As music lovers, sometimes we can’t always remember the exact lyrics or the exact tune of a song. Maybe even of some of our favorite songs. So, what do we do? We try to hum it out to jog our memories or inspire someone around us to fill in the blanks.
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But what if humming IS the song? Or at least a major part about it? Yes, in the history of music, there are some significant tunes that rely on the hum. Here below are three songs that do just that, three classic songs that many of us love. All that are bolstered by the human voice humming. Let’s explore.
[RELATED: 4 Classic Rock Songs That Feature Bagpipes]
1. “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm,” Crash Test Dummies
This acoustic- and piano-driven song from the 1990s was a huge hit. Released on the Canadian-born band’s 1993 album, God Shuffled His Feet, the track had the whole world humming along with deep-voiced singer Brad Roberts. The song, which hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, is even titled like a hum. For those of a certain age, this was part of the decade’s soundtrack.
2. “America,” Simon & Garfunkel
This classic track opens with harmonized humming from the iconic folk rockers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Released on the duo’s 1968 album, Bookends, the song is a beautiful meandering journey of various characters across the American heartland. It swells and crescendos as the two sing about looking for the country they live in. But it all beings with that lovely harmony hum.
3. “I Walk the Line,” Johnny Cash
This song, which became Johnny Cash’s first No. 1 hit, was released in 1956. It’s all about doing the right thing in order to make sure the relationship with the one you love stays intact. And after singing about that fact, Cash offers a low hum as if to indicate his constant musing on the idea—or, perhaps, his brooding. Maybe it’s a hum of assurance, maybe it’s one of rebellion for the Man in Black. But either way, it’s a lovely low hum nonetheless.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
