3 Choruses That Everyone Knows but Are Really Just Nonsense (In the Best Way Possible)

Lyrics are more about how they make you feel than what they really say. Of course, poetic lyricists are celebrated for their command of language, but complexity doesn’t always equal a great song. The three hits below are testaments to that fact. The choruses of these songs are really just nonsense, in the best way possible. They mean very little but had a massive impact on listeners when they were released.

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“MMMBop” — Hanson

“Bubblegum pop” is a great offender of nonsense lyrics. Many songs that match this descriptor are more about exciting audiences than making them think deeply. That fact is showcased in the chorus of Hanson‘s “MMMBop”: Mmmbop, ba duba dop ba / Du bop, ba duba dop ba.”

Though the chorus is a little light, the verses add a bit of grit to this pop classic. The trio sings about the fleeting, precious nature of life throughout most of this song. They lighten that emotional load with a scatting chorus that feels like little more than nonsense.

“Doo Wah Diddy Diddy” — Manfred Mann

Sometimes, the best songs cover simple emotions. We all love songs about romance that don’t overcomplicate things. Manfred Mann’s “Doo Wah Diddy Diddy” does just that. This cover made the song famous, bringing this unfussy love story to the masses.

“Singin’, “Do wah diddy / diddy, dum diddy do” / Snappin’ her fingers / and shufflin’ her feet,” the lyrics read. The band sings about love at first sight in these lines, lulling the listener into a sense of comfort. This isn’t the kind of song you need to work hard to understand, and it’s all the better for it. The simple, near nonsense chorus makes sure of that.

“Tutti Frutti” — Little Richard

One of the most famous scatting choruses ever is Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti.” Many of the lyrics in this song are pure nonsense, but nonetheless, they earned monumental fame. “Whop bop b-luma b-lop bam bom / Tutti frutti, oh rooty,” the lyrics to the chorus read, proving that songwriting doesn’t have to be complex to be great.

Richard brought sexuality to rock music with this early staple. The chorus might not mean much, but the verses make up for it. Listeners of the 50s were shocked and amazed by this Richard offering, instantly latching onto the nonsense intro: Whop bop b-luma b-lop bam bom.

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