“My guitar was ruined – just like my life.” That’s how John Rzeznik remembers the moment he wrote the ballad that would forever change the history of the Goo Goo Dolls.
A song from a dark period
In the late 90s, Rzeznik was going through a divorce and living in a hotel in West Hollywood when he got a call: Warner Bros. was looking for songs for the film City of Angels. The soundtrack already featured names like U2, Peter Gabriel, and Alanis Morissette—so being included would be a golden opportunity.
The film, inspired by Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire, told the story of an angel (played by Nicolas Cage) who chooses to become human for the love of a woman (Meg Ryan). Rzeznik asked himself: "What would I say to her if I were him?"
He returned to the hotel with a four-string guitar, tuned strangely – “like my life at that time,” he says. Within four hours, a song about the joy and pain of being human was born. The studio immediately loved it.
From the rehearsal room to the orchestration
The band worked on the song in the Swing House rehearsal rooms, until the “bridge” section took shape naturally. The title came by chance: while browsing a concert magazine, Rzeznik saw the name of singer Iris DeMent and thought it was perfect.
The recording took place in Los Angeles with producer Rob Cavallo, who brought in composer David Campbell for the string arrangement – something completely new for the band. Session guitarist Tim Pierce played the famous slide solo, taking the song to another level.
Ironically, a solo acoustic version was used in the film, while the orchestral version was included on the soundtrack album.
Unexpected success
When “Iris” was released as a single, initial support from the label was lukewarm, but subsidiary Reprise Records decided to promote it. The song became a global phenomenon.
She was nominated for three Grammy Awards (up against the likes of Celine Dion and Aerosmith), though she didn't win any. Humorously, Rzeznik wore a T-shirt that read: "I was nominated for three Grammys and all I got was this miserable T-shirt."
Today, "Iris" has reached over three billion streams on Spotify. Rzeznik is grateful that artists like Taylor Swift have brought the song back to a new generation.
Bassist Robby Takac recalls the humble beginnings in Buffalo, when the band lived in a single room and played to a few people. “You never think something like this will last 30 years,” he says.
"Iris" may have overshadowed the band's other songs, but it remains one of the most iconic ballads of the '90s - born from a difficult period, with a "shredded" guitar and a deep human feeling that continues to touch millions of listeners. /GazetaExpress/
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