Goo Goo Dolls is an alternative rock band formed in 1985 in Buffalo, New Yo… Read Full Bio ↴Goo Goo Dolls is an alternative rock band formed in 1985 in Buffalo, New York, USA by guitarist/vocalist John Rzeznik and bassist/vocalist Robby Takac initially under the name the Sex Maggots (the new name was chosen from an ad in True Detective magazine at the behest of a local club owner). They are most famous for the hit "Iris", featured on the soundtrack to the 1998 film City of Angels. Currently, the band consists of John Rzeznik (guitar, vocals) and Robby Takac (vocals, bass). The band has sold 12 million records worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.

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)

Now I Hear
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take time to try and find the light, that shines behind your eyes tonight,
I found a deep dark place inside,
There's more to both of you than, anyone's expecting here tonight,
Wish I could make that right, well,
They covered up your eyes,
They never gave you nothing more than pain.

Now I hear,

Yeah I hear,
You throw it all away,
Now I hear,
Yeah I hear,
You throw it all away.

Don't make a sound, we stayed away from all the static on the line,
I guess we never stopped to shine,
I'd cry aloud if I remember, all the mess I'd left behind,
But then I'd have to lie and,

They covered up your eyes,
They never gave you nothing more than pain.
Oh, I come around for you I know,
'Cause I'm feeling the same way.

Now I hear,
Yeah I hear,
You throw it all away,
Now I hear,
Yeah I hear,
You're throwing it all away.

Now I hear,
And I hear,
You showed us all the way.
Now I hear,
And I hear,
You showed us all the way.

Now I hear,
Yeah I hear,
You showed us all the way.
Now I hear,

Yeah I hear,
You showed us all the way.

Overall Meaning

In the song "Now I Hear" by Goo Goo Dolls, the lyrics are about trying to find the light within oneself and others, even in dark times. The opening lines encourage the listener to take time to find the light that shines behind their eyes. However, the singer acknowledges that they themselves have found a "deep dark place inside" as well. Despite this, they recognize that there is more to the people around them than others may expect.

The chorus highlights the idea of throwing away the pain and negative feelings, and finding a path forward. The lyrics "They covered up your eyes, They never gave you nothing more than pain" suggest that there are external forces that have contributed to the pain, but the singer wants to help by "coming around" and being there for the person who is struggling.

The second verse continues this theme of overcoming struggles, with a focus on the idea of not getting bogged down by the "static on the line" and instead finding one's own light. The singer acknowledges that they have made mistakes in the past and left behind a mess, but they want to move forward and help others do the same.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of empathy and support for those struggling with pain and darkness.

Line by Line Meaning

Take time to try and find the light, that shines behind your eyes tonight,
Take some time to search within yourself and find the source of the light that shines bright within your soul tonight.

I found a deep dark place inside,
I discovered a deep, dark abyss within me.

There's more to both of you than, anyone's expecting here tonight,
Both of you are more than what anyone anticipates from you today.

Wish I could make that right, well,
I wish I could fix things for you, but...

They covered up your eyes,
Someone blinded you to the truth,

They never gave you nothing more than pain.
They only inflicted you with pain, and never offered you anything loving.

Don't make a sound, we stayed away from all the static on the line,
Stay quiet and keep distance from all the unwanted noise and distractions.

I guess we never stopped to shine,
I suppose we never stopped shining despite everything.

I'd cry aloud if I remember, all the mess I'd left behind,
I would weep loudly if I recall the chaos I caused.

But then I'd have to lie and,
But then I would have to deceive myself and...

Now I hear,
Now I understand...

Yeah I hear,
Yes, I hear...

You throw it all away,
You want to throw everything away.