beautiful People | anonymous |
Amnesia | anonymous |
Your Smiling Face | anonymous |
You Should Be Dancing | anonymous |
Washing Machine Heart | anonymous |
Souvenirs | anonymous |
Art Deco | anonymous |
Let It Go | anonymous |
The Greatest Show | anonymous |
Vampire | anonymous |
Vampire | anonymous |
Weekly Most Popular
1 | Flogging Molly |
---|---|
2 | Common |
3 | Dashboard Confessional |
4 | Beatles |
5 | Alan Walker |
6 | Linkin Park |
7 | Melanie Martinez |
8 | Eminem |
9 | Metallica |
10 | Neighbourhood, The |