What does Iris mean?

Goo Goo Dolls: Iris Meaning

Album cover for Iris album cover

Song Released: 1998


Get "Iris" on MP3: Get MP3 from iTunes

Iris Lyrics

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

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
’cause...

  1. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 26th 2011 !⃝

    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

  2. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 21st 2011 !⃝

    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.

  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 28th 2011 !⃝

    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.

  4. Rachelle Ormerod
    click a star to vote
    Mar 19th 2011 !⃝

    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

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 4th 2011 !⃝

    While this may be completely off to some people who find a different meaning within this song this is What it means to me.. A man and a woman fall in love. But both the man and woman deal with mental illness (depression) and they don't want the world to see them because they don't understand them but they're cOmfortable telling eachother of their issues and because they share the same issues it makes their love much stronger. They both know that one another is broken inside but they are only able to heal when they're with eachother. This is how I feel about this song because it's the story of me and my fiancé. We saved eachothers lives and I will forever be faithful to her and cherish every moment I spend with her. This is our song and we listen to it together everyday and it touches our heart in the same exact way.

  6. RightBrainLeft
    click a star to vote
    Feb 5th 2011 !⃝

    It is from City of Angels.

    The meaning of IRIS. Os-IRIS
    Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead; husband and brother of Isis; father of Horus.

    These are not human thoughts but that of a fallen angel. True love can never die so this song is not about love; but rather lust. The same way that angels lusted after human women and created the Nephillim.

    Probably explains why the charm of this song is that it does not leave your head once you hear it.

    Definitely a stalker song.

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 5th 2011 !⃝

    Os-IRIS
    Egyptian god of the underworld and judge of the dead; husband and brother of Isis; father of Horus.

    These are not human thoughts but that of a fallen angel. True love can never die so this song is not about love; but rather lust. The same way that angels lusted after human women and created the Nephillim.

    Probably explains why the charm of this song is that it does not leave your head once you hear it.

    Definitely a stalker song.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 22nd 2011 !⃝

    In my opinion I think this song is about a lonely person because when he says I don't want the world to see me or when he says they wont understand I think he is saying no one knows who he is as a person meaning that he is alone. And when he says when I bleed he is saying that I feel like I exist in life. This is what I think the song means to me.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 15th 2011 !⃝

    It may have been written for the "City of Angels", but for me it speaks of a love affair.

    Of feeling intense love for someone you can't have. You know it will have to end, but you are sad because "they understand you better then anyone"

    You can no longer fight the tears you have held back, because you know it is wrong. You sense the truth in the lie of the relationship that has been created accidentally. The truth is you are still in love with your beloved, and that this must be stopped. So you cry and just want them to remember you and know who you are.

    It could have been used just as well in, "The Bridges Of Madison County" Your feelings will not end, but you do the right thing and stay with your beloved. Still you want to hold on to one last moment.

    Songs like a previous person said are for the listener. It takes on whatever meaning you have at the time.

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jan 4th 2011 !⃝

    The way I see this song has to do with Death loving someone. He has to bring the world to its apocalypse, but he falls in love with a Mortal. A lot like City Of angels. But the part

    "When everything is meant to be broken."

    to me that makes me think of the apocalypse.

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 17th 2010 !⃝

    This song to me is about forbidden love.

  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 3rd 2010 !⃝

    You all have your own meanings for it , awesome song though (yn)

  13. Lover1991
    click a star to vote
    Oct 11th 2010 !⃝

    I believe that when he sings
    I dont want the world to see me, Cuz I don't think that they'd understand..."
    he is saying that the world is so damn judgemental, that he only wants this woman to know who he REALLY is, her and only her. Though this can be seen in many ways as a pathetic crush, he is really going deep with the personal aspect of these lyrics. No one wants to be neglected, and we are constantly seeking that one person who will accept us for who we really are.

  14. hckygirl1616
    click a star to vote
    Sep 26th 2010 !⃝

    Personally i've never seen the movie city of angels, it probably does fit perfect and i can see how it would.

    But in my opinion, as a person who just hears the song without the movie playing, i see it as someone falling in love.
    The person they fall in love with is their "world" giving the lyric, "and i don't want the world to see me, cause i dont think that they'd understand." The person falling in love is scared that they won't accept them for all of who they are.
    "When everything's meant to be broken, i just want you to know who i am." Meaning if everything fell apart because they finally told the person the real them, at least they knew the real them.

    But, that's just my interpretation.

  15. Stacey
    click a star to vote
    Sep 20th 2010 !⃝

    Here's one, the song was written prior to any movie. It was written when a friend of the band from Traverse City had a conversation with them about a special couples marriage ending. This friend had other conversations with the dolls as well about the couple from Michigan. This conversation in particular was about the husbands painful emotions and he is the only one who could have inspired "yeh ya bleed just to know your alive" and more. I know because I am the wife who was crawling through the window. I sure hope that friend was'nt compensated for those many inspired words, cause I'm totally broken.




More Goo Goo Dolls songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Blog posts mentioning Goo Goo Dolls

Just Posted

Steve's Going to London anonymous
Yes I'm A Mess anonymous
Droppin' Plates anonymous
Rat anonymous
Cry for the Moon anonymous
And the Snakes Start to Sing anonymous
Gingerbread Man anonymous
Not Like the Movies anonymous
This Masquerade anonymous
Birthday Suit anonymous
Dollhouse anonymous
Death anonymous
Copy Cat anonymous
I Hate Jimmy Page anonymous
I Hate Jimmy Page anonymous

(We won't give out your email)