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)
Big Machine
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Living in the big machine now
Oh, you're so vain
Now your world is way too fast
Nothing's real and nothing lasts
And I'm aware
I'm in love but you don't care
I'm still here, but you don't trust at all
And I'll be waiting
Love and sex and loneliness
Take what's yours and leave the rest
So I'll survive
God, it's good to be alive
And I'm torn in pieces
I'm lying there waiting for
My heart is reeling
I'm blind and waiting for you
Still in love with all your sins
Where you stop and I begin
And I'll, I'll be waitin'
Livin' like a house on fire
What you fear is your desire
It's hard to deal
I still love the way you feel
Now this angry little girl
Drowning in this petty world
And I'm who you run to
Swallow all your bitter pills
That's what makes you beautiful
You're all or naught
I don't need what you ain't got
And I'm torn in pieces
I'm lying there waiting for
My heart is reeling
I'm blind and waiting for you
I'm blind and waiting for you
I'm blind and waiting for you
And I can't believe it's coming true
God, it's good to be alive
I'm still here and waitin' for you
And I can't believe it's coming true
I'm blind and waiting for you
The lyrics of Goo Goo Doll's song "Big Machine" are a testament to the emptiness of modern life, where ecstasy is the only escape from the soul-crushing monotony of the rat race. The singer speaks of a partner who is addicted to the fast-paced life and becomes vain and self-centered. Nothing is real, nothing lasts, and the singer is aware of the futility of it all. He is in love with this person who doesn't care, but he is still waiting for them.
The song is about the struggle to stay true to oneself in an age where everything is disposable and nothing seems to last. It speaks to the longing for genuine human connection and the desire for someone to truly see us for who we are. The singer is torn between his love for this person and what he knows to be true about them. He is blind, waiting for them to change, but he cannot help but be drawn to them.
The chorus of the song suggests that love, sex, and loneliness are all part of the same package. We take what we can get and leave the rest, and yet we still manage to survive. The singer, despite his despair, finds solace in the fact that he is still alive and able to feel. He is waiting for his partner to change, waiting for the day when they can truly connect on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
Ecstasy is all you need
You only seek pleasure and excitement
Living in the big machine now
You're caught up in a fast-paced, impersonal world
Oh, you're so vain
You're overly concerned with yourself
Now your world is way too fast
Your life is moving too quickly and you can't keep up
Nothing's real and nothing lasts
The things you focus on are fleeting and temporary
And I'm aware
I see the reality of the situation
I'm in love but you don't care
I have feelings for you but you don't reciprocate
Turn your anger into lust
You use your negative emotions to fuel your desires
I'm still here, but you don't trust at all
I'm present in your life but you don't have faith in me
And I'll be waiting
I'll be patient for you to come around
Love and sex and loneliness
These are the themes that dominate your life
Take what's yours and leave the rest
You only focus on what benefits you personally
So I'll survive
I'll make it through this tough situation
God, it's good to be alive
Despite everything, life is still worth living
And I'm torn in pieces
I'm experiencing intense emotional turmoil
I'm lying there waiting for
I'm anticipating something to happen
My heart is reeling
My emotions are in chaos
I'm blind and waiting for you
I'm waiting for you even though I can't clearly see what's going on
Still in love with all your sins
I still have feelings for you, even though you have flaws
Where you stop and I begin
I'm not sure where your issues end and mine begin
And I'll, I'll be waitin'
I'll continue to wait patiently
Livin' like a house on fire
Living recklessly and dangerously
What you fear is your desire
You're drawn to the things that scare you
It's hard to deal
It's difficult to come to terms with the situation
I still love the way you feel
I'm still attracted to you
Now this angry little girl
You've become an angry and bitter person
Drowning in this petty world
You're overwhelmed by the trivial aspects of life
And I'm who you run to
I'm the person you come to for help
Swallow all your bitter pills
You need to accept the difficult truths in your life
That's what makes you beautiful
Your ability to overcome your struggles and move forward is what makes you admirable
You're all or naught
You're either completely invested or not at all
I don't need what you ain't got
I don't want anything from you that you're unable or unwilling to provide
And I can't believe it's coming true
I'm surprised that things are actually working out
I'm blind and waiting for you
I'm waiting for you even though I don't have a clear idea of what's happening
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Rzeznik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Yolonda M Browm
Verse 1]
Ecstasy is all you need
Livin' in the big machine now
Oh, you're so vain
Now your world is way too fast
Nothing's real and nothing lasts
And I'm aware
I'm in love but you don't care
Turn your anger into lust
I'm still here, but you don't trust at all
And I'll be waiting
Love and sex and loneliness
Take what's yours and leave the rest
So I'll survive
God, it's good to be alive
[Chorus]
And I'm torn in pieces
I'm blind and waiting for you
My heart is reeling
I'm blind and waiting for you
[Verse 2]
Still in love with all your sins
Where you stop and I begin
And I'll - I'll be waiting
Living like a house on fire
What you fear is your desire
It's hard to deal
I still love the way you feel
Now this angry little girl
Drowning in this petty world
And I'm, who you run to
Swallow all your bitter pills
That's what makes you beautiful
You're all or not
I don't need what you ain't got
[Chorus]
And I'm torn in pieces
I'm blind and waiting for you
My heart is reeling
I'm blind and waiting for you
[Bridge]
I'm blind and waiting for you
I'm blind and waiting for you
[Outro]
No I can't believe it's coming true
God, it's good to be alive
I'm still here, waiting for you
No I can't believe it's coming true
I'm blind and waiting for you
Weston Reisch
I've heard this song a few times on the radio when it was brand new, but sadly it's not too popular. Regardless, it's my favorite song by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Daniel Field
You're in the big machine 💜❤️
Lilika Ramirez
its in my top 5 songs of theirs
WestCoastWeird
Same!❤
Chrome Toaster
i wish i had been the right age for the Goo Goo Dolls within their timeline.
Robyn Dismon
@Chrome Toaster you're the right age RIGHT now. Believe that!
Natalie Van Buren
Goo Goo Dolls are forever underrated… I could listen to their music anytime, anyday, all the time 24/7 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Mikenkfalls P
Yada Yada....
Brandon Moore
I don't think Goo Goo Dolls were ever underrated. They saw extreme mainstream success and their music made it to soundtracks of movies.
samsquanch1996
They're not underrated, most people know who they are and they have had many big hits over the past several years. This song however is underrated.