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)
Can't Let It Go
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you'd say a prayer for me.
I feel the light has dimmed and gone.
Half the world is begging
While the other half steals.
Where did everything go wrong?
Some days I can't believe,
Trying to be heard.
I was your anger,
And you were my fear.
Now that it's over
Of course it's so clear.
But you were no angel
And I was no sin.
Somehow I can't let it go.
I can't let it go.
And half the world is sleeping
While the other half dreams.
You close your eyes
And then you're gone.
And maybe my intentions
Have been misunderstood.
I know you feel so beautifully wronged.
Some days I can't believe,
Others I'm on my knees,
Hoping I belong.
I was your anger,
And you were my fear.
Now that it's over
Of course it's so clear.
But you were no angel
And I was no sin.
Somehow I can't let it go.
I can't let it go.
And laughter is my soul's release,
But we're not smiling anymore.
Can't we try to win this peace?
Cause we're never gonna win,
Never gonna win this war.
I was your anger,
And you were my fear.
Now that it's over
Of course it's so clear.
But you were no angel
And I was no sin.
Somehow I can't let it go.
I can't let it go.
The lyrics to Goo Goo Dolls' "Go Go Dolls" express feelings of disappointment, regret, and longing. The singer reflects on a past relationship that ended badly and wonders where things went wrong. The opening lines suggest that the singer once had someone who would pray for him or her, but that light has disappeared. The rest of the verses use imagery to suggest a world that is divided into those who have and those who don't, and those who sleep and those who dream. The singer hopes for peace and reconciliation, recognizing that both parties in the relationship made mistakes. Despite this realization, however, the singer is unable to let go of the past and move on.
The chorus repeats the lines "I was your anger, and you were my fear" three times, emphasizing the fact that both partners in the relationship contributed to its downfall. The final line of the chorus - "Somehow I can't let it go" - underscores the frustration and sadness the singer feels about not being able to move on. The final verse uses the metaphor of laughter as the soul's release to suggest that the singer is trying to find a way to let go and move on. However, the last line - "I can't let it go" - suggests that this is still a work in progress.
Line by Line Meaning
You said you'd light a candle
You promised to provide me with hope and support
And you'd say a prayer for me.
You would ask a higher power for help on my behalf
I feel the light has dimmed and gone.
I now lack the hope and support that was promised to me
Half the world is begging
Many people are struggling and in need
While the other half steals.
Others are taking advantage of those in need
Where did everything go wrong?
I am questioning how society has become so imbalanced
Some days I can't believe,
At times, I struggle to come to terms with my reality
Others I'm on my knees,
Other times, I plead for help from a higher power
Trying to be heard.
I hope to express my struggles and be understood
I was your anger,
I was the target of your frustrations
And you were my fear.
You caused me to feel anxious and scared
Now that it's over
Our relationship has come to an end
Of course it's so clear.
Now, the reasons for our problems seem obvious
But you were no angel
You were not perfect and had flaws
And I was no sin.
I was not inherently wrong or bad
Somehow I can't let it go.
I am struggling to move on from our relationship
And half the world is sleeping
Many people are unaware or unconcerned about societal issues
While the other half dreams.
Others are imagining and hoping for a better future
You close your eyes
You disengage from reality
And then you're gone.
You become mentally absent
And maybe my intentions
Perhaps the way I acted or communicated was not clear
Have been misunderstood.
My motivations were not properly conveyed or interpreted
I know you feel so beautifully wronged.
You believe strongly that you were treated unfairly
Hoping I belong.
I yearn for acceptance and inclusion
And laughter is my soul's release,
Humor is a way for me to temporarily escape my struggles
But we're not smiling anymore.
Our relationship has soured and we are no longer happy
Can't we try to win this peace?
Can we make an effort to resolve our issues and strive for harmony?
Cause we're never gonna win,
Our struggles may never be fully resolved
Never gonna win this war.
Our issues are deep-seated and likely to persist
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN T RZEZNIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind