The power ballad reached number one in Australia, Canada, and Italy, number three in the United Kingdom, number nine on the US BillboardHot 100, and has become one of Ireland's best-selling singles of all time. "Iris" is the Goo Goo Dolls' signature song and has received critical acclaim, being described as a "ubiquitous" staple for the band's live sets.[6][7]
Compositionedit
After completing the first-edit on the film City of Angels, co-producer Bob Cavallo and his son Rob Cavallo, also a music producer, decided to take along musical artists to a viewing to create the soundtrack. Bob took Alanis Morissette whilst Rob took the Goo Goo Dolls. The following morning Morissette called Rob, and asked him to produce the song "Uninvited" which she had written afterwards as a demo. Shortly afterwards that same day, John Rzeznik called Rob with a song he had written called "Iris", a power ballad.[8][9] In a 2013 interview with Songfacts, lead singer Rzeznik explained how he wrote the song:
"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."[10]
Speaking with Songwriting Magazine, Rzeznik said that further inspiration for the song came from the fact that he wanted to be on a soundtrack album with U2, Peter Gabriel and Alanis Morissette. [11]
Rzeznik named the song after country folk singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, after he noticed her name in a concert listing in the LA Weekly newspaper.[12]
Commercial performanceedit
Upon its release, "Iris" became second of a string of hits from the film's soundtrack, City of Angels: Music from the Motion Picture. (The first was Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" and the third was Sarah McLachlan's "Angel"). The song debuted at number 66 on the BillboardHot 100 Airplay chart on April 18, 1998, and eventually spent a then-record of 18 weeks at number one in Hot 100 Airplay. However it was not allowed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because no commercial single had been released. In December 1998, just after the song's airplay had peaked, the rules changed to allow airplay-only songs onto the chart. As a result, the song debuted and peaked at number nine and stayed on the chart for 14 weeks.
On the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, "Iris" peaked at number eight. The song was the band's second number one hit on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, following their 1995 hit "Name." "Iris" stayed at number one for five weeks on the Alternative Songs chart and also hit number one on the Mainstream Top 40 chart for four weeks. The song spent a then-record 17 weeks at number one on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart (beating No Doubt's 15-week run at number one with "Don't Speak" in 1996–97). The Goo Goo Dolls performed "Iris" on October 20, 2001, at Madison Square Garden as part of The Concert for New York City to raise money for victims of the September 11 attacks.[13][better source needed]
"Iris" was also an international hit. It peaked at number five on the Irish Singles Chart and has since become the 19th biggest-selling single of all time in Ireland.[14] The song initially peaked at number 50 in the United Kingdom in August 1998 before rising to number 26 the following year. On October 2, 2011, after performances by auditionees on The X Factor, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number three. In May 2013, the song charted at number 12 after it was covered by Britain's Got Talent contestant Robbie Kennedy.[15] Elsewhere, the song became a number-one hit in Italy (for two weeks), Australia (for five weeks), and Canada (for eight weeks), and it reached the top 10 in Flanders and the Netherlands.
In October 2012, "Iris" was ranked number one on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart, which ranked the top songs of the first 20 years of the Mainstream Top 40/Pop Songs chart. The list also featured the Goo Goo Dolls' hits "Slide", ranking at number nine, and "Name" at number 24. The Goo Goo Dolls are the only musicians to have three songs on the list, two breaking the top 10 and all three falling within the top 25. They are also the only musicians that have back to back singles (Iris, 1998 and Slide, 1999) featured on the list.[18] In a revised list in October 2017, "Iris" still ranked in the top 10, at number eight.[19]
The song's melodic and structural similarities to "Piano Man" by Billy Joel have been remarked upon by many commentators.[20][21] Joel himself has performed the song live with the Goo Goo Dolls.[22]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
While awaiting the results of the 2020 United States presidential election on November 3, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers tweeted that she would cover "Iris" if Donald Trump lost.[95][96] The cover, which was recorded as a duet with Maggie Rogers under the name Phoebe & Maggie, was released exclusively via Bridgers' Bandcamp page for one day only on November 13, with proceeds going towards Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight organization to promote fair elections in the state of Georgia as well as nationally.[95][97] Despite only being available for purchase for one day, the song debuted at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart and number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it both artists' first entry on the latter chart.[98] The song has also charted in Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland.
