But both girl and boy were glad/
‘Cause one kid had it worse than that.

How many bands and songs truly sound unique? Very few. The Crash Test Dummies have one of the most unique sounds in rock music. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” is their hit; it is truly a once-in-a-career song. The name comes from the humming of lead singer Brad Roberts during the chorus. It is kind of like if Hey Jude was named “Na, na, na, na, na, na na”.

This song is polarizing due to the novel sound of the vocal, but the meaning and the message of the song is pretty universal. The song is about three young teens and their “otherness” compared to their peers. The first two cases involve kids with minor physical deformities but are probably pretty traumatic experiences when these are discovered by their peers.

Note that we hear nothing about the kids’ emotional reactions, or lengthy descriptions about how bad their life is. The song is a bit emotionally detached in that way. Most of the emotion comes from the times we imagine our younger selves—and the struggle to fit in…middle-school seems like such a confusing time.

These first two kids have it bad, but another has it worse.

The third character is different in another way. He looks normal, lives a seemingly normal life, though his parents are strict. However, his family attends a type of evangelical church that involves radical practices like being possessed by the spirit and perhaps speaking in tongues.

It is hard to imagine what psychological problems this might create in a young man, but the Crash Test Dummies are certain that this kid has it the worst of the three. The Crash Test Dummies argue that the psychological trauma from witnessing and being a part of this religion is more damaging to a child than a car accident or physical deformity.

The sound of the song is solemn. We get a feeling that the narrator feels for these outcasts and perhaps experienced being an outcast as a child. Since we can’t control accidents or physical deformities and how children react to other children who have these, this essentially becomes a song about bad parenting and anti-religion. These are choices that are made by the parent and they can be avoided. That is the real tragedy.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm Lyrics

Once there was this kid who
Got into an accident and couldn’t come to school.
But when he finally came back,
His hair had turned from black into bright white.
He said that it was from when
The cars had smashed so hard.

Once there was this girl who
Wouldn’t go and change with the girls in the change room.
And when they finally made her,
They saw birthmarks all over her body.
She couldn’t quite explain it,
They’d always just been there.

Mmm mmm mmm mmm,
Mmm mmm mmm mmm.
Mmm mmm mmm mmm,
Mmm mmm mmm mmm.

But both girl and boy were glad,
‘Cause one kid had it worse than that.

‘Cause then there was this boy whose
Parents made him come directly home right after school.
And when they went to their church,
They shook and lurched all over the church floor.
He couldn’t quite explain it,
They’d always just gone there.

Mmm mmm mmm mmm,
Mmm mmm mmm mmm.
Mmm mmm mmm mmm,
Mmm mmm mmm mmm.

written by Brad Roberts / Thomas Kolk