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)
I'm Still Here
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
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Not an answer to be heard
Or a moment
That's held in your arms
And what do you think you'd ever say?
I won't listen anyway
You don't know me
And what
Do you think you'd understand?
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man
You can't take me
And throw me away
And how can you learn what's never shown?
Yeah, you stand here on your own
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here
And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change?
They're the ones they stay the same
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here
And you see the things they never see
All you wanted-I could be
Now you know me
And I'm not afraid
And I want to tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man?
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am
And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on and feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones they stay the same
They can't see me
But I'm still here
They can't tell me who to be
'Cause I'm not what they see
Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe
And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on and feel I belong
And how can they say I'll never change?
They're the ones they stay the same
I'm the one now
'Cause I'm still here
I'm the one
'Cause I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
The lyrics in "I'm Still Here" by Goo Goo Dolls are about self-discovery and self-acceptance. The song starts off with the singer declaring that he is a question to the world, not an answer to be heard. He wants to be understood, but he knows that it's difficult for people to hear him, to accept him as he is. The next set of lyrics talks about the singer's identity crisis, stating that he is a boy, and then in the next line saying that he is a man. He is confused about who he is and if anyone really knows him.
The chorus talks about wanting to feel real and be a part of something, to touch things he doesn't feel and belong somewhere. The lyrics state that the world wants him to change, but the singer refuses to be what the world wants him to be. He feels like he doesn't belong, but he's still trying to be real and authentic, even though it's difficult.
The second verse talks about the singer wanting to be recognized for who he is and not be broken by the world's expectations. He wants to tell people who he is and be his own person. The chorus is repeated, and the final verse states that the world is sleeping while the singer is still dreaming, and the world's words are just whispers and lies that he'll never believe. He is still present, still here, and still trying to be himself.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a question to the world
I am someone who has questions about the world and its workings.
Not an answer to be heard
I do not have answers to the questions I have posed about the world.
Or a moment That's held in your arms
I am not someone who can be controlled or confined to a certain moment or situation because I am constantly changing and growing.
And what do you think you'd ever say?
I don't think you have anything to say that would influence me or change my mind.
I won't listen anyway
Even if you had something to say, I wouldn't listen to it because it won't change my opinion.
You don't know me
You do not have a full understanding of who I am as a person.
And I'll never be what you want me to be
I am not going to change who I am or what I believe to fit your expectations.
And what Do you think you'd understand?
I don't think you have the capacity to fully comprehend who I am or where I'm coming from.
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man
My age or gender does not fully encompass who I am as a person.
You can't take me And throw me away
You cannot control or dispose of me simply because I do not fit into your idea of who I should be.
And how can you learn what's never shown?
You cannot fully understand me if I do not show you who I truly am.
Yeah, you stand here on your own
I am standing on my own and not seeking validation or approval from anyone else.
They don't know me
Others do not have a full understanding of who I am because they only see what I allow them to see.
'Cause I'm not here
The person they think they know is not the real me.
And I want a moment to be real
I want to experience life and feel like I am truly living in the moment.
Want to touch things I don't feel
I want to experience new things and feelings that I have never experienced before.
Want to hold on and feel I belong
I want to feel like I am a part of something and that I belong somewhere.
And how can the world want me to change?
The world should accept me for who I am rather than trying to change me.
They're the ones they stay the same
The world is stagnant and does not want to change even though it may be necessary.
They don't know me
The world does not have a full understanding of who I am and what I am capable of.
'Cause I'm not here
I am not the person the world believes or wants me to be.
And you see the things they never see
You see the parts of me that the world does not notice or pay attention to.
All you wanted-I could be
If you had given me the chance, I could have been what you wanted me to be.
Now you know me
You have a better understanding of who I am as a person.
And I'm not afraid
I am not afraid to be myself and show others who I truly am.
And I want to tell you who I am
I want to be honest and open about who I am as a person.
Can you help me be a man?
Can you support me and guide me as I navigate my way through life?
They can't break me
No matter what the world throws at me, I will not allow it to break me or change who I am as a person.
As long as I know who I am
As long as I have a clear understanding of who I am and what I stand for, I will not falter.
They can't see me
The world cannot fully comprehend who I am and what I am capable of.
But I'm still here
Despite everything, I am still standing and I will continue to be myself and live life on my own terms.
They can't tell me who to be
No one has the right to dictate who I am or what I should believe in.
'Cause I'm not what they see
The person they see in front of them is not the real me.
Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreaming for me
While the world remains stagnant and unchanging, I continue to dream and strive for something better for myself.
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe
I will not believe the lies or false words of others who try to bring me down or change who I am.
And how can they say I'll never change?
The world should not assume that I will never change or that I am incapable of growth and self-improvement.
They're the ones they stay the same
The world is stagnant and does not want to change, even though change may be necessary for growth and improvement.
I'm the one now
I am in control of my own life and who I choose to be.
'Cause I'm still here
Despite everything, I am still standing and will continue to be myself and live life on my own terms.
I'm still here
No matter what happens, I will still be here and will continue to fight for what I believe in.
Contributed by Lillian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.