A Little Goo Never Hurt Anybody

A week late but here it is as promised...(Though TL was the only one who seemed to notice or care that I am late.) Here is my review of The Goo Goo Dolls new greatest hits album as well as my pick for the best line of each song. (I really love lyrics!)

#1 - Let Love In: I think that this song is overrated and an extremely poor opening choice. It never even cracked the Billboard Top 10. I immediately perceived this as a bad omen, since in true Millie Fashion, I never look at the back of a CD until I have heard it. There is no line worth quoting so let's move on.

#2 - Dizzy: This should have been the opening track...except that it would seem like an attempt to channel the 1998 Dizzy Up the Girl Album. It is a decent hybrid of love and rock which makes it a winner in my book. It was overshadowed by Iris when it was originally released so I am a little surprised it made the cut. Its' winning line: " I want kick at the machines that made you piss away your dreams and tear down your defenses until there is nothing left but me."

#3 - Here is Gone: Not a bad song but to be honest I had forgotten about it until I heard while prepping to write this blog. I think what makes it good is that it is real. You can hear the pain throughout the entire song. It passes the Millie Test for one reason...you guessed it...the opening line. "You and I've got something but it's all and then it's nothing to me."

#4 - Slide: Probably one of the Goo's most popular songs and for good reason. It is a catchy tune with a good beat, good lyrics and just fun to sing. I remember the girls and I singing it in the hallways during high school and while cruising down Montgomery after school. It cemented my love for the Goo and I never get sick of it. It also would have been a great choice for the opening song to this album. Oh well. The opening line is SUPER hot but it is too clear of a choice for the line of the song. So I will go with another good choice..."I want to wake up where you are and I won't say anything at all."

#5 - Name (new version): Johnny Johnny...Why would you mess with a classic? This is the song that launched you into the mainstream for God's sake. This song was great the first time...and now it is annoying. But not enough to forgo a line winner so here it is: "Did you lose yourself somewhere out there? Did you get to be a star?" (Okay two lines but they go together.)

#6 - Stay With You: I could go either way with this song. It reminds me of all that is great about the Goo yet shows that they have probably reached their creative peak. By-gones really. I think that it bugs me because the winnning line from this song reminds me of the best line ever written and it kind of pisses me off. Anyway...the line: "Take my hand now, we'll run forever." Hmmmm... Sounds like the generic Walmart version of "Take my hand and we'll make it I swear." Stay away from Bon Jovi.

#7 - Before It's Too Late: Okay...so it must be the sappy romantic in me but I love this song. I reminds me of my beloved 80s power ballads. It is currently the #8 song on my iPod, which is saying something considering it is a newer song (released in 2007 on the Transformers Soundtrack) and it is #8 out of 2218. I have always been a sucker for Movie Love Themes. The line: "And the risk that might break you is the one that would save, a life you don't live is still lost."

#8 - Broadway: I have always hated this song and always will. I am sure that it has some deep meaning but I can't listen to it long enough to get it. I don't have a line for this song because it sucks. You can't squeeze juice from a rock.

#9 - Feel the Silence: When did this come out? I don't think that I've ever heard it before. So let's move on.

#10 - Better Days: So I guess that this song is about Christmas which is cool. I just never really understood why the Goo was the one singing it. It seems a little too warm fuzzy for the Goo. Oh well. Here is the winning line for this one: "And the one poor child that saved the world and the 10 million more who probably could if we all stopped and said a prayer for them."

#11 - Big Machine: Okay now come on!!!! This song was never popular, never good, and yet made the cut???? This song is a filler and we fans deserve better than this. No line for you!

#12 - Black Balloon: This is another great song that I can't hear enough. It is another song that was overshadowed by Iris. I think that I love this song because it narrates the childhood (childish maybe?) hope that someone actually sees and gets me. The opening line is good, but in this case...it is the last line that clinches it. "And I'll become what you became to me." If that is isn't the ultimate promise, I don't know what is.

#13 - Sympathy: Okay so this one has a spot in my heart for several reasons. One, the video was filmed in Las Vegas and therefore reminds me of the Wild West Days of Millie. Two, it is the best apology song ever....which brings us to Three...it is what finally made me forgive and become friends with RK again. Without a doubt it was the best song to come out of the 2002 Gutterflower album. The line: "Its hard to lead the life you choose when all your luck's run out on you and you can't see when all your dreams are coming true."

And Grand Finale...#14 - Iris: No surprise here. If you follow the Millie Blog, you know that I LOVE this song. It has one of the greatest opening lines EVER. It is without a doubt one of the hottest songs ever written. It was the perfect way to end the Goo Goo Doll's Greatest Hits because it is their best song ever. (It is also a movie love theme.) I could go on and on but I won't because I doubt that there is anyone who isn't familiar with the song since the radio stations did everything that they could to overplay the damn thing. Clearly...the line winner is the opening line and although it obvious I am still going to go with it as well as the second line because it is my blog and I can do whatever I like. "I'd give up forever to touch you because I know that you feel me somehow. You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be and I don't want to go home right now." Truthfully, I could quote the whole song because every line is great. This is one of those rare songs that works from every angle. I am glad they saved it until the end of the album because all was forgiven at its conclusion.

Overall...not a bad choice of songs, with the exception of a few. I wish that they would have included Naked, Ain't It Unusual or Acoustic #3 but oh well. I know that it was the Goo Goo Dolls Greatest Hits but I doubt that anyone would have minded I'm Still Here being on the album. It was wise to leave Give A Little Bit since it was a cover...better than the original but nevertheless a cover.

Finally...5 out of the 14 songs came off of the Dizzy Up the Girl Album. In the unlikely event that this blog as motivated you to go out an buy some Goo...do yourself a favor and buy Dizzy Up the Girl and iTunes the few good songs are not on the Dizzy Album.