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        Goo Goo Dolls >> Goo Goo Dolls >> Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
        
(Message started by: TruexBlue on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 11:23am)

Title: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by TruexBlue on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 11:23am

Posted on Wed, Aug. 23, 2006

Every song has a story ...
�Iris� Goo Goo Dolls
By Jeff Walker Special to The Weekender

Unlike a lot of hit songs from movies, �Iris� was written specifically for �City of Angels,� starring Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan. To prepare for the job, Goo Goo Dolls lead singer and songwriter, John Rzeznik watched an advance screening of the film as well as the original movie it was adapted from. He said the story line in the song closely mimics the movie�s storyline:

John: �It�s basically an angel that takes a leap to give up his immorality, so that he could be with this particular woman. He falls in love with her, but she doesn�t know that he�s there. So he takes this jump to give up his immortality to be with her.

Jeff: And the one reoccurring line in your lyrics, �I just want you to know who I am�

John: Yeah, he was desperately trying to make a connection with her.

Jeff: But since the song never mentions the name Iris, and there�s no character in the movie named Iris, where did the title come from?

John: Look � I just made up the title. I just made it up. I just needed a title for it. I didn�t know what the hell to call it. I just like ... uh � I think I�ll just call it that.

Here�s another oddity about this song. It was never on the Hot 100 charts. However, it became the defining song for The Goo Goo Dolls. In fact, it was the most played song nationwide on the radio for an astounding 18 weeks beginning in May of 1998.

http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/entertainment/15338625.htm

Source: Jeff Walker interview, 6/28/2006

Stay True & Rock On!
Triest
:jammin:

Title: Re: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by goober_1013 on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 5:48pm

on 08/23/06 at 12:53:29, the blue o wrote:

Wow, I never knew it was about an angel. It all makes sense now. He seemed kinda touchy about the name, though.

he probably gets asked that alot and is like, "enough already!" ;) i could've sworn that i read somewhere that he go the name Iris after a girl in a bar or a girl bartender or girl singing in a bar. . .help me out here. . . ;D

Title: Re: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by the green o on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 5:59pm

I remember John saying the name "Iris" was inspired by a female country singer named Iris Dement.

I could be wrong, but that's what's stuck in my head. :P

Title: Re: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by carlyn on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 6:47pm

John just saw the name Iris Dement and thought ti was a nice name so he named the song that.

Title: Re: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by the white o on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 8:36pm

I think I read that he was reading a newspaper and the name Iris stuck out to him like a sore thumb...it's just what I've heard though.

Title: Re: Every Song Has a Story --- "Iris"
Post by goober_1013 on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 9:47pm

remember that show that ran on VH1 to find out if rumors of songs were true? like the girl that was supposedly murdered during the recording of a song and they used the scream? or that Phil Colins really saw this boy being drowned and wrote a song about it? Iris should have totally been on that show. . . ;D