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)
Soldier
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You need someone to ease the pain of living life.
You're like a soldier in the fray, seeking shelter
From all the madness that you've seen raining down now.
I know things change, your world has slipped away.
I know things change, but you're living like a soldier
Who's caught in the fray.
It's not so cold,
It's not too late.
When you were naive you were so invincible,
And you laughed at anyone and anything that ever got in your way.
But now the mirror shows the change and you don't see that
You're sinking back into the crowd, an echo fading.
I know things change, your world has slipped away.
I know things change, but you're living like a soldier
Who's caught in the fray.
Don't lose your faith,
It's not so cold,
It's not too late
And I never thought I'd see
You living on your knees,
A slave to some disease
That holds you captive.
And you can look inside of me
But the answers that you seek
And everything you need
Is all inside you.
I know things change, your world has slipped away.
I know things change, but you're living like a soldier
Who's caught in the fray.
Don't lose your faith, 'cause it's not so cold, it's not too late.
The lyrics to Goo Goo Dolls' song Soldier describe a person who has experienced hardships and trauma in life, and is struggling to cope with it all. The singer acknowledges that the person has changed and has become more vulnerable, but they are still a fighter, much like a soldier seeking refuge from the chaos of war. The song urges them to not lose faith and to look for strength within themselves.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer welcomes the person back from their journey with the anticipation of hearing their story. It is evident that the person needs "someone to ease the pain of living life". The second stanza reminisces about how the person used to be powerful and invincible, but the third stanza reveals that the person is struggling with a disease that is holding them captive. The last stanza is about hope and self-discovery, suggesting that the person should not look to others for the answers they seek, but to find them within themselves.
This song shows the listener that sometimes, people can experience trauma, disease or hardship in their lives, and it is important to understand that everyone has their story. The song encourages listeners to be empathetic and compassionate, and to never give up on hope or faith.
Line by Line Meaning
When you came back I knew you'd have a story.
I knew that you went through a lot and have a lot to tell.
You need someone to ease the pain of living life.
You require someone to help you cope with the difficult life you're living.
You're like a soldier in the fray, seeking shelter
You're similar to a soldier in a violent battle, looking for a safe place to take cover.
From all the madness that you've seen raining down now.
You're trying to escape all the chaos that you've witnessed recently.
I know things change, your world has slipped away.
I understand that your life has altered significantly and you're struggling to cope.
But you're living like a soldier who's caught in the fray.
You're living life as if you're still in the middle of a battle and struggling to find peace.
Don't lose your faith, It's not so cold, It's not too late.
Don't give up hope, it's not as bad as it seems, and there's still time to make things better.
When you were naive you were so invincible,
In the past, you were confident and unstoppable because you lacked experience.
And you laughed at anyone and anything that ever got in your way.
You used to mock anyone or anything that stood in your path to success.
But now the mirror shows the change and you don't see that
You've undergone significant changes, but you're unaware of how different you've become.
You're sinking back into the crowd, an echo fading.
You're becoming like everyone else, lost in the crowd and slowly losing your identity.
And I never thought I'd see You living on your knees, A slave to some disease That holds you captive.
I never imagined you'd be so weak and oppressed by an ailment that controls your daily routine.
And you can look inside of me
You can examine my inner being and learn from my experiences.
But the answers that you seek And everything you need Is all inside you.
However, all the solutions you're seeking are within you, and you just need to find them yourself.
Don't lose your faith, 'cause it's not so cold, it's not too late.
Remain optimistic because things aren't as bleak as they seem, and there's still time to turn things around.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN RZEZNIK, TIM PALMER, TIMOTHY J PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind