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)
Acustic #3
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the lies they told to you
And the least they ever gave you
Was the most you ever knew
And I wonder where these dreams go
When the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming?
Your voice is small and fading
And you're hiding here alone
And your mother loves your father
'Cause she's got nowhere to go
And she wonders where these dreams go
'Cause the world got in her way
What's the point in ever trying?
Nothing's changing anyway
They press their lips against you
And you love the lies they say
And I tried so hard to reach you
But you're falling anyway
And you know I see right through you
'Cause the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming?
You're not listening anyway
In "Acoustic #3," the Goo Goo Dolls sing about disillusionment and the ways in which people's secrets are manipulated by others. The first verse acknowledges that people's secrets are often exploited through lies and deceit, but even in the face of this, people tend to hold onto the little bits of knowledge they have rather than risking losing it all. This is reflected in the line, "the least they ever gave you was the most you ever knew."
The chorus questions the value of dreams when the world seems determined to stomp them out. The question "what's the point in all this screaming?" suggests a frustration with trying to be heard and understood, particularly when we feel alone and unsupported. This is emphasized in the second verse, where the singer describes feeling ignored and isolated. The line "nothing's changing anyway" suggests a sense of hopelessness - no matter how much we try, the world will continue to be indifferent to our struggles.
The song's bridge describes the insidiousness of manipulation and the ways in which people can be complicit in their own mistreatment. The line "you love the lies they say" suggests that sometimes, we want to believe in a false reality or narrative, even if that means ignoring the truth. The singer acknowledges that he has tried to help the person he is addressing, but ultimately they seem to be too far gone.
Overall, "Acoustic #3" is a poignant commentary on the frustrations of trying to make our voices heard in a world that often seems indifferent to our struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
They painted up your secrets
Your hidden or private truths were distorted with lies by others around you
With the lies they told to you
The people around you constantly fed you with lies and untruths
And the least they ever gave you
The littlest amount of truth or support was given to you
Was the most you ever knew
The little information you had previously was already the most you could acquire
And I wonder where these dreams go
I am curious about where your dreams disappear when life becomes complicated
When the world gets in your way
When life and its problems obstruct your path to success
What's the point in all this screaming?
Why bother shouting and crying when nobody seems to care or pay attention?
No one's listening anyway
Nobody is genuinely interested in hearing or understanding your problems
Your voice is small and fading
Your voice becomes feeble and insignificant over time
And you're hiding here alone
You choose to isolate yourself and conceal your feelings
And your mother loves your father
Your mother remains with your father not out of genuine love, but because she has nowhere else to go
'Cause she's got nowhere to go
She has run out of options and has to settle for what she has
And she wonders where these dreams go
She, too, is puzzled as to where her dreams have gone in life
'Cause the world got in her way
Life's challenges and obstacles have impeded her progress in accomplishing her dreams
What's the point in ever trying?
Why bother making an effort when nothing ever changes?
Nothing's changing anyway
Regardless of any efforts, the situation remains the same without any progress
They press their lips against you
Others try to manipulate or deceive you by acting lovingly with false promises
And you love the lies they say
Hiding behind the charming façade are lies that you deliberately choose to believe
And I tried so hard to reach you
I put forth a great effort to approach you and assist, but it was of no avail
But you're falling anyway
But then you still choose to fall for the same calculated manipulations
And you know I see right through you
You are fully aware that I understand the reality of these lies behind the deceptive mask
'Cause the world gets in your way
The burdensome weight of life's problems makes it difficult for you to make the right choices
What's the point in all this screaming?
Raising voices and making noise is pointless when nobody is attentive to the real issues
You're not listening anyway
Even if you claim otherwise, your actions prove that you are not ready to accept or hear the truth
Contributed by Gabriel G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.