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)
Nothing is Real
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you talk to me a while?
Find a reason for it all?
'Cause I've keep thinking backwards
To a place I've never been,
To a home that never was
It's like I'm losing it again
And it takes so long to say these words
Hey, nothing is real, it's all what you believe
Something you dream inside your head
You know how I feel because it's just you and me
Something I need to call my own
To feel and call my own
Duck inside this empty room,
And I'm waiting for the sun to come to me
Someday, I'm gonna get this right
Gonna find a better way, I wanna lead another life
I wanted to let you know me,
But I'm trapped inside the fear
And I never said a word though you always seemed to hear
When I take so long to say these words,
Yeah, you wait so long for me
Hey, nothing is real, it's all what you believe
Something you dream inside your head
You know how I feel because it's just you and me
Something I need to call my own
To feel and call my own
Hey, nothing is real, it's all what you believe
It's something you dream inside your head
You know how I feel because it's just you and me
Something I need to call my own
Nothing is real, it's all you believe
It's something you dream inside your head
Nothing is real, it's all what you believe
It's something I need to call my own
To feel and call my own
The song "Nothing is Real" by Goo Goo Dolls explores the theme of a person's internal struggles and his search for a purpose or meaning in life. The opening lines invite anyone in the world to talk to him for a while and help him find a reason for everything that goes on around him. The lines that follow indicate that the artist is lost in a maze of thoughts, constantly looking back to a place that was never really his home. The artist feels like he is losing his mind, and it takes a long time to gather the courage to speak his mind.
The artist goes on to say that there is nothing that is real, and everything depends on our beliefs. What we dream about and think inside our minds is our reality, and that only we know what we truly feel. The artist feels connected to his listener, and he needs something to call his own, something that he can feel comfortable with and call his own. The artist is open to the idea that he can find peace from his unsettled thoughts and find his way in life.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a call for help from someone who is grappling with the bigger questions of life. The artist is looking for a way out of his confused and lost state of mind and is reaching out to anyone who can help him make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, anybody in this world?
The singer seeks someone to talk to and connect with.
Can you talk to me a while?
The singer wishes for an extended conversation.
Find a reason for it all?
The singer is searching for purpose.
'Cause I've keep thinking backwards
The artist dwells on past events.
To a place I've never been,
The artist reflects on a nonexistent past.
To a home that never was
The singer longs for a sense of belonging that is unattainable.
It's like I'm losing it again
The singer is struggling with their mental state.
And it takes so long to say these words
The artist finds it difficult to express their thoughts.
Can you wait that long for me?
The artist requests the listener's patience.
Hey, nothing is real, it's all what you believe
The artist asserts that reality is subjective and shaped by one's beliefs.
Something you dream inside your head
The singer refers to the power of the imagination.
You know how I feel because it's just you and me
The listener is the one person who understands the artist's feelings.
Something I need to call my own
The singer yearns for a personal identity or sense of ownership.
Duck inside this empty room,
The singer is alone in a lifeless space.
And I'm waiting for the sun to come to me
The singer is hopeful for a better future or change in circumstance.
Someday, I'm gonna get this right
The artist anticipates a successful outcome in the future.
Gonna find a better way, I wanna lead another life
The artist desires to improve their current situation and start anew.
I wanted to let you know me,
The singer hoped to reveal their true self to the listener.
But I'm trapped inside the fear
The singer is hindered by anxiety or insecurity.
And I never said a word though you always seemed to hear
The listener seems to have an intuition for the artist's thoughts and emotions.
Yeah, you wait so long for me
The artist acknowledges the listener's patience and devotion.
Nothing is real, it's all you believe
The artist reinforces their perspective on the subjectivity of reality.
It's something you dream inside your head
The singer emphasizes the significance of the imagination.
It's something I need to call my own
The artist expresses their desire for personal identity or a sense of belonging.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN T RZEZNIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind