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)
All Eyes On Me
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
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It's hard to see you dreaming
You hide inside yourself
I wondered what you're thinkin'
And everything you're chasing
It seems to leave you empty
And it won't take long to burn
And the things you chosse to be
All eyes on me
But your eyes look away
It's so hard to be someone
Strung out from today
And all that you knew slips away
You drown in deeper oceans
Inventing new religions
They smile and stab my back
I lie and have to laugh
And it won't take long to burn
Through the nothing that you've learned
And the things you chosse to be
All eyes on me
But your eyes look away
It's so hard to be someone
Strung out from today
And all that you knew slips away
And you hide in your room
And the light burns away
And you move from the truth
It's all so far from you
The lyrics of "All Eyes on Me" by Goo Goo Dolls convey a sense of isolation and disillusionment. The singer describes someone who appears to be lost, drifting through life chasing after something that always seems to leave them feeling unfulfilled. The opening lines set the stage, with the singer observing the person's struggle to wake up and face the day. The second line, "It's hard to see you dreaming", suggests that this person's dreams and aspirations are murky and indistinct, perhaps even to themselves.
The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, with the repeated refrain of "All eyes on me, but your eyes look away". This line captures the sense of disconnection that the person feels from the world around them. Despite being the center of attention, they are unable to make a meaningful connection with anyone else. The final verse offers a glimpse at the singer's own struggle, with references to "deeper oceans" and "inventing new religions". These lines suggest a sense of searching and experimentation, but they also hint at the possibility of betrayal and disillusionment.
Overall, "All Eyes on Me" is a powerful exploration of the human experience of feeling lost and disconnected. It speaks to the universal longing for meaning and connection, and the struggle to find those things in the face of a confusing and often hostile world.
Line by Line Meaning
Daylight burns your sleepy eyes
You are still in bed, but the morning sun is making it difficult for you to continue sleeping.
It's hard to see you dreaming
It's challenging to tell whether you are still sleeping or awake because you keep to yourself.
You hide inside yourself
You keep to yourself and don't share much of yourself with others.
I wondered what you're thinkin'
I am curious about what thoughts are occupying your mind.
And everything you're chasing
Your goals and aspirations are causing strain and emptiness in your life.
It seems to leave you empty
Despite your best efforts, you feel unfulfilled and unsatisfied.
And it won't take long to burn
Success can be fleeting and temporary.
Through the nothing that you've learned
You may feel like you haven't learned much even though you've experienced many things.
And the things you chosse to be
The choices you make in life can determine your fate.
All eyes on me
People are paying attention to your every move.
But your eyes look away
Despite the attention, you don't feel comfortable in the spotlight.
It's so hard to be someone
Being someone who is admired and respected is challenging and draining at times.
Strung out from today
You feel exhausted and overwhelmed from the stresses of everyday life.
And all that you knew slips away
The things you thought you knew are changing, and you feel uncertain about the future.
You drown in deeper oceans
You feel like you're sinking deeper and deeper into despair.
Inventing new religions
You are creating new ways to cope and find meaning in life.
They smile and stab my back
Others pretend to befriend you but secretly intend to cause harm.
I lie and have to laugh
You choose to cover up your true emotions and pretend that everything is okay.
And you hide in your room
You retreat to your personal space and isolate yourself from others.
And the light burns away
Your hope and optimism are fading away.
And you move from the truth
You distance yourself from reality and lose touch with what is real and important.
It's all so far from you
The things you used to care about and value now seem distant and irrelevant.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN RZEZNIK, ROBBIE TAKAC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind