Goo Goo Dolls: Iris Meaning
Iris Lyrics
'cause 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
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
’cause...
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Jan 20th 2006, 14:36 report
This song was actually written for the movie City Of Angels. It is written from Nicholas Cage's charecter's point of view. He play an angel that falls in love with a human woman and at first, she can't even see him because he is an angel. Later, she is able to see him because he really wanted her to be able to see him. But, he still couldn't touch her if he tried- he hand would just go right through her and neither of them would feel anything.
He loved her so much, that he was willing to give up living forever as an angel to live a short, mortal life just so he could be with her. That's where "I'd give up forever to touch you" comes from. In order for him to become mortal, he has to jump off of a really tall building. When he is bleeding after he hits the ground is when he realizes he was alive because he was never able to bleed before, when he was an angel. That is where the lyric, "you bleed just to know you're alive" comes from. It is not about self-injury. If you watch the movie, you'll understand. You can also hear the acoustic version of the song in the movie and it sounds awesome, just like the original. John named the song Iris because he liked the name. Not for any other reason. The song is not about gay love. If you like the song, you'll probably like the City Of Angels movie. Iris goes along with it perfectly. -
2TOP RATED
Kitmd_1888 Sep 26th 2005, 17:35 report
This song is just one of those songs you hear and wish you'd written it yourself.
The first verse is just so simple it's beautiful. It just about almost sums up the feeling of love (a feeling that can never be described perfectly but these words come pretty damn close!) Where when you're with that one person and NOTHING else matters just because it feels so perfect and you cherise every moment you spend with them because you know that it'll be over too soon and when it is you're gonna miss them so much you will ache for them until the next time you lay eyes on them.
The rest of the song is about how fragile love is and how there is almost always a feeling of fear lingering in the back of your mind as you feel that it is all too good to be true and to last and you cannot confess your fears to anyone as you think the love you feel could not be experienced by anyone else.
It is also trying to find a way of expressing how true your love is as it feels words do not do it justice and wanting to let that special person know exactly who you are.
Beautiful, beautiful song for any one who has ever been left confused by love's power and fear of the loss of that love. -
3TOP RATED
anonymous Jul 5th 2006, 16:37 report
You people are all hitting right around it. Its about the movie firstly. Nicholas Cage's character, the angel, feels that although he is a heavenly being he will never feel the splendor of that existence, because nothing compares to the way he feels about Meg Ryan hence "you're the closest to heaven that ill ever be". Whoever wrote in their interp. That the line "I'd give up forever to touch you" meant that he would become mortal, is right on. He is willing to sacrifice all, including his immortality, just to have a chance to come in contact with this woman. The line about the world not understanding is based on the world he knows, the other angels. They are not experiencing his emotions. They would not leave their duty for a human, and he is not afraid of reprisal, but only how they will perceive his actions. And the line "and you bleed just to know you're alive" IS NOT referring to self-mutilation, but is in fact about Nick Cage jumping off a tower and the character seeing his blood for the first time when he hits the sewer grate, and he knows that he is alive as a human. As for the title "Iris" I am not sure, but the explanation that seems to fit the most is the one about Iris being a servant of the gods (angel). However the part about gay lovers, seems to be someone's personal interpretation which they have a right to, but it does not apply to the song as a whole, because it WAS written for the film "City of Angel". Other than that it is a beautiful song that captures the way people feel about a love that is somewhat forbidden to them.
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anonymous May 2nd, 21:53 report
To me this song is about a man who secretly loves a girl who doesn't know it. He is scared to tell her because she might get scared. How he explains it seems to be an obsession that he cannot control and he feels very frustrated by his feelings for her. He desperately wants to tell her he loves her but something is holding him back.
"I don't want the world to see me, because I don't think they'd understand" suggests that he doesn't know how to tell anyone/ express his feelings or he doesn't want people to know because they won't get it or he could be referring "world" as the girl he likes (she won't understand).
"When everything's made to be broken" suggests that he thinks it is wrong to be in love with this girl for some reason, or he tried to stop himself from loving her but can't help it.
"I just want you to know who I am" shows that he really wants the girl to know him on the inside and to know his deep feelings and not to see him as what he seems (how everyone else sees him). He would like her to understand his feelings for her - what makes up his world. It could also mean that she doesn't know who this man is at all and he wants her to meet him.
