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)
Not Broken
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a chance to make you understand
And tell you these forgotten truths
You never thought were real
And if the world should turn its back
You know that I'm still here
Time won't ever steal my soul
We're not broken, so please come home
But when it changed
You didn't know where you belonged
I'll still catch you when you fall
Through a past that steals your sleep
And scrawl these words upon your wall
Remind you to believe
Time won't ever steal my soul
We're not broken, so please come home
And if the world has worn you down
I'll be waiting, so please come home
I won't let them break you down
And I won't hear the empty sounds
I'm hopelessly pretending that I know the answer
Angels light the neon fires
That burn so cold through your desires
And all you are is all I need to know
Time won't ever steal my soul
We're not broken, so please come home
And if the world has worn you down
I'll be waiting, so please come home
The song "Not Broken" by Goo Goo Dolls is a message of hope and encouragement to someone who is feeling lost and disconnected from the world. The lyrics talk about the need to believe in oneself and to remember the truths that have been forgotten. The singer promises to be there for the person, to catch them when they fall and to remind them that they are not broken, even if the world has turned its back on them.
The song begins with the singer waiting for a chance to make the other person understand and reconnect with themselves. He promises to remind them of the forgotten truths that they have lost touch with and to always be there for them, even if the world doesn't support them. The chorus repeats the idea that they are not broken and that the person should come home to this truth.
Line by Line Meaning
All I waited for,
I have been waiting patiently for a chance to make you understand
Was a chance to make you understand
I wanted a chance to explain to you something important
And tell you these forgotten truths
I wanted to remind you of some truths that you have forgotten
You never thought were real
You might not have believed that these truths were real
And if the world should turn it's back,
Even if the whole world stands against you,
You know that I'm still here
Know that I am still here for you
Time won't ever steal my soul
My spirit will remain unbroken through time
We're not broken, so please come home
We are not shattered, so please return back to where you belong
Morning comes, and life moves on
The morning sun rises and life goes ahead
And when it changed, you didn't know where you belong
When things changed, you felt lost and didn't know where you fit in
And I'll still catch you when you fall through a past that steals your sleep
I'll always be there to support you when you struggle with memories that rob you of your rest
And scrawl these words upon your wall, remind you to believe
I will inscribe these words on the walls of your heart to remind you to have faith
If the world has worn you down
If the world has exhausted you
I'll be waiting, so please come home
I'll be here, waiting for you to come back to me
I won't let them break you down
I won't let anyone destroy you
And I won't hear the empty sounds,
I won't listen to the noise of negativity
I'm hopelessly pretending that I know the answer
I'm faking confidence even though I don't have all the answers
Angels light the neon fires that burn so cold through your desires
Supernatural beings ignite flames of passion that can get cold in the midst of your desires
And all you are is all I need to know
All you are is all that matters to me
When the world is insane,
In a world that feels crazy,
You get used to the pain
You might get accustomed to feeling hurt
And you don't even know what you feel
It might even be hard to recognize your emotions
And I was like you,
I was once in the same situation as you,
All alone and confused
Felt lonely and bewildered
But you know it's not forever
But it's important to remember that it won't last forever
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: John Rzeznik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sum182forsoup
He wrote this after a woman wrote to him, saying her husband was to scared to come home after losing a leg fearing that she wouldn't love him anymore, she asked Johnny to write a song for her husband, and this is the result <3 it's so beautiful
Toni O'Shea
When I read this my eyes filled with tears. Ty for sharing ♡♡
Jeremy & Crystal Kyle
well if you need a true heart felt song to be written, johnny is the man to go to.
EXIA x ZERO
Whoa, for real? I didn't know that. Makes me love this song even more knowing its backstory!
Julie Fasick-Johnson
Wow- a testament to true love so beautifully expressed in this song
Pavel Barber
Goo Goo Dolls has had me hooked for 10+ years. It's been an absolute pleasure going through my life and having this brilliant music. I will always associate certain moments in my life with this music, and it's a beautiful thing. Gives me shivers every time.
Blueberry Marf VA
Same...
Robert Capasso
This song would go to me and my ex wife! Where not broken,so please come home.
Robert Capasso
First song I heard them sing lrus from city of angle's loved them ever since
Robert Capasso
For me close to twenty years,had me hook since movie city of angle