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)
When the World Breaks Your Heart
Goo Goo Dolls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was singing to you
By the light of the TV
Had a bed on the floor
I couldn't give you much more
When you said this is all that I need
All the darkest nights
Fade away when I'm with you
I fill the empty space
And burn the memories
Kiss it goodbye, forever tonight
When the world breaks your heart
I can put it back together
I write your name across the sky
So I'm always with you
Now its you and me
Like the stars we burn forever
So listen when I say to you
I'll be there, you're not alone
I held your face in my hands
So I could feel you smile
Every time that I kiss you
You put your lips in my scars
Made a tattoo of stars
Felt the rush of blood and I knew
I never answer to
Anybody who
Tries to tear us down again
So take the angry words
The things that make you hurt
Kiss them goodbye, forever tonight
When the world breaks your heart
I can put it back together
I write your name across the sky
So I'm always with you
Now it's you and me
Like the stars we burn forever
So listen when I say to you
I'll be there, you're not alone
You're not alone
When the sun fades into shadows
When you call and no one's there
And the light goes out inside you
Don't you know that I'll be there
When the world breaks your heart
I can put it back together
Write your name across the sky
So I'm always with you
You're the only truth that I ever knew
Like the stars we burn forever
So listen when I say to you
I'll be there, you're not alone
When the sun turns into shadows
When you call and noone's there
When the lights go out inside you I'll be there, you're not
The lyrics of Goo Goo Dolls’ song When the World Breaks Your Heart describe a deep affection between two people. The verses narrate their path to love, from the beginning when their material possessions were not much, but they had each other. As the song progresses, it speaks of the pain and sorrow they may face, but despite that, they have each other to mend their broken hearts. The singer promises to be there for their loved one through the good times and the bad, to be their strength through the darkest of moments.
The song appears to be an ode to the importance of love and togetherness when the world seems confusing and harsh. It presents a message of hope and optimism regarding life and its challenges. While the world may break your heart, there is still someone who loves you and is always there for you.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember the night
I recall a particular evening
I was singing to you
I was singing a song for you
By the light of the TV
The only source of light was the TV
Had a bed on the floor
There was a bed on the floor
I couldn't give you much more
I couldn't offer you anything more
When you said this is all that I need
You exclaimed that this was enough for you
All the darkest nights
All the times of despair and sadness
All the broken dreams
All the lost hopes and aspirations
Fade away when I'm with you
Disappear when I am in your company
I fill the empty space
I occupy the void
And burn the memories
And get rid of the agonizing memories
Kiss it goodbye, forever tonight
Bid farewell to it, forever tonight
When the world breaks your heart
When the world shatters your heart
I can put it back together
I can fix it for you
I write your name across the sky
I inscribe your name on the sky
So I'm always with you
So that I am always with you
Now its you and me
It is now just you and me
Like the stars we burn forever
We shine as bright as the stars, eternally
So listen when I say to you
So pay attention to what I am telling you
I'll be there, you're not alone
I will be there for you, you are not alone
I held your face in my hands
I held your face in my palms
So I could feel you smile
So that I could sense the expression on your face
Every time that I kiss you
Whenever I kiss you
You put your lips in my scars
You place your lips on my wounds
Made a tattoo of stars
Created a design on my skin featuring stars
Felt the rush of blood and I knew
Experienced an adrenaline rush and understood
I never answer to
I do not respond to
Anybody who
Anyone who
Tries to tear us down again
Attempts to separate us again
So take the angry words
So ignore the hurtful words
The things that make you hurt
The words that cause you pain
Kiss them goodbye, forever tonight
Say goodbye to them forever tonight
You're not alone
You have my support
When the sun fades into shadows
When daylight fades into darkness
When you call and no one's there
When you reach out and no one responds
And the light goes out inside you
And your inner light is extinguished
Don't you know that I'll be there
Remember that I will be there
You're the only truth that I ever knew
You are the only truth I have ever known
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN THOMAS HARDING, JOHN RZEZNIK, GREGG WATTENBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind