Fearless

Album: Miracle Pill (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track from the Goo Goo Dolls' 12th studio album is about daring to live fearlessly in a scared world. Lead singer John Rzeznik said he was inspired by the anxious state of 21st-century America and the fear-mongering media. He told Grammy.com: "That song is definitely about where this society, and the world at large, is sort of perched precariously. And I don't know how much is media-driven, I do not know how much is reality. Because I think the wounds of this country are real. I don't think they were ever properly healed and resolved because of a small group of peoples' unbridled greed.

    I think the media has a great way of irritating a wound to the point where it becomes sensationalized. And it's like, no, these things need to be addressed in a thoughtful way. It's like, you can't explain your position on climate change in a 10 second soundbite. But that's the world that we live in."
  • The Goo Goo Dolls started out as a punk-rock outfit in the '80s and transitioned into radio friendly alt-rock stars in the '90s thanks to the hit ballads "Name," "Iris," and "Slide." The Goos continued to toy with their sound in the 21st century, experimenting with different genres and instrumentation. In 2019, Rzeznik told Forbes it was crucial to keep evolving as a band and as a songwriter. "It's very important to me. As time goes on, your worldview changes and your abilities change. You just change as a person. I find it really exciting to make a record that somebody still wants to listen to this far into our career," he said. "I love David Bowie. And it just amazes me how the music changed as time went on. He knew where to look, you know? He knew where to look for inspiration."
  • Michael Perlmutter, a music supervisor for TV shows like Beauty And The Beast, The Handmaid's Tale and Vikings, directed the comic-book-inspired music video that features everyday people who face their fears to achieve great things.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.

Is That Song Public Domain?

Is That Song Public Domain?Fact or Fiction

Are classic songs like "Over The Rainbow" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the public domain?

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.