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)
Million Miles Away
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Had my eyes shut, was dreamin' 'bout the past
I thought about you while the radio played
I shoulda got loaded, some reason I stayed
I started drifting to a different place
I realized I was fallin' off the face of the world
And there was nothing there to bring you back
'Cause you're a million miles away
A million miles away
And there's nothing there to bring you back today
Today, oh no
I took a ride way downtown
The streets were empty, there was no one around
I went to places that we used to go
Seen all the faces that we used to know
I'm at the wrong end of the looking-glass
I tried to hold onto the hand of the past and then you
And there's nothing there to bring you back
'Cause you're a million miles away
A million miles away
And there's nothing there to bring you back today
Today, oh no
'Cause you're a million miles away
A million miles away
You're just a million miles away
A million miles away
And there's nothing there to bring you back today
Today, oh no!
The song "Million Miles Away" by Goo Goo Dolls speaks about longing for someone who is no longer present in the singer's life. The first verse describes the singer's thoughts while driving back home from somewhere. He had his eyes shut and was dreaming about the past, and the radio playing music reminded him of the person he misses. The singer wishes he had gotten drunk to forget this person but somehow stayed sober. He eventually starts drifting away, realizing that their relationship has fallen apart and there's nothing there to bring them back together.
The second verse describes the singer's trip downtown, where he goes to places that they both used to frequent. He sees familiar faces but realizes that they're at the wrong end of the looking glass, trapped in the past. He still longs for this person, but they're a million miles away, and there's nothing he can do to bring them back. The use of the phrase "million miles away" emphasizes the distance between them, not only physically but also emotionally. The chorus repeats this phrase, emphasizing the feeling that this person is unreachable.
Overall, "Million Miles Away" is a bittersweet song about missing someone who cannot be there anymore. The lyrics are poignant and relatable, conveying a sense of loss and longing that many listeners can identify with.
Line by Line Meaning
Friday night, I just got back
The singer is relaying their current situation and timeframe.
Had my eyes shut, was dreamin' 'bout the past
The singer is reminiscing about their past.
I thought about you while the radio played
The singer thought about a specific person while listening to music.
I shoulda got loaded, some reason I stayed
The artist considered getting drunk but decided against it for an unknown reason.
I started drifting to a different place
The artist's mind wandered to a different location or memory.
I realized I was fallin' off the face of the world
The singer feels disconnected and isolated from the world around them.
And there was nothing there to bring you back
There is nothing to remind the singer of the specific person they were thinking about.
'Cause you're a million miles away
The specific person the artist is thinking about feels distant and unattainable.
A million miles away
The feeling of distance between the artist and the specific person is intensified.
And there's nothing there to bring you back today
Once again, there is nothing around the artist that reminds them of the specific person.
Today, oh no
The singer expresses disappointment that the person is not there with them currently.
I took a ride way downtown
The artist physically moved locations to distract themselves from their thoughts.
The streets were empty, there was no one around
The singer is alone and the environment around them reflects that feeling.
I went to places that we used to go
The singer visited locations that hold sentimental value to them and the specific person.
Seen all the faces that we used to know
The singer came across people they used to interact with together with the specific person.
I'm at the wrong end of the looking-glass
The artist feels disoriented and unsure of their current situation or reality.
I tried to hold onto the hand of the past and then you
The artist is struggling to hold onto their memories and connection with the specific person.
You're just a million miles away
The distance between the singer and the specific person is emphasized once again.
And there's nothing there to bring you back today
There is still nothing in the singer's current environment to remind them of the specific person.
Today, oh no!
The artist expresses disappointment and longing for the specific person to be with them in the present moment.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHRIS FRADKIN, JOEY ALKES, PETER CASE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind