Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm | The Story Behind The Song | Top 2000 a gogo
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- In New York singer/guitarist Brad Roberts from the band Crash Test Dummies tells the story behind 'Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm'.
A short documentary by Top 2000 a gogo from 2021 (Dutch Public Television).
And 30 years later it is still stuck in my head. The song is really genius
Same here. I recently looked it up, and dived into all the music they made. Brad Roberts' voice is so electric, it's unbelievable.
Gosh he really comes off as a very open, humble and genuine fellow. I wish this interview was an hour or so longer
Seems like a regular Canadian guy for me.
Yeah so many of these the artist hardly talks about the song at all. He's really well spoken and has a lot to say about the song he's famous for.
When I first moved to New York City I went to a yoga class which started with a Om satsang - I said to myself he sounds like the lead singer of crash test dummies , and I was right ! It was him :) He’s a super nice yogi
@@shizuokaBLUES I didn't think Canada still had guys?
@@zhulza haven't watched a game of hockey in your life?
This classic just turned 30 years old this year. Thank you Brad.
Is it really that old? Wow.
No way wow it makes sense though my wife turned 41 in January and i turned 40 valentines day
Good God no.
Possibly the worst song ever recorded.
You're welcome.
He's quoted as saying, "I could perform that song anywhere in the world, and anywhere in the world people will sing along with the chorus."
he's not wrong
It's now March 2024 and listening to this song still gives me goosebumps, that's the definition of a timeless masterpiece
I have a deep voice, and I thank them for making a song that I could reliably karaoke too.
I just reminded a friend of this song last week - he's got a wonderful bass voice and struggles to find songs. I said....remember the Crash Test Dummies...look them up.
The ending of the song with the band harmonizing sounds heavenly, always loved that part.
dito. I made a clip in garage band where it's just the final ending chorus and piano. It goes on for almost 2 minutes..
@@tregibbs that in itself as apotheosis to this song was indeed maybe even better than the mmm-mm part.. nevertheless it wouldn't be as cool when the estranged mm-mm part would've been left out however.. Wonderful crafted song, thematically in its time, lyrically, as well as by chord structure.
This is one of my favorite songs.
Have ALWAYS felt that as well…just gives me chills😊
That’s exactly how I felt! I would sometimes close my eyes with my palms up and just look up and feel that part of the music. What a great ending to a great song.
Summer of 94, mowing lawn while humming this song over and over
I was hanging around at Clacton Aero club, learning about light aircraft and flying in cessna's lol
I'm just seeing this interview for the first time. I think the song is brilliant, and the story sung with that vocal range is refreshing to hear. I just like it still to this day. You created a classic! Thank you!
The song is really awesome. Most songs I like very much, I try to play on a musical instruments. That means: also this song!
I'd be honored if some 90s fans would take a quick listen to my acoustic low-fi piano & vocal YT performances of "Mmm Mmm Mmm" by the CRASH TEST DUMMIES and "1979" by the SMASHING PUMPKINS in tribute to 2 great standards of the era. Live acoustic with no digital editing. Peace out & stay safe in the '020s.
I was tired of screaming high vocals that are out of the natural male range just shortly after Led Zeppelin became popular. I loved this song immediately partially because of the pitch range.
That entire "God Shuffled His Feet" album is brilliant, not only lyrically, but musically as well. And the production is wonderful. Hands down my favorite album from the '90s. Sorry, "OK Computer" ... you're No. 2.
I agree, it's a great album.
@@return2sender791 Stop embarrassing yourself.
Actually a lot of 90s stuff really was meh. Except Kid A, which I liked better than OK Computer. But I always associated this band with the 80's for some reason. This is their second album isn't it? But yeah, I can't think of any music from the 90's that I listen to now. I guess those were the Spice GIrls years?
The album was one of my favorites. Lyrically and musically very amazingly done. Not many people listened to it and I felt it was one of my many special little gems. I'm glad I am not the only one.
@@mikearchibald744 Hmm I don’t know. A lot of my favourite albums come from the 90s - stuff by Wilco, Grandaddy, No Doubt, Faith No More, Weezer, Neutral Milk Hotel, blink 182, Cardigans, Third Eye Blind… I think there was a lot of great stuff in the 90s
Always thought the chorus was brilliant. Took it to another level, suggesting it was all beyond words and evoking a sense of the profound. Very beautiful song.
Yep, “why is it just mmmm? ”
A mystery now explained
I always thought 'Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm' was meant to represent what couldn't be said because it was too horrible.
I'd be honored if some 90s fans would take a quick listen to my acoustic low-fi piano & vocal YT performances of "Mmm Mmm Mmm" by the CRASH TEST DUMMIES and "1979" by the SMASHING PUMPKINS in tribute to 2 great standards of the era. Live acoustic with no digital editing. Peace out & stay safe in the '020s.
For me, one of the greatest songs ever
I can’t tell you how this song impacted my life during my time as a kid who was an outsider. I was that kid in Catholic school whose mother was divorced, one of maybe a handful out of an entire school. It made me happy to hear it because I knew I wasn’t alone. Plus, it’s just a great song as was the whole album.
@ Dpunk 80 I echo your sentiments. I too went to a Catholic School and when people heard that my parents were getting a divorce, all of a sudden they stopped talking to me or didn’t invite me to functions where once I was invited. It felt as if I were a leper. As a kid I didn’t s comprehend the reasons why…..and I guess in some aspects now as a adult I still don’t but I guess everyone has their reasons and it’s none of my business.
Social politics suck, especially during our school years.
Little did we know the hypocrisy the Catholic church would be. Biggest scam in history and still running strong
@@user-wl6bw3jl4n My friend's parents divorced in the 1960s, when it was rare, and he got mocked at school. Then...his friend who made fun of him's parents also divorced. His friend stopped making fun of him.
I was that kid for the same reason! Plus, fat 🙃
Mr Roberts your voice is one of the most compelling in music….just superb!👍
Thank you Brad for getting me through some of the best and worst times of my life.
I'll never forget the first time I heard this song. I was 13 and it came on the radio as I lay in bed resisting getting up to go to school. I was transfixed by the sounds and the voice. It was so different and fresh and catchy and deep and dark and funny all at the same time. I couldn't wait to hear it again and getting out of bed to go to school wasn't an issue when it was over.
A perfect song. Especially the bridge and the ending.
This song gets better with time and brings back great memories of the 90s
I recently caught covid and my voice got so deep I finally could sing this song.
The Crash Test Dummies were such a formative band in the days of my youth. I was born in 1979. I remember so well when i first heard supermans song off their first album and i was hooked...the whole cd was just amazing...Then i remember how much i loved their second album as well. Such a great band. And even to this day, their first two albums are my favorite cds of all time. I still listen to them regularly.
Agreed…that first album is fantastic …
My favorite summer drive thru the winding country album of all time
I still love this song 💘
I'm 70 years old and my music likes are various from Chopin to novelty songs,and I discovered this group from my sons albums,and fell in love with this man's unique voice.i went out and got their whole repertoire of albums.
If you like novelty songs and 'off the beaten path' songs, check out the Rheostatics as well.
Me too... because I can sing along with him! (my voice is low too and I can't sing along to the Stones either!)
@@mikearchibald744 not everyone is a ball watcher like you I'll Bill
“Growing up, I always thought… that I just couldn’t sing because I couldn’t sing in [other singers’] range… It turns out I was just trying to sing to people who just had a different range to me.” This comment really stood out to me, especially as the song Brad discusses is about feeling like an outsider. I love that he realized he could sing when he stopped trying to be like everyone else. ❤
Always loved this song. Sad that they didn’t had more big hits, his voice is amazing
Afternoons and Coffee Spoons was also quite a big hit here in the UK. If my memory serves me well, they also charted with a cover of XTC's The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead.
@@raithrover1976 yes that cover was from the film Dumb and Dumber, and also a homage to one of their influences. They contributed a track to an XTC tribute album.
Mmmm will live forever as one of the most brilliant, simple and pacifying "lyrics" to accompany what a song like this meant. The real children needed this hum.
So hard to believe that this is nearly 30yrs old, as I remember hearing this for the first time like it was last week. So entirely different to everything else on the radio at the time; I would listen in part with incredulity and part curious humour.
Love the story, love the song, love this channel... :o)
Dumb and dumber was where I heard it first . WELL PARDON ME MR PERFECT!!
I didn't even know anybody outside of canada even heard of this band let alone this song.
@@mikearchibald744 It was a substantial hit in the US, tons of play on alternative radio stations. The video was in pretty solid rotation on MTV as well, at least for a while.
@@mikearchibald744 It was big in Australia. I remember it hanging round the charts for many weeks and the words and melody never left me. Also, the Weird Al version helped cement it in there as well. Weird seeing this guy so much older, as, like the OP said, feels like last week it came out.
I made a music video with my buddy at Hampton Beach, NH when this first came out. He showed me it about 10 years later when I was not in a good place in life(like pills, cocaine, alcohol, not good), and it really struck me in that moment how much I missed the innocence of life and how corrupted my souls became.
Great song!!! Perfect as it is!
Your Top 2000 series is seriously one of the greatest things that’s ever happened to RUclips. Your love of the music is palpable in every interview you do. And the musical breadth is wonderful too!
It's from a public national Dutch radiostation (Radio 2).
