Early in their career, the Goo Goo Dolls were frequently dismissed by critics as mere imitators of The Replacements; however, the band refined its sound to be more mainstream, which helped it become one of the most popular adult alternative rock bands of the latter half of the '90s, selling millions of records to audiences largely unfamiliar with their inspirations. That's no bitch on the band, either -- their music simply improved in craft and accessibility as the years progressed, and radio happened to be receptive to what a decade earlier would have been considered collegiate power pop. Thus, the band landed two huge hits with the acoustic ballads "Name" and "Iris."
Originally a cover band with a taste for power pop and classic rock & roll, the group soon began writing its own songs. Their early sound recalled the The Replacements' origins as a bratty punk band (circa Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash) -- melodic, snotty, and a little bit thrashy. That sound was the reason the band attracted the interest of the heavy metal label Metal Blade, which issued their debut album in 1987 (known either as The Goo Goo girls or First Release). 1989's Jed continued in a similar vein; the college radio breakthrough came with 1990's Hold Me Up, a Replacements-ish power pop record.
1993's Superstar Car Wash was the Goo Goo Dolls' artistic breakthrough; though it did nothing to quell the Replacements comparisons, it was a finely crafted pop/rock record, and its lead single, "We Are the Normal," was co-written with Replacements leader Paul Westerberg himself. Still, Superstar Car Wash wasn't the commercial force the band hoped it would be, especially in light of the success of similar bands like the Gin Blossoms. That all changed with 1995's A Boy Named Goo, when an L.A. rock station put the acoustic-driven ballad "Name" into heavy rotation. It was eventually released as a single nationwide, and went Top Five late in the year; platinum sales for the album followed close behind. Unfortunately, the original drummer was no longer around to enjoy the band's success; prior to the album's release, he'd been sacked and replaced by drummer Mike Malinin.
Dissatisfied with the royalty rates in their Metal Blade contract, the band waged a legal battle that wound up allowing them to jump to parent company Warner Brothers. Somewhat drained, Rzeznik and the band shook off a case of writer's block to contribute the ballad "Iris" to the soundtrack of the 1998 americanized version of City of Angels (Featuring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan). Appearing that April, the song was a monster smash, although it was never released as a single (so its official Top Ten pop chart status doesn't convey how popular it was); for a better indicator, "Iris" spent nearly a year on Billboard's airplay charts, including an astonishing 18 weeks at number one, and was nominated for three Grammys. The band's next album, Dizzy Up the Girl, was released in September, during the middle of "Iris"'s marathon airplay run, and sold over three million copies. Its clean, polished sound completed the Goo Goo Dolls' transformation into mainstream pop/rockers who happened to have alternative roots. Further hits from the record followed over the next year, including "Slide," "Dizzy," and the Grammy-nominated "Black Balloon," and the band toured heavily in support. The Goo Goo Dolls revamped their sound for 2001's career retrospective, Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce. A year later, the trio hit the charts with "Here Is Gone" from their seventh studio album, Gutterflower. The CD/DVD combo Live in Buffalo: July 4, 2004 helped fans endure the long wait for the band's next studio album, Let Love In, which didn't appear until 2006. The band toured through the summer of 2007. The band released the first of two greatest hits compilation, entitled Greatest Hits Volume One: The Singles, November 13th 2007.
In February 2008, the band officially headed into studio to work on their new record.
In August 2010, the band released their ninth album, Something for the Rest of Us. In June 2013, the band's tenth studio album, Magnetic, was released. In December 2013, drummer Mike Malinin announced that he left the band.
In May 2016, the band released their eleventh studio album, Boxes. The Goo Goo Dolls' 12th studio album, Miracle Pill, was released on September 13, 2019.
Singles:
There You Are (Hold Me Up)
Just the Way You Are (Hold Me Up)
I'm Awake Now (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare Soundtrack)
We Are the Normal (Superstar Car Wash)
Fallin' Down (Superstar Car Wash)
Only One (A Boy Named Goo)
Flat Top (A Boy Named Goo)
Name (A Boy Named Goo)
Long Way Down (A Boy Named Goo)
Naked (A Boy Named Goo)
Lazy Eye (Batman & Robin Soundtrack)
Iris (City of Angels Soundtrack/Dizzy Up the Girl)
Slide (Dizzy Up the Girl)
Black Balloon (Dizzy Up the Girl)
Dizzy (Dizzy Up the Girl)
Broadway (Dizzy Up the Girl)
Here Is Gone (Gutterflower)
Big Machine (Gutterflower)
Sympathy (Gutterflower)
Give A Little Bit (Live in Buffalo: July 4, 2004/Let Love In)
Better Days (Target's Sounds of the Season/Let Love In)
Stay With You (Let Love In)
Let Love In (Let Love In)
Before It's Too Late (Sam & Mikaela's Theme) (Transformers Soundtrack)
Home (Something for the Rest of Us)
Real (AT&T Team USA Soundtrack)
Not Broken (Something For The Rest Of Us)
01. Bullet Proof
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never live for someone else
Do you like the way you feel?
Nothing hurts when no one's real
She wants to shake this scene
Yeah, she wants to shake with me
She's not looking for the holes in all their lies
Would you like to lose control?
I won't let you fall until you tell me so
What are we?
(Whatcha wanna be?)
Everything
(That ya wanna be)
All I need
(Right in front of me)
I've know before
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end?
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Yeah, she wants to tear you down
And she leaves without a sound
It's like fallin' backwards into no one's arms
You're a bullet through my soul
And I'll never let you know
I won't let you fall until you let it go
What are we?
(Whatcha wanna be?)
Everything
(That ya wanna be)
All I need
(Right in front of me)
I've know before
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end?
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end?
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Should have listened when you called my name
Should have listened when you called my name
The Goo Goo Dolls' "Bullet Proof" is a poignant reflection on the importance of personal authenticity and the necessity of staying true to oneself. The opening lines, "Do you listen to yourself? Never live for someone else," set the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer encourages the listener to embrace their individuality and reject societal expectations. The lines "She's not looking for the holes in all their lies" suggest that the singer of the song is determined to see through the facades of those around her, preferring instead to seek out genuine connections with those who share her values.
The chorus, which begins with the line "I wanna bullet proof your soul," reinforces this message of self-empowerment, as the singer promises to protect the listener's most vulnerable aspects, both physical and emotional. The refrain "What are we? Everything. All I need. I've known before" is a reminder that the singer has found his own sense of purpose and belonging, and encourages the listener to do the same.
In the second verse, the focus shifts to a specific relationship, with the singer asking "Would you come my way?" and lamenting that the other person did not "listen when you called my name." The song ends on this note of missed opportunity, with the singer regretting that a deeper connection was not forged. Ultimately, though, "Bullet Proof" remains a rallying cry for self-expression and individuality, urging listeners to "lose control" and embrace their own unique path.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you listen to yourself?
Are you aware of your own thoughts and feelings?
Never live for someone else
Don't let anyone else dictate your life or choices
Do you like the way you feel?
Are you happy with yourself and your emotions?
Nothing hurts when no one's real
When no one is truly connected or genuine, there is no emotional pain
She wants to shake this scene
She desires to break free from the current environment or situation
Yeah, she wants to shake with me
She wants to share the experience of breaking free with the singer
She's not looking for the holes in all their lies
She is not interested in finding flaws in the falsehoods told by others
I wanna bullet proof your soul
I want to protect you from emotional damage or harm
Would you like to lose control?
Are you willing to let go and surrender to emotions?
I won't let you fall until you tell me so
I will support you until you are ready to move forward on your own
What are we?
What kind of relationship or connection do we have?
(Whatcha wanna be?)
(What do you aspire to become?)
Everything
All-encompassing and fulfilling
(That ya wanna be)
(What you truly desire and strive for)
All I need
The singer only requires the person they are addressing for happiness
(Right in front of me)
(You are already within my reach)
I've known before
The artist has felt this way before and recognizes it now
Would you come my way
Are you willing to move forward in a shared direction?
Or did you burn out to the end?
Did you become exhausted or depleted from a previous experience?
Should have listened when you called my name
The artist regrets not heeding the person's call earlier
Yeah, she wants to tear you down
Another person desires to hurt and break the person down emotionally
And she leaves without a sound
This person does so without any explanation or closure
It's like falling backwards into no one's arms
The emotional pain feels like falling backwards without any support or safety
You're a bullet through my soul
The person has a strong emotional effect on the artist
And I'll never let you know
The singer keeps their emotions hidden from the person
I won't let you fall until you let it go
The singer will support the person until they are ready to move forward and let go of their emotional baggage
Should have listened when you called my name
The singer regrets not heeding the person's call earlier
Should have listened when you called my name
The artist again expresses regret for not responding to the person's call
Should have listened when you called my name
The artist repeats this sentiment to show the depth of their regret
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JOHN RZEZNIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind