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)
04.You Never Know
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some folks think the world just moves too slow
But was it you?
Who told me I'm your everything
You hit me like I never felt before
(hit me like I never felt before)
Hit me like a sucker punch, you're rotten to the core
Silly for the last time
You never take
A promise from a man who sheds his skin
You had to wait
For my achin' heart to break
You hit me like I never felt before
(hit me like I never felt before)
Hit me like a sucker punch, you're rotten to the core
You know you hit me like I've never felt before
Silly for the last time
Now everyone gets angry
And I feel it when you're holdin' me
But in the right place, at the right time, to the right degree
It's a breeding ground
For the pain I've found
From dealin' with your scene
You know that ain't easy
That ain't easy
That ain't easy
That ain't easy
You hit me like I never felt before
(hit me like I never felt before)
You hit me like I never felt before
(hit me like I never felt before)
I'm silly for the last time
In the song "You Never Know," the Goo Goo Dolls explore themes of love, heartbreak, and betrayal. The lyrics suggest a relationship that fell apart due to one partner's betrayal of trust. The song's opening lines, "Some folks think the world just moves too slow / But was it you? / Who told me I'm your everything," express the confusion and hurt experienced by the betrayed partner. They thought they had everything they needed in their love, only to find out that their partner was not as committed as they thought.
The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of "You hit me like I never felt before / Silly for the last time," underscores the emotional impact of the betrayal. The metaphor of a "sucker punch" suggests that the hurt was unexpected and unfair, leaving the singer feeling silly for trusting their partner. The bridge of the song acknowledges the complexity of relationships and the difficulty of navigating the emotional terrain that comes with them. The singer recognizes that anger is a normal part of any relationship but suggests that their partner's behavior had crossed a line, making it impossible for them to continue.
Overall, "You Never Know" is a poignant exploration of the fragility of trust and the pain that comes with the breakdown of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
You never know
It's impossible to predict what will happen in life
Some folks think the world just moves too slow
Some people are restless and want things to happen faster than they do
But was it you?
Did you tell me that the world moves too slow?
Who told me I'm your everything
Who made me believe that I was the most important person to you
You hit me like I never felt before
You affected me in a way that I have never experienced before
Hit me like a sucker punch, you're rotten to the core
Your impact on me was unexpected and cruel, indicating a negative quality in your character
Silly for the last time
I've been foolish about you for the last time, and won't make the same mistake again
You never take
You never believe someone's promises or words
A promise from a man who sheds his skin
A promise from someone who frequently changes their behavior or priorities isn't reliable
You had to wait
You had to wait for my heart to be vulnerable
For my achin' heart to break
For me to experience pain and heartbreak
Now everyone gets angry
Everyone experiences anger sometimes
And I feel it when you're holdin' me
I feel the anger you're holding onto when you're close to me
But in the right place, at the right time, to the right degree
Anger can be appropriate when used properly
It's a breeding ground
It's an environment that fosters
For the pain I've found
For the hurt and suffering that I have experienced
From dealin' with your scene
From handling the situation and behavior that you bring into my life
You know that ain't easy
You're aware that it's difficult and challenging
I'm silly for the last time
I've made a foolish mistake for the last time
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ROBERT C. JR. TAKAC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen Greico
Such a great underrated song
1980sbrawl
tommorow this vid turns 10 years old.