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)
Down on the Corner
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Over by the courthouse, they're startin' to unwind
Poor kids on the corner tryin' to bring you up
Willie picks a tune out and he knows they gonna start
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Johnny hits the washboard, people just gotta smile
Robby thumbs a gut-bass and solos for a while
Poor boy brings the rhythm on his kalamazoo
And Willie goes into a dance doubles on kazoo, hey!
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel tap your feet
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel tap your feet
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel tap your feet
You don't need a penny just to hang around
But if you got a nickel won't ya lay your money down
Over on the corner there's a happy noise
People come from all around to watch the magic boy
Down on the corner
Out in the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Bring a nickel tap your feet
The Goo Goo Dolls' song "Down on the Corner" is a tribute to the street musicians who entertain people on the streets. The song begins with the depiction of an evening, just about suppertime, wherein people are winding down by the courthouse. Poor kids are trying to bring people up with their music, and Willie, one of the street musicians, picks a tune. The chorus speaks about Willie and The Poor Boys playing out in the street, bringing joy to everyone around them. The song is a call to people to forget their worries and enjoy the music and dancing happening on the corner.
The second verse of the song introduces some of the street musicians and their instruments. Johnny hits the washboard, and people can't help but smile. Robby thumbs a gut-bass and solos while the poor boy brings the rhythm on his kalamazoo, and Willie goes into a dance, doubling on the kazoo. The kazoo is a popular instrument that is easy to play, allowing anyone to join in the music-making, even if they're not proficient in playing instruments.
The last verse emphasizes the appeal of street music, stating that people don't need money to hang around, and if they've got a nickel, they should lay it down. Over on the corner, there's a happy noise, and people come from all around to watch the magic boy perform. The song captures the essence of how music brings people together and creates a sense of joy and togetherness.
Line by Line Meaning
Early on the evening, just about suppertime
As the evening approaches, around the time when dinner is usually served, things are starting to pick up.
Over by the courthouse, they're startin' to unwind
Near the courthouse, people are starting to relax and release their stress.
Poor kids on the corner tryin' to bring you up
Children who are not well-off are trying to raise people's spirits.
Willie picks a tune out and he knows they gonna start
Willie starts playing a song, and he knows it will get people dancing.
Down on the corner
In the street corner
Out in the street
On the street
Willie and the Poor Boys are playin'
Willie and his poor friends are performing music.
Bring a nickel tap your feet
You only need a nickel to enjoy the music and dance to the rhythm.
Johnny hits the washboard, people just gotta smile
Johnny starts playing the washboard, and it makes people happy.
Robby thumbs a gut-bass and solos for a while
Robby plays the gut-bass and performs a solo for a few moments.
Poor boy brings the rhythm on his kalamazoo
One of the poor boys plays the kalamazoo and provides the rhythm.
And Willie goes into a dance doubles on kazoo, hey!
Willie starts dancing while playing the kazoo at the same time.
You don't need a penny just to hang around
It's free to be there and enjoy the music, and you don't need to pay anything to do so.
But if you got a nickel won't ya lay your money down
If you have a nickel, you are encouraged to pay it so you can support the musicians.
Over on the corner there's a happy noise
There's a pleasant commotion happening on the street corner.
People come from all around to watch the magic boy
People are coming from different places to see the talented musician play his music.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: John Cameron Fogerty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind