The Sound Track of My Life VIII - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by the Crash Test Dummies and More Than Words by The Extreme

It was a bit far from my intentions to post about these couple of songs, but I sort of owed it to the lady without whom I wouldn’t never have never started the Soundtrack of My Life. The whole thing started a few days ago, when much to much to my dismay, Joana posted on her Facebook a log about Mmm mmm mmm mmm’s by the Crash Test Dummies. A very short comment followed the song: Do you remember this one? This was the slow music by excellency... Oh, so many garage and basement parties… oh, so many first kisses...

Of course we don’t remember this song…. It was something we heard on MTV playlists and generalist radios, and thought it was for fools (and kid sisters). A tune that made critics wonder whether the world in general and the pop music in particular was close to an end. I mean, after the almost poetry of the Beatles songs, what could we make out of such inspirational words as Mmm mmm mmm mmm? Indeed, not much.

I have to add that Joana is a few years younger than myself. Though in general, we like the same music and share favorite bands, sometimes we fall into a generational gap like this one. The Crash Test Dummies’ Mmm mmm mmm mmm single was released in late 1993. By those days, I was day in, day out in Fragil, cool as a cumcumber and fresh as a lettuce. In all my coolness, a song had to be dark and obscure, preferably electronic to be heard. And, the grungier, the better. An order too tall for Mmm mmm mmm mmm and the Crash Test Dummies.

I would be insincere if I said Mmm mmm mmm mmm was not on the Soundtrack of My Life. In fact, I admittedly bought a Crash Test Dummies CD, just because I like its singer voice (True story. I have to say that disc is not bad at all either and has traveled well). I can recognize the song, but I cannot attach it with a story or a moment even. But, ask Joana, and she will tell you a whole different story. She might even say this is a true pop song, with simple and touching lyrics, that was heard by a whole a generation while falling in love for the first time.

Shamelessly, I asked Joana, about another song my sister used to like: More Than Words, by The Extreme “Oh, yes”, she answered. “that was another one!”. And indeed it was another one. My sister also used to sit and watch it on MTV on every possible occasion. Apparently, it was just to check the Portuguese flag on the background.