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)
Only One
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I must have been a victim of my peers.
One is for my happiness,
The other for my health.
The last is something bigger than myself.
I ain't the only one, I ain't the only one.
I ain't the only one to say.
I'm talkin' to myself again,
I'll just start a fight.
When nobody can prove me wrong, I'm right.
Anti-hero idol
With a suicide excuse.
A thousand other suckers will try and fill your shoes.
I ain't the only one, I ain't the only one.
I ain't the only one to say.
Little pictures in my head,
Are turnin' inside out again.
This fuckin' up takes practice,
I feel I'm well rehearsed.
Because the past is a bully,
And the futures even worse.
You tell me what you fear,
'Cuz I can feel it like a curse.
I used to be a folk singer, now you're just a joke singer.
Ain't no smokin' dope singer, swingin from a rope singer.
I ain't the only one, I ain't the only one.
I ain't the only one to say.
The lyrics to Goo Goo Dolls' "Only One" are quite introspective and seem to be a reflection of the songwriter's inner turmoil. The opening lines, "It's been dead for years. I must have been a victim of my peers," suggest that the singer feels as though something within them has died and that they blame their peers for it. The following lines, "One is for my happiness, The other for my health. The last is something bigger than myself," convey that the singer has multiple motivations driving them, including personal well-being and something larger than themselves.
The chorus, "I ain't the only one, I ain't the only one. I ain't the only one to say," is repeated throughout the song and seems to convey a sense of solidarity with others who may be going through similar struggles. The lines, "I'm talkin' to myself again, I'll just start a fight. When nobody can prove me wrong, I'm right," suggest that the singer may also have a tendency towards self-destructive behavior and a need to be right, even at the cost of causing conflict.
The later lines, "This fuckin' up takes practice, I feel I'm well rehearsed. Because the past is a bully, And the futures even worse," again convey a sense of self-reflection and a recognition that their past may be limiting their future. The final verse, which includes the lines "You tell me what you fear, 'Cuz I can feel it like a curse," suggest that the singer may also be empathetic to the fears and struggles of others, and perhaps even sees their own struggles as a curse.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been dead for years.
Something important in the singer's life has ended a long time ago and is still affecting them.
I must have been a victim of my peers.
The singer believes that other people's actions or opinions have led to their current issues.
One is for my happiness,
The singer has identified one aspect of their life that brings them joy or contentment.
The other for my health.
The artist values their physical well-being as another important aspect of their life.
The last is something bigger than myself.
The artist has a greater purpose or goal beyond just their own personal happiness or health.
I ain't the only one, I ain't the only one.
The singer feels that they are not alone in their struggles or beliefs.
I'm talkin' to myself again,
The singer is engaging in self-reflection or self-criticism.
I'll just start a fight.
The artist is willing to provoke conflict or argument to defend their beliefs or perspective.
When nobody can prove me wrong, I'm right.
The artist is stubborn in their beliefs and refuses to consider other viewpoints or evidence that contradicts them.
Anti-hero idol
The artist sees themselves as a nonconformist or outsider who challenges traditional ideas or expectations.
With a suicide excuse.
The singer may use thoughts of suicide as a way to justify their actions or beliefs.
A thousand other suckers will try and fill your shoes.
Others may try to imitate or replicate the artist's rebellious or unconventional behavior, but they will not truly understand the artist's motivations or struggles.
Little pictures in my head,
The singer has internalized imagery or memories that inform their thoughts or emotions.
Are turnin' inside out again.
The singer is experiencing confusion or turmoil due to their thoughts or emotions.
This fuckin' up takes practice,
The singer acknowledges that making mistakes or causing problems is a frequent occurrence in their life, and they have become accustomed to it.
I feel I'm well rehearsed.
The artist has become experienced or skilled in managing their own problems or causing chaos.
Because the past is a bully,
The artist feels that past events or traumas continue to exert a negative influence on their present life.
And the futures even worse.
The singer fears that their future will be worse than their present, due to their past experiences or current struggles.
You tell me what you fear,
The singer wants others to be honest about their own fears or anxieties.
'Cuz I can feel it like a curse.
The artist perceives negative emotions or energy from others as having a powerful influence on their own life.
I used to be a folk singer, now you're just a joke singer.
The artist has gone through a significant change in their life or identity, and others may not take them seriously anymore.
Ain't no smokin' dope singer, swingin from a rope singer.
The artist is not a traditional or expected type of musician, and they may engage in provocative or self-destructive behavior.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: G. TUTUSKA, J. RZEZNIK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bruce Zimmerman
Goo Goo Dolls might be the most underappreciated band from the 90s. The 4 CDs they put out that decade were all killer. Great guitars and vocals. This song includes one of my all-time favorite lyrics: "Cuz fucking up takes practice, I feel I'm well-rehearsed". Story of my life......
Cherry 3000
well said. You aint the "Only one" who feels that way
Liam Brom
I love this song & album. It got me through some difficult times back in the day.
Game Wizard
This song totally has punk-pacing and that's why I love it.
thiago almeida
Álbum de transição dos caras ! Os Primeiros Álbuns São os Melhores! Incrível como não conhecia! Grande Banda!!!
JoAnn Romero
Never even knew a video for this song existed. This was my jam back in the day!!! 🤘🤘🤘
possumgirl119
I like all of the goo goo dolls songs. Each song is unique. That's how all songs are supposed to be. No band can write a song that isn't unique or else it wouldn't be a song. Songs have meaning. Songs aren't just words. Songs are written for a reason. That reason is a songs meaning.
Pablo Masi
Uno de los mejores discos de los 90!!!!!!
Rick S
The entire album is good, all the songs are very good. "A boy Named Goo"
DaveG16
Couldn’t be more right