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)
Sympathy
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And this is my apology
I'm killing myself from the inside out
And all my fears have pushed you out
And I wish for things that I don't need
All I wanted
And what I chase won't set me free
And I get scared but I'm not crawling on my knees
Oh and yeah, everything's all wrong and yeah
Everything's all wrong and yeah
Where the hell did I think I was?
I'm stranger than your sympathy
I take these things so I don't feel
I'm killing myself from the inside out
And now my head's been filled with doubt
And it's hard to lead the life you choose
All I wanted
When all your luck's run out on you
All I wanted
And you can't see when all your dreams are coming true
Oh yeah, it's easy to forget and yeah
And you choke on the regrets, yeah
Who the hell did I think I was?
I'm stranger than your sympathy
And all these thoughts you stole from me
And I'm not sure where I belong
And nowhere's home and I'm all wrong
And I was in love with things I tried to make believe I was
And I wouldn't be the one to kneel before the dreams I wanted
And all the talk, and all the lies, were all the empty things disguised as me
Mmm, yeah
Stranger than your sympathy
Stranger than your sympathy
Mmhm, mmm, hmm
The opening lines of the song "Stranger than your sympathy, and this is my apology" imply that the song is about a person who is struggling with personal demons and has pushed someone they love away. The next lines "I'm killing myself from the inside out and all my fears have pushed you out" further emphasize the self-destructive behavior of the singer, who is aware of how their actions have affected the people around them.
The chorus "All I wanted, and what I chase won't set me free" implies that the singer is continually striving for something, possibly materialistic or financial, but is never satisfied. They realize that their pursuit of these things is just a temporary solution to their deeper problems. The lines "And you choke on the regrets, yeah. Who the hell did I think I was?" show a sense of regret and self-blame for their actions.
The verse "I was in love with things I tried to make believe I was" represents the singer's attempt to escape from their problems and pretend everything is okay, but they eventually realize that their dreams and desires were just empty things disguised as them.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the nature of human desires, the emptiness that they ultimately bring, and a cautionary message to avoid falling into the same trap.
Line by Line Meaning
Stranger than your sympathy
I am not like anyone else, even those who sympathize with me
And this is my apology
I am sorry for the ways I have caused harm
I'm killing myself from the inside out
My internal struggles are causing me to deteriorate
And all my fears have pushed you out
My fears have caused me to push away people who care about me
And I wish for things that I don't need
I desire things that do not bring me true happiness or fulfillment
All I wanted
My desires are simple
And what I chase won't set me free
The things I pursue will not bring me the freedom I seek
It's all I wanted
I am still seeking the happiness I crave
And I get scared but I'm not crawling on my knees
I am afraid, but I refuse to give up
Oh and yeah, everything's all wrong and yeah
Everything feels like it is falling apart
Where the hell did I think I was?
I have lost my sense of direction
I take these things so I don't feel
I distract myself from my pain with other things
And now my head's been filled with doubt
I am unsure of my own thoughts and feelings
And it's hard to lead the life you choose
It is difficult to maintain control of your own life
When all your luck's run out on you
When fortune turns against you
And you can't see when all your dreams are coming true
I am so lost that I do not even recognize when good things are happening
Oh yeah, it's easy to forget and yeah
It is easy to forget what is truly important
And you choke on the regrets, yeah
Regret can be overwhelming
And all these thoughts you stole from me
My thoughts have been taken away from me without my consent
And I'm not sure where I belong
I am lost and unmoored
And nowhere's home and I'm all wrong
I feel like I do not belong anywhere and that something is fundamentally wrong with me
And I was in love with things I tried to make believe I was
I was in love with idealized versions of myself and my life that were not real
And I wouldn't be the one to kneel before the dreams I wanted
I refuse to give up on my goals, even if they seem impossible
And all the talk, and all the lies, were all the empty things disguised as me
The things I say and the lies I tell are not really me, but instead a mask I wear out of fear and confusion
Mmm, yeah
Sound effect reflecting the emotions of the song
Stranger than your sympathy
I am a stranger, even to those who care about me
Mmhm, mmm, hmm
Sound effect reflecting the emotions of the song
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: John Rzeznik
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@GroovusX
Hey there Stephan, I think I know what you mean. But to me, I think people associate songs from points or memories in their life. Some really good times, some really bad. Maybe a certain song when someone was younger dating someone really special to them.
When you were a child and remember a song you loved on the radio, and you hear it in your adult life and it takes you back to that moment when you heard it when you were young.
One cool moment I'll share is when I was very young, my next door neighbor was an older teen with a cool 70's muscle car who listened to classic hard rock. One day I heard out the window him blasting from his car this incredible cacophony of sound then a steady bass line. I instantly feel in love with whatever it was!
I found out it was Van Halen and the song, "Runnin with the Devil". It made me an instant Van Halen fan, and when I hear that song, it reminds me of that awesome moment in life.
Have a great day Stephan :)
@biancax33
I just cannot explain in words how much this song means to me
@eddiejoanflorescolonia3375
i'm completely agree with you 😁😁
@willritter4076
I'd be honored if some GooGoo's fans would take a listen to my acoustic piano & vocal performance of their first big hit NAME on my YT channel in tribute to one of the most unique & iconic bands of the last 30 years. Live acoustic with no digital editing. Thanks and peace out.
@nydeerhunter5166
Iaco B this will be my out song 2020 time to get it over class of 91 👍
@johnumile1800
I hear you buddy. Like the song Name, every time I listen to it I am blown away.
@Stanstroker
Got a special place in my heart too. Grew up in the 90's and 2000's was familiar with all their popular singles. Discovered this one way later in 2007, but ever since its certainly been one of my favorite songs of all time. Definitely top 5
@crazyivan231
The more I listen to the Goo Goo Dolls the more I wonder why they aren't 100x more famous than they are, they deserve to be.
@user-cd8cm2bj7k
Cause people don’t actually like music, they’re passer bys and listen to what’s trendy. The world was different back in the 90s and 2000s, guitar centers were packed, kids played in bands. Now everyone’s just a sad idiot on their phone. Humanity lost their musical soul. So what do I do, I go outside with my acoustic and play for anyone who still wants to here, because we’re out there and it’s on us to bring it back. If we don’t no one will.
@drakedaniels7880
@@user-cd8cm2bj7kHaha that comment was 10 years ago, wonder if they read it
@lilstinker1949
@@user-cd8cm2bj7kyou realize goo goo dolls were literally a pop band for grocery stores, right?