Name

by

The Goo Goo Dolls

Album: A Boy Named Goo      Released: 1995

US Chart: 5     

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Lead singer John Rzeznik wrote this about his childhood. He sings it to his sisters who raised him; both his parents died when he was young and his father was an alcoholic. The line, "We're grown up orphans who never knew their names" reflects his past. (thanks, Caitlin - Yardley, PA)

This was the Goo Goo Dolls' first hit. They had released 4 albums by then and had a large following in upstate New York, but this brought them national fame.

For The Goo Goo Dolls, this ballad was not typical of their sound. Considered an "Alternative" group, this crossed over to Pop and Adult Contemporary radio, greatly increasing their fan base, but alienating some core listeners who were used to their harder sound.

The album title is a play on the Johnny Cash song "Boy Named Sue." The cover shows a young boy smeared with blackberries, which caused a problem when Wal-Mart refused to stock the album because they thought it depicted a child abuse victim. When this story broke in the media, Wal-Mart backed off, convinced the cover was simply a boy and his goo.

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Comments:

I think this song is really, really great. Basically, this song goes as part of my life's story/past. Same with me, my parents died when I was a kid. They were both alcoholics. I have one biological sister. And I was born in Russia. So, basically this whole song describes about my past & present. We all deal with problems. We all need someone there, to help us along the way. No matter where we are or what we do. We need someone there to count on. And them to count on us. Just as this song says, 'I think about you all the time. . .' It's like, you lost someone, or you can't stop thinking about that one and only person. I still have thoughts like that. I wonder about my real parents, and so does my sister. And, I'm 19 & she is 18, but ummm. I'm no proffesional, but, um. I wrote a song, and in my song it says. 'No matter how many walls you've always climbed, no matter how many people you've combined. Just always know that there's a time, where someone will be there for you.' If you ever want to see the rest of the song, just go on facebook. My name is Alex Anderson. So yeah. I just wanna say thank you so much for the Goo Goo Dolls, for writing & singing this song. You guys are awesome. Thanks again, so, so much. I am one of your greatest fans. I love your music, so keep it up. YOU GUYS ARE REALLY REALLY GREAT!
- Alex, Roggen, CO

This song goes with my life's past. I was born in Russia, parents died, 'cause they were alcoholics. Have a sister who is 18. I'm trying to watch over her. This song is really great to listen to, I always do. I play this song on my guitar even. I think this song is about someone he cares about, and loves. He has his past, troubles, and all of that. And that, he just tells about his life and what's going on.
- Alex, Roggen, CO

When I first analyzed the lyrics, I thought that pretty much everything was symbolic. (Even though the moment passed me by I still can't turn away - I thought that this just meant that even though it's in the past it can't be let go. I thought that the song mainly was talking about how we get caught up in our daily lives and forget about what's really important to us. Also the "orphans" part I thought was simply saying that even though no one loves us, I will love you [You could hide beside me maybe for a while]) But, as I got to the end and saw the line, "It's lonely where you are, come back down" I knew that the whole song is probably talking about someone that died. Now that I have researched online, I've concluded that the song is about the singer being an orphan as his parents died, and him being raised by his sister. The song is to his sister and also to his parents-the part that says, "Now we're grown up orphans that never knew their names," is speaking to one of his sisters, and the part at the end is speaking to his parents.
- Katherine, Conway, SC

I think this song is about life in general and how our lives are just an insignificant part of the whole,it's about how time passes us all by regardless of who we are, how emotional pain may be in the past but it is always with us in our heads and we can never really excape it. It's also about how we can get caught up so much in our own self importance that we forget where we came from and lastly it's about how we lose the hope and wonder of a childs imagination. In the end it is about LIFE. The lyrics to this song humble me and the music fits it perfectly. I appreciate songs like this, they help to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground. BTW, I think it is one of the best driving songs out there.
- Lance, Walterboro, SC

This is one of many Goo Goo Dolls songs I like. I believe that this song is about someone who has lost a close friend. They are begging them to come back because somehow that friend has lost themselves somewhere. I love to listen to this song, but on the down side it brings back memories of a recent relationship of mine. I lost my first love after a year being with her because she wanted something else. She was much older than I was, and she wanted to start going out to clubs rather than being with me. What hurts the most is that I know she fits right into that setting because she is beautiful, and knowing that any guy would love to be with her. In "Name", the line "did you get to be a star" stands out to me. I've been wanting to ask this girl if she got to become a star. Also the line "come back down, I won't tell no one your name" makes me think of how she is so far above me, and she would have to take a step down from her "club fame" to be with me again. This song by the Goo Goo Dolls is great though, and everybody should have a chance to listen to it. I promise that it's not always going to bring back memories, that's probably just me, but if you've never listened to it, it's a fantastic song.
- Shane, Haughton, LA

My favorite line in the whole song is "i think about you all the time, and i dont need the same....its lonely where you are come back down and i wont tell em your name" It just makes me think of someone whos lost a friend and is just pleadding for them to come back. It's a very sad, but amazing song
- Samantha, Fairfield, OH

I think that "name" means : who you are- I won't tell 'em your name = i won't tell'em who you are. I love this song I think this one of the best songs ever written . to me , the line :" don't it make you sad to know that life is more then who we are" is just breathe taking and " a tiered song keeps playing on a tiered radio" is about when your life is just ovrewhelmed with boring routine - and so many nights when I went to sleep with that song playing in the backround - this is amazing.
- olga, Bat YAm, United States

this song is #1 on my list of the best songs of all kind! I love it and the lyrics just really hit me very very hard in the heart! sometimes its a tear jerker :-(
- Buddy, Barbourville, KY

This song always hit home with me cause both my parents were dead by the time I was 27 and so the "grown up orphans" line gets me and the whole song just is perfect.
- Stacy, Evansville, IN

I heard John Rzeznik discuss this song on the radio many years ago. He wrote it for his long time friend, Michelle. This song is about her problems and how he will help her get away from them for a while. The radio station even called Michelle herself to talk to her. TJohn and Michelle said they have always been strictly friends and never had an attraction to eachother.
- Sarah, Cleveland, OH

K, this song has some of the greatest lyrics ever. I kinda like lyrics that talk about your life, but it has amazing metaphors in it.
- Dawson, Draper, UT

Patrick if you read it say by then they had had four albums indicating this is thier fifth
- Brandon, Sterling, VA

A Boy Named Goo is my favorite, but it's not their fourth, it's their fifth.
- Patrick, Humboldt, IA

when i was about 12 years old i ran away from my home in arizona because both my parents died in a bridge collapse, and i basically became a drifter and lived with a group which consisted of other kids my age and teenagers, all of which also ran away from home. we lived from town to town and hopped trains from as far as california. After some time i was picked up by police and eventually was put up for adoption, and never saw my "family" again. this song reminds me of those times i has as a kid with other runaways. its a very emotionaly powerful song in general. and the last line in the song is what means the most to me. Despite the real meaning of the song, it reminds me of my runaway days.
- Jay, Brooklyn, NY

I think that "A Boy Named Goo" must rank as one of the worst album titles in history. Absolutely pants... Musically, it's a good album, though...
- Dave, Cardiff, Wales

this song came out a year after my brother GOO past away from cancer. this song helped me get through the death. i still listen to it everyday to let me get through the day with out hurting that my most important is lost but not forgot. my brother was about 1 1/2 younger then me but he helped me be who i am today.this is the only song that relaxed me after him dying. i have my family but not really.
- ashlee, seattle, WA

My class song
- John, Flint, MI

i can connect with this song because my mom died when i was 8 years old and i pritty much have no family other than my dad and bro cause the reast of them rejected me.
- jennifer, Cleveland, OH

I'd say it's a cross between acoustic #3 and broadway. very good song.
- Rick, humboldt, IA

a lot of people compare this song with iris but i think they are a world apart. i think this song is really close to broadway tho. obviously broadway is a lot harder and rockier but they both run along the same lines of time passing you by. but they differ because i think 'name' is about regret as well. time passed you by but u regret not doing something (like telling someone how u really feel about them) when i listen to it, i think of a girl because thats in my situation but i think john is talkin bout his dad in this song and regretting that they did not get along to well while he was still alive. all in all its an amazing song and can mean both of those things
- Deuce, salt lake city, UT

I always felt he was singing this song in part to his siblings and part to his parents. In the end when he says: I think about you all the time (his parents)... But I don't need the same (to die)..It's lonely where you are, so come back down...and I won't tell em your name. This part to me says he's begging to have them back and he won't mention the shame he himself felt when he lost them or the shame they might feel for having left. It's a beautiful song in general and I think it can speak to very different situations. Which is what beautiful songs do.
- Scott, Columbus, OH

Ya I love that line "dont it make you sad to know that life is more than who we are" makes me tear up a little sometimes
- Carly, San Diego, CA

just i great song...about someone getting to live there dream...
- shong, wausau, WI

this song never meant to much to me except when i lost my best frend. this song from my point of vew about two kids who get lost in te sauce "..now were grown up orphans that never knew their name" and " dont it make you sad to know that life is more han who we are." those lines kinda explane it to me. its like me n my frend
- anna, nyc, NY

So like I'm confused what is it about. I always thought it was about orphans, so if anyone knows post it because I really want to know what its about.
- Kristen, Campbellville, Canada

i love this song. to me, its partly about being a good friend to someone and they say 'i wont tell them your name' when u just wanna hide.
- Katie, Prince George, Canada

I remember falling in love with this song and wanting to know the inspiration behind it. Then I watched or heard on an interiew with Johnny Rzeznik where he said that name was just a filler song he wrote to take up space on "A Boy Named Goo." He never expected it to become famous and did not like it so much so he just stuck it in the middle of the album.
- Jessica, Toronto, Canada

I belive this song may have some reference to John Rzeznik's childhood...both his parents died, within the same year, when Rzeznik was very young, hence "now we're grown up orphans"...I'm not sure, but I think there may be some connection there..
- Jami, Waynesboro, GA

The song is said to have been about Rzenik's love affair with a famous person, but a relationship with them in the public might be rediculed too highly.
- Justin Gregg, Harrah, OK

To me its about running from your past but you can't get away from it because everyone knmows your name
- Rebekah, Prince George, VA

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