THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

263-Goo Goo Dolls-Iris.

1998-Number 50 Single. It re-entered the chart in 1999 this time reaching Number 26. With the advent of downloads the song peaked at an all time high of Number 3 in 2011, it was also a top 40 hit again in 2013, when reaching Number 12.
Best Bit-At 3.31. The band took their name from an advertisement in the American true crime magazine called ‘True Detective,’ for a toy called a ‘Goo Goo Doll.’ I have done my own detective work, but I can’t find a picture of a Goo Goo Doll toy anywhere.

The Goo Goo Dolls were formed in Buffalo, New York, United States, in 1986 by John Rzeznik, (guitar and vocals) Robby Takac, (bass and vocals) and George Tutuska (drums.) Tutuska left the band in 1995, and was replaced by Mike Malinin who played on this song, he left the band in 2013. The Goo Goo Dolls have to date released 13 studio Albums between 1987-2020, and 38 singles, of which eight have reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 40 in America, with their 1995 song ‘Name’ charting the highest at Number 5. In the UK two of their songs have made the top 40 with ‘Stay With You’ being the other when making Number 39 in 2006.

In 1997 John Rzeznik was approached by the makers of the 1998 American romantic fantasy film ‘City of Angels’ with the view to the Goo Goo Dolls writing a song for the movies fourth coming soundtrack. The film is about an angel who falls in love with a human, and gives up his eternal life in order to become mortal, and be with this lady for the rest of his now human life. Rzeznik has said,’I was thinking about the situation of the Nicolas Cage character in the movie,This guy is completely willing to give up his own immortality, just to be able to feel something very human, and I think, ‘Wow! What an amazing thing it must be like to love someone so much that you give up everything to be with them.’ That’s a pretty heavy thought.” Speaking of the songs title Rzeznik has explained,’I was trying to be pretentious and arty by calling it that. I figured if Billy Corgan (see also best songs 623 and 374) can get away with it, so can I. So I figured, what the hell, I’ll tap into the pretentious market.” Rzeznik actually called the song ‘Iris’ after the American Country/Folk singer Iris DeMent, he had seen her name in a concert listing in the ‘LA Weekly’ newspaper.

‘Iris’ is included on the Goo Goo Dolls sixth studio Album ‘Dizzy Up the Girl’ from 1998, and was co-produced by all four members of the band at that time, along with Rob Cavallo. Cavallo is among the biggest selling producers of all time, and has creative involvement in Albums that have sold over 130 million units worldwide, working with artists such as Meatloaf, and Green Day, he has also participated in the production of 24 soundtrack Albums between 1984-2014.

‘And I’d give up forever to touch you, ’cause I know that you feel me somehow. You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be, and I don’t want to go home right now.’