Thank you so much! Spread the word :-)
Love this song, his voice and the entire album
That whole album is amazing. I never get tired of listening to it. For me, the back up singing made that album what it is.
I immediately loved that song when i first heard it back in the 90's
I remember my girlfriend doing a crossword puzzle (which totally didn't interest me) mumbling that she probably fucked up the crossword because she already had an impossible number of M's in a row. I asked her what the clue to that part of the puzzle was and she said "A song by the Crash Test Dummies?" First and only time I was ever able to help her with her crossword fetish.
*Haha. That's awesome. Thx for sharing!*
😂👍
Lol!
Cool story bro
@@andyroid5028 What makes you that bold worthy?
I remember when that song came out. It was presently different from all the other stuff on the radio…and memorable to say the least.
The soundtrack to my angsty teenage years, they don't make em like this anymore..
This song is so well written, an the cord progression’s along with the vocals make it a feel good perfect song.
Countless times over the past 30 years I've gotten this song stuck in my head. Of course, here we are again lol. Awesome to hear such a genuine explanation of the lyrics. Many thanks.
Wish this was longer-- first time I heard this man speak but I sure remember that impactful song.
Great interview. I could have listened to Roberts talking for hours. Crash Test Dummies have given me so much happiness through their wonderful music. Every time I have moved (11 so far), the first album I put on the stereo to test it after having set it up, is "God Shuffled His Feet".
Still listen to it at least 2 to 3 times a week, just love it
"The Ghosts That Haunt Me" remains a favorite, for lyrics, musical content and recording quality.
One of the great Canadian bands!
One of my favorite albums of all time. I still listen to it all the time Such deep lyrics. Great vocal blends. Great instrumentals. Completely unique sound. Thank you Brad. ❤
One of my favorite albums ever. Pure genius.
one of the best songs of all times..Thank you sir for the timeless masterpiece.
This song came out when I was in 8th grade and there was a rumor going around that the lead singer’s voice was so deep because he had 3 nuts.
2022 and this album is still constantly and obsessively played in my home! I absolutely love every song!! What an AMAZING man ❤
man I hear these guys and it's like im back in college many years ago, music is a time machine...loved this
That album is actually very good. Quite underrated.
I really like this song because it is so relatable for a lot of people.
If I remember right, this gentleman is a college professor and that shows a lot. Thanks for the behind the song/story All these years later.
First CD I ever bought. What a great album and what a great artist. Thanks for the video!
I could not think of any words for the chorus! it is an iconic song, so catchy.
As a die-hard 1980's Van Halen fan, this song grew on me slowly. I hated it at first, but now I love it.
Always loved his voice and mimicked it when I was a teenager
The fact that he was more transparent about the song being in part about his own life was insightful and helps to make somewhat of a connection between the overall mood of the music and the lyrics. To MY ears, the words and the music seem mismatched. Like the words did not fit with the music which is beautifully bittersweet, sentimental and melancholic. Definitely one of my favorite songs from the 90s.
This was really excellent.
Add others have said.
I could watch an hour of this gentleman talking.
I've red somewhere he almost died after a car accident and now seeing this interview ,I saw a beautiful person and soul , thank you for your music ,all the best to this guy
I just fell in love with this song all over again. Such a deeply beautiful story.
Such a great voice! Also...the bass in this song has an incredible sound...so deep, soft and nice.
bass player did a fantastic job indeed, and throughout that entire album
beautiful bass guitar, it may be a fretless too
How can you even hangout with Michael Billy when you know he'd watch your kids undress without a second thought??? 🤔
@@loverboy3788 What's wrong with you?
Melodically I think this song is just beautiful. The chord structure is brilliant. When I talk to my fellow musicians...we discuss this tune and I've come to the conclusion that even though they are incredibly talented, they just can"t seem to wrap their heads around the arrangement. I...on the other hand really embraced this tune and listen to it often...two thumbs way the hell up.
When you say "they can't seem to wrap their heads around the arrangement" are you saying that they are in complete awe of it, or that they're not that fond of it, as in it doesn't hit them in the same way it does you?
The CTDs are criminally underrated appreciated. Their lyrics are phenomenal, the musical composure is beautifully amazing, and their willingness to experiment with genre and stylings is unlike any other band I know of. They’re amazing live, too, btw
I dunno about under appreciated.
For a band with a baritone singer, and weird introspective lyrics, they got their time at the top of the top.
In 1994 they were the biggest band on the planet.
They spent a year being on every big show just about every week. Leno, Letterman, Conan, SNL.....
I'm surprised a band that eclectic managed to get noticed at all.
But I completely agree....absolutely one of the best bands out there hitting on all cylinders....
A real fantastic interview where the interviewer allows the interviewee to shine.