On November 4, 2022, the song was re-released, again for only 24 hours, ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Proceeds went to the Brigid Alliance, an abortion care group.[99]
In late 2022, American grocery chain Kroger partnered with singer Colbie Caillat to record a special stylized rendition of "Iris" for its Today's Holiday Moments are Tomorrow's Memories short film and associated ad campaign.[106][107]
Separately, Canadian country music artist Josh Ross released his own version of "Iris" on his November 2022 extended play Live Sessions.[108]
^LaPage, Mark (December 1998). "Review: Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl". Spin. Vol. 14, no. 12. p. 18. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
^"88 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1998". Spin. October 25, 2018. p. 9. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
^Pastorek, Whitney (April 24, 2006). "Let Love In". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^Lindsay, Cam (December 17, 2015). "Rank Your Records: John Rzeznik Plays Favorites with the Goo Goo Dolls Records". Vice. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
^Waldman, Scott (April 3, 2020). "10 Best Pop-Rock Songs of the '90s". Loudwire. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
^"Goo Goo Dolls Get Political at New York Show: 'We Are Living in Interesting Times'". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
^Callwood, Brett (July 17, 2017). "Goo Goo Dolls Have Kept Some Punk-Rock Spirit". Westword. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
^Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Influences: Avril Lavigne – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Rovi. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
^"John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls". Songfacts. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
^"How I Wrote Iris". Songwriting Magazine. April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
^Yates, Henry (January 31, 2019). "The Story Behind The Song: Iris by Goo Goo Dolls". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
^"Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls Songfacts". songfacts.com.
^ ab"Top 20 of All Time". Irishcharts.ie. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^"Midweek Charts: Rudimental Home in on No.1". Music Week. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
^41st annual Grammy nominees and winners Archived December 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. February 24, 1999. CNN. Accessed March 7, 2008.
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^"Greatest of All Time Pop Songs: Page 1". Billboard. August 1, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^"The Goo Goo Dolls: Iris sounds like Billy Joel: Piano Man".
^"Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls Explained". August 5, 2020.
^"Billy Joel Performs "Iris" with Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik at Buffalo Concert: Stream". August 15, 2021.
^Iris (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Reprise Records. 1998. 9362445252.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Warner Bros. 1998. WPCR-1963.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (UK cassette single sleeve). Goo Goo Dolls. Warner Sunset Records, Reprise Records. 1998. W0449C.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (UK CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Warner Sunset Records, Reprise Records. 1998. W0449CD, 9362-44525-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (European CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Hollywood Records, Third Rail Records. 1999. 0102485HWR.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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^"Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (14.5. – 21.5. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). May 15, 1998. p. 22. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
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^ abJamieson, Amber (November 13, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers (And Maggie Rogers!) Covered "Iris" By The Goo Goo Dolls Because Trump Lost". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^Rossignol, Derrick (November 13, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Covered Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris' With Maggie Rogers". Uproxx. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^Unterberger, Andrew (November 15, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers & Maggie Rogers' 'Iris' Cover Sells 28,000 in Paid Downloads in One Day of Availability". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^Zellner, Xander (November 23, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers & Maggie Rogers Each Earn First Career Hot 100 Hit With Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris' Cover". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^Kennedy, Cerys (November 4, 2022). "Phoebe Bridgers re-releases cover of Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" with Maggie Rogers on Bandcamp for 24 hours".
^"Phoebe Bridgers Chart History (Australia Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
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^"Kroger unveils heartfelt holiday campaign with new Kroji characters". PR Newswire. November 3, 2022.
^"Colbie Caillat on Instagram: I know I'm not the only one with fond memories of this song". Instagram. October 24, 2022.
^"BREAKOUT COUNTRY ARTIST JOSH ROSS UNVEILS NEW TRACK 'TROUBLE'". Universal Music Canada. January 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
^"Listen to Mod Sun cover "Iris" on new 'Good Save the Teen' album – 98KUPD – Arizona's Real Rock". 98KUPD - Arizona's Real Rock. February 3, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.