"when everything feels like the movies" shows that the love he has for this girl is like a love story from a movie - he loves her so much that it's almost un-real/ hard to believe. -
anonymous Feb 9th, 00:34 report
This song has a special meaning to me. I've been suffering with depression and low self-confidence for quite a while, and this song just touches my heart. "And I don't want the world to see me, cause I don't think that they'd understand" reflects my feelings of worthlessness. I didn't think that anyone could understand my pain, so I bottled it all up. "When everything seems to be broken, I just want you to know who I am" reflects how I'm currently trying to break out of my depression and shyness and live my life to its fullest. I'm trying to build a reputation for myself and have a good time in high school. I love this song so much. I listen to it almost every day and sometimes I even cry at how much I believe it represents my life. Amazing song and one of my favorites!
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Katherine Marie Oripaypay Jan 26th, 08:06 report
I'm going to tell you my own interpretation of this song.
And I’d give up forever to touch you
'cause 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
The writer wants to reach out to someone who he/she knows will help him/her.
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
’cause sooner or later it’s over
I just don’t want to miss you tonight
The happiness will only last for a short moment of time. Because there will be a time that it will start again.
And I don’t want the world to see me
’cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am.
The writer thinks that he/she doesn't care about what the world thinks. he/she just cared about that "someone" who will be there for him/her.
And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you’re alive
Every negative feeling will always be revealed. But these revelations will always have a good side. But everything's getting out of hand, you will still fight for the right.
And I don’t want the world to see me
’cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don’t want the world to see me
’cause I don’t think that they'd understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don’t want the world to see me
’cause I don’t think that they’d understand
When everything’s made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am -
anonymous Dec 9th 2012, 01:26 report
"You're the closest to heaven that ill ever be" means that heaven is thought of as a beautiful,sacred, promised place...we all eventually hope to get there but for now "you are as close as I can get to paradise" comparing that the lover is equivalent to heaven!
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anonymous May 31st 2012, 10:15 report
I think this is about some fangirls who are obsessed by an artist. Yeah, probably just me.
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anonymous Apr 30th 2012, 22:49 report
i understand that this song was written for a movie, but if you forget about that and open your mind a little, you can find many meanings. i like to think of this song as this girl/boy who has someone in their life very special. someone who they can truly trust. this person is kinda alone and and all they want is for the world, meaning everyone else, because they dont know them like this person does, to see them because they dont think that they would understand how they feel. all this person wants is for this friend to know who they are. its a lovely song:) one of my favs all the way! the guitar is beautiful(i can play it OF COURSE!!!) and the lyrics are very touching nd emotional to those who fell like they are the only one in the world. I LOVE THIS SONG. I HOPE YOU DO TOO!
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anonymous Apr 29th 2012, 12:07 report
However my interpretation of this songs may differ from everyone else is i will still speak it. I think this song may also be interpretation as if the singer is gay/bisexual and he/she is saying that 'they don't want the world to see me because i don't think that they'll understand' so basically suggesting that they are scared of being judged, the world in fact won't understand them. Also the singer wants to tell his/her love that they like them 'i just want you to know who i am' ect.
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anonymous Feb 1st 2012, 23:16 report
its about pure love. not to be mistaken for your lives guyz. ts about the pain and forgiving. about mind and spirit. about two joining, about overthinking, and makeing it hard, dont think= know your self, know the one you are love' and he is love... life eternal!
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anonymous Feb 1st 2012, 23:16 report
its about pure love. not to be mistaken for your lives guyz. ts about the pain and forgiving. about mind and spirit. about two joining, about overthinking, and makeing it hard, dont think= know your self, know the one you are love' and he is love... life eternal!
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anonymous Jan 3rd 2012, 18:18 report
I believe this song is about Bono
(the lead singer in U2) who lost his mother at the age of 14:(
His mother's name was Iris(a lot like the song). It is written from both persons point of veiw(Bono and his Mother).
Iris says she'll give up forever to touch her new son, cause she knows that he feels her somehow.
Bono says his dead mother is the closest to heaven that he'll ever be
(cause Iris is dead) and he doesn't want to go home right now( to face his father)
Iris says all she can taste is this moment and all she can breathe is his life cause sooner or later it's over and she just doesnt want to miss him tonight
Iris says she doesn't want the world to see her
Bono says he doesn't think that they'd understand
Iris says when everything's meant to be broken
They bothe say they just want each other to know who they are
Bono says Iris can't fight the tears that aren't coming(since she's dead)
Or the moment of truth in her lies
And when everything feels like the movies
Iris says yes, he bleeds just to know he's alive(Bono had many nosebleeds as a result of pshycilogical embalance)
Again, same thoughts as above...