Everything about this tune is great storytelling.
this song is truly beautiful from start to finish
I saw them live a couple of nights ago. Fantastic gig, the whole audience were singing along. There was a sense of great affection for the them. Ellen was fantastic, she pulls the funniest faces on stage, clearly loving every moment.
One of the best Songs of the 90s.
I saw CTD at an out door show , at Western Kentucky University , just before this song hit big . What a great band to see LIVE . They are pretty good with a frisbee too.
This guy has create Magic to the world with he´s Music.....incredible Talented
The words to this song always intrigued me back then. It seemed they were actual accounts of real events, turns out, they were mostly true events. This song was one of the time that stood out, the chord structure always moved me and the subtle synth work and the bvs of Ellen (I think that's her name, the keyboard player) was always a great contrast to Brad's deep tone.
Such a beautiful song and the way it was recorded, sounds very warm and natural.
Such a monumental song, nice story thanks!
And what a stunning place where he plays the tiny bit of the track.
Gosh... this one was a beauty 'Top 2000 a gogo'. Thank-you.
One of my all time favourite songs 😍
This is a divine song. Everything about this music is perfect. People in Russia love this song very much. This is a sign of quality. Btw, russian girls from the 90s were in love with Brad and his talent.
A great song, but what made it even greater is that it was accompanied by one of my most favorite videos of all time. I watched MTV every day back then and they played this song a lot luckily.
Much like when I introduced 80s movies to my son when he was old enough, I introduced this album to him. He loves it. His favorite song off the album is " afternoons and coffeespoons".
:D
If I ever had a movie made about my life (so far) Afternoons & Coffeespoons would have to be on the soundtrack.. That line is a direct reference to a TS Eliot poem which is properly credited..
I laughed my ass off in the middle of the street walking my dog when he said he couldn't come up with words to the chorus 😂😂😂 love this song and recently learnt how to play it (kinda) on guitar
This band NEVER got the credit that they deserved at the time. They are LEGENDARY! Thank you for posting this!
I've loved this song since I was 8 years old.
I actually got Brad's autograpgh on April 15th, 23 at the Derrfoot Mall! He didn't 'brush' me away, and we talked for about 5 minutes.
aaahh! the great brad roberts, i still have the album 'god shuffled his feet' on cd and tape cassette.
This is one of my favorite 90s songs, I've love it since the first time I heard it. I could never really put my finger on it, just always felt like I could relate to it somehow. But now I get it, it's about outsiders.
I love this guys voice ,could listen to him tlk /sing all day .Im besotted ❤❤❤❤
I still remember buying this cassette some 25 years back ❤
I absolutely love the chorus of the song as well as the rest of the song 🥰
Thank you. I loved hearing this song come on the radio when I was in High School!! Great artistic ability and talent. Thank you and the band for sharing your talents with all of us!!
Timeless song, great tribute
Great interview!!!
Very down to earth guy !! I love hearing the backstories to songs and such
Great story and a great story teller. He could do a one man show reciting a monologue.
I knew it! I knew it! He couldn't come up with the chorus lyrics!. And thank gawd he couldn't. I love this song. It can mean what you want it to mean, and because the lyrics throughout are so intriguing but telling some kind of strange story, what it means to each person can be quite different. Wonderful, creative approach to lyrics. Sometimes the things unsaid are as or more important as the things said in music lyrics. Also in music, sometimes the silent rest is more important than the note played.
I was a teen in the 90's and heavily into 60's Rock and suddenly the radio started playing songs I thought was pretty good. This was one of them.
Incredible song and incredible video something to be remembered forever.
I always loved this song because it reminds me a lot of my days in elementary school. Some of my classmates had very similar stories, one had an accident and his hair didn't turn white but he was left with a walking defect, another had birthmarks on his face and my mom took me to the evangelical church and It was terrifying for me to see people screaming and rolling on the ground.
I was tricked into going to a Pentecostal church camp when I was fourteen, and I still ponder the experience over fifty years later. I witnessed people becoming possessed by something unbelievably ugly, while others "prayed" in order to "deliver" them from God only knows who or what. I swear, it scarred me for life. It was a demonic experience, and I do not use that word lightly.
Who ever came to this! We are the outsiders. And I love it
This song is iconic .Point !
Inteligence Level 5000 !
Sense of humor ?....Maximum ..!
One of my favorite albums of all time, a masterpiece!
Renewed appreciation for the song. ❤❤❤
This band is still together!!!
I loved this song from it's first release and still do..... It is perfect, and is great to sing along in the car. Hmmm mmm mmm.
Fantastic song beautiful with sadness. True to life you could say
He seems like honestly such a lovely dude. Also, that song is seriously amazing