Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

Lyrics meaning of Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies

Two of the children in each of the three verses have a physical deformity, and they are all alone and suffering. The boy in the first stanza is hurt in a vehicle accident and misses a lot of school; when he gets back, his hair is dazzling white instead of black.

The girl in the second verse, whose body is covered in birthmarks, won't change clothes in front of other girls. The third child is a boy whose parents make him come home right away from school; they "shake and lurch" across the floor during church services.

The majority of the songs are inspired by Roberts's early life experiences. For instance, the first verse was inspired by his experiences in a few serious car crashes when he was younger; the second verse was inspired by the bullying he endured as a child due to a birthmark at the base of his spine; and the third verse was inspired by a girl he knew who attended a Pentecostal church where members were known to speak in tongues.

Stories he had heard about this phenomenon, known as Canities subita, occurring to survivors of dangerous experiences, such as a man who nearly fell over the Niagara Falls and his great uncle who fought in the Pacific Theatre of World War II and overheard Japanese soldiers yelling threats in broken English, gave him the idea that a boy's black hair would turn bright white.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm lyrics by Crash Test Dummies

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

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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

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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

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