The last three verses Bono and Iris just want each other to know who they are.
Anyway, that is what I truly feel this song is about. Decide for yourself:) -
anonymous Dec 27th 2011, 17:29 report
I first became familiar with this song through "City of Angels." I was astonished at how perfectly the lyrics fit with the movie and later found out that the song was written solely for the film. So watch the movie and that will help tremendously.
The line "I'd give up forever to touch you" quite literally means that Nicolas Cage's character, Seth, the angel, would give up forever in order to touch Meg Ryan's character, Maggie. (In the film, angels have no sense of touch.) He loves her so much that he would sacrifice the eternity ahead of him to be with her. "You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be" refers to the fact that he will no longer be able to come and go to heaven as he pleases after he falls to earth, but Maggie is close enough to that paradise to be worth it. "And I don't want to go home right now" probably simply means that he doesn't want to leave Maggie to go with the other angels.
"And all I can taste is this moment/And all I can breathe is your life." Angels don't eat, and they don't breathe. Maggie is the only exposure Seth has to such experiences. Her life, essentially, is his, because he doesn't actually have a life to call his own. "'Cause sooner or later it's over/I just don't want to miss you tonight" isn't too difficult to understand. Seth can have only limited exposure to human life and cannot actually experience it firsthand when he is an angel, hence the "sooner or later it's over." "I just don't want to miss you tonight," in my opinion, could very well refer to the fact that angels don't sleep, and since humans do, at night Seth can't really be with her.
Now on to the refrain. "And I don't want the world to see me/'Cause I don't think that they'd understand."
The world literally CAN'T see Seth unless he wants to be seen. Like all angels, he rarely shows himself because the world has come to the point where many people don't believe in angels and wouldn't react well if they saw one. Even those who do believe don't expect to ever actually see an angel.
"When everything's made to be broken/I just want you to know who I am." The meaning of the first part is a little hard to pinpoint. Since angels can fall, perhaps it means that every angel will inevitably at some point want to become human, and going through that phase will change them somehow. "I just want you to know who I am" is literal. Seth wants Maggie to know who and what he is.
"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming" is a straightforward movie reference. Angels don't cry. Seth converses briefly with Maggie about how and why tears form, and when he watches her cry towards the beginning of the film, he does it with a look of wonder. Seth can't cry. "Or the moment of truth in your lies" probably refers to the little moment where Seth is talking with his angel friend Cassiel and they mention how angels can't lie. "When everything feels like the movies" = when everything feels staged or fake. "Yeah, you'd bleed just to know you're alive" is another direct reference to a specific moment in the movie. When Seth finally falls and becomes mortal, he wakes up with blood on his hand. It is an immediate giveaway that he has passed from the eternal existence of the angels into a mortal life. He feels pain and sees colour and bleeds, and knows that he is now living.
So there's my say in the matter. Hope it helped to shed some light on the lyrics' meaning. :) God bless. -
BlackSapphire14 Oct 3rd 2011, 07:25 report
You can look at this song however you want it got alot of meaning but frankly what this song means to me and why I relate to it is because ive been in a situation where ive fallen in love with the worng guy and I kno it wouldnt work and I was ashamed of falling that badly that I couldnt get bak up...i felt invisible.hurt..lost..and frankly I just wanted him back.
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anonymous Aug 18th 2011, 07:40 report
The song is not a love song at all. It's actually about being trapped in addiction and not being able to be the person you really are. Also about society's ignorance to addiction(s) as an illness rather than a choice. "I don't want the world to see me, cos I don't think that they'd understand."
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anonymous Jul 1st 2011, 03:53 report
I'm sorry but I just don't see how you are getting gay love out of this. The only thing I could see that would even suggest it would be the heaven thing but that could still mean anything about love and how that person is your heaven on Earth. But honestly, rather the song was written for the movie or for the artists own intentions, it doesn't really matter. This song could easily be about love but what matters is what it means to you. For instance, "I don't want the world to see me, 'cause I don't think that they'd understand." To me means that I don't want the world to see the real me because I don't think that they'd accept it. Sure ir could be about homosexuality but it could be about so much more as well. For instance I was born into a sports family but I am a musician so at times I pretend to like sports just to make them happy. But of course everyones interpretation is different just as the artists interprentation of the song was. Notice how the comment box says YOUR interpretation.
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anonymous Jul 1st 2011, 03:03 report
I think this song goes beyond the movie, 'City of Angels', and can stand on its own, and have a distinct identity, without directly referring to the film.
This song transcends the limitations of a storyline or a plot and speaks of love. A love that verges on heartache, along with the feelings of need and desperation that result from loving someone so strongly.
The first verse pretty much sums up falling for someone badly, feeling that you're 'closes to heaven' with that person, because you see them as perfect, and too good for you and you see every moment you spend with them as precious and too good to be true.
And it's also about how 'all [you] can taste' is every moment you spend with them, how about nothing else matters but you and that person. Then the last two lines are about the sense of desperation and time limitations you have with that person, because you feel like it's too good to be true, and that nothing ever lasts.
The chorus accurately depicts the feeling where you realise how much you love this person, and you 'don't want the world' to see you, because you know that no-one could ever 'understand' how strongly you feel and how in love you are, and the sense of vulnerability one feels because of those feelings.
The second verse is that sense of paranoia that comes with loving someone so deeply. You see the person you love as being too perfect for you, and you wonder why they would ever pick you to be with.
And the last chorus, where 'I just want you to know who I am' is repeated for emphasis, is where I believe the Goo Goo Dolls want to express the feeling of wanting to be at one with the person you love, so much so that you're willing to giev up who and whatever you are to be with them -
anonymous Jun 23rd 2011, 01:53 report
hey peeps its bout a dude in a tower who sees a girl through a telescope and falls in love with her looking at her everyday through this telescope but hes so far away she cant see or notice him. Thats the actual meaning that the guy who wrote the song said. crazy shiz rite.
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anonymous May 26th 2011, 14:15 report
i say the song is sung from the devils point of view,let me bck my statement..listen to the corus he says he doesnt want the world to c him/her becaouse he doesnt thnk thy would understand meaning the Angels, God himself and us humans,than he says wen everything is meant to be broken i jst wnt u to knw who i am,meaning wheneva things seem to go bad he jst want us to remember tht he exist...think abt ths..if ul are interested in mre of my sugestions on the song e-mail me on tsheponkgapele@yahoo.com
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anonymous Apr 21st 2011, 07:30 report
Every song has it own meaning to everyone but that's not what's important it's how it make u feel when you hear it.
Love and the pain of its unattainability is the basic meaning of this song which is in the first lines but there are so many lines that can be take and interpreted in a different way to by how it relates to you as an individual and want you have been though or feel.
The fact that everything has to end so we should just live in the moment before its gone and everything's changed. and not missing opportunities before its too late-
"And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight"
Feeling isolated and lost because no one understands you or who you are really and just wanting someone to know you and that you exsite-
"And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am"
again begin isolated and trapped and feeling like theres no ones there to help you and having to pretend your someone your not and the want to just feel something-
"And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive"
Personal though everyone has their own interpreting but this song is very sad for me and beautiful, for two reason the love aspect and suffering it causes and the feel of isolation and not feeling like u belong and no one understands u and sometimes you do things to make you feel something. I don't know really it hard to describe a song meaning because it about how its feels and relates to an individual. -
anonymous Mar 28th 2011, 23:37 report
Ive never watched the movie this is about but my own interpretation of this song is its about an abortion.
The regret people have and the pain people go though after an abortion could be explained by this song,
"I'd give up forever to touch you, i know that you feel me somehow",
"you're the closest to heaven ill ever get"
It was actually surprising to be its not about an abortion but its cool how songs can capture feelings they weren't even intended to about. -
Rachelle Ormerod Mar 19th 2011, 01:17 report
I have watched the movie "City of Angels" many times and i have the same view of many others. Seth(Nicholas Cage)is an angel who falls in love with a human who is then able to see him and in turn falls in love with him. He wants to touch he and love her and in order to do that he must fall from heaven(jump of a building) and he wakes up bloody.He gives up 'forever' and is only able to spend one day with her because she is killed. I think MAYBE the name 'Iris' was chosen because the story line and love evolve like a flower(iris). but that is only my opinion.
For those who dont understand just watch the movie(because it is amazing)and then you will
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