Tag Archives: Goo Goo Dolls Songs

“Don’t Worry” (Goo Goo Dolls Cover)

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By Jeff:

Welcome to Thumpin’ Thursday!  I hope that you’re enjoying this final full week of August.  At least one of us is.

I’m definitely going to be having some issues letting go of summer.  I have enjoyed it a lot and have made the most of it.  Vacation was great.  This year, as mentioned already last week, will be a busy one for sure!

But you’ve already heard about that.  How about today’s session!

This week I bring you another Goo Goo Dolls song, but it’s a throwback.  It is not the humorous one I mentioned last month when I posted another Goo Goo Dolls song, but it is from an album that came out before they were considered mainstream.  The song is “Don’t Worry” (and no, it has nothing to do with Bobby Ferrin) from their 1991 album “Superstar Car Wash”.  It is the shortest song on the album, and there are about 3 other songs that may make future sessions from this album alone.

When I was in high school and using that BMG membership to the fullest, I used the opportunity to fill out my collection from this band.  I did get to meet them after a concert (but sadly didn’t get any autographs – just shook Robby’s hand), and they remain the only live band i’ve seen more than once in concert.  This particular album was perfect for me to listen to on the weekends when I had to mow the lawn.  In my own weird analytical constantly relating stuff together mind, the length of this album was near the exact amount of time it took to mow the front and back yard.  I’d be hearing the final track, and then turning the mower off and putting it back in the shed.

But this song is another that features Robby Takac.  It’s 3 in a row for me of GGD covers that are songs written by Takac.  I promise the next one will be another Johnny tune.

Next week will be the first post where i’ll have been in school before posting.  Too bad I should’ve done this song in June since one of the lyrics is “smells like summer is on the way”.  Well unfortunately, it’s on the way out.

But as mentioned, lots to look forward too!  We’re charging through 2009 like mad.  Only 3 months until we have to change 2 of the digits in the year! (and thank Dark Ixion for that – no more of those stupid glasses people wear that have the year on them) (ok, perhaps a pirate is good for the next 90 years…).

So enjoy tonight’s session.

Oh, and I promise more regular Twitter updates.  But start following!

DO IT!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up. We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session. We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future. But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

Goo Goo Dolls’ “Something For the Rest of Us” (2010) – YES, NO, MAYBE SO?

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Goo Goo Dolls’ Something For the Rest of Us (2010) – MAYBE SO

Something For The Rest Of Us (Goo Goo Dolls, 2010)

Something For The Rest Of Us (Goo Goo Dolls, 2010)

(August 28, 2010)

Review:

I’d like to believe I can admit when I’m wrong, so I’ll declare it here: Something For the Rest of Us is a finely crafted rock album with big vocal hooks, killer choruses, and beautiful instrumentation, though it still comes across as — if not over-produced — a bit too “epic” at times.

Top Two Tracks:

“Still Your Song” & “Home”

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“Say You’re Free” (Goo Goo Dolls Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Wow, it’s really been two weeks since the last video?  Well, if you haven’t seen it, search at the top of the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog for “Elderberry Wine” and you’ll see what I’ve been up to lately!  It’s my second video back from a very long four-month absence.

Tonight, I bring you a video that shows you what the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs blog is all about.  It’s a song sung by someone with a raspy voice and it’s totally an electric, rockin’ song.  So, I took my non-raspy voice, sat down with my Martin acoustic guitar, and put a new twist on this tune!

It’s a song off of the Goo Goo Dolls newest album, “Something for the Rest of Us” from 2010.  Let me tell you, it’s a GREAT album.  I can’t stop listening to it.  Every song is single-worthy.  These guys have gotten so good at writing a catchy pop/rock song and it shows on this album.  Honestly, I think it’s my favorite from last year.  And there were a TON of albums I heard for the first time last year.

I’ve become quite the Goo Goo Dolls fan ever since I first heard some of their songs on WCJM Internet Radio shows.  My friend (and former Laptop Sessions contributor) Jeff Copperthite would pick a song for each radio show we did.  After a while, I noticed that I liked those songs, so I bought a couple of their older albums from the early 90’s.  Now, I have all of their albums and I love them all!  Well, I should say that I love all of their “rock” albums.  They actually started in the late 80s as a punk band!  I have one of those albums (“Jed”) and let me tell you- it ain’t great.  It’s hard to believe that just a couple of years later, they came out with my personal favorite, “Superstar Car Wash”.  That album is almost 20 years old now, but if you don’t have it (and like the Goo Goo Dolls), it’s really a neccesity.

Tonight’s song is “Say You’re Free”- it’s one of two Robby Takac songs that are on the new album.  In fact, that’s about the standard now, as it has been for the last three albums.  Back in the earlier days, Robby and Johhny would split the songs.  I really liked that format- it seemed like they were trying to outdo each other.  Of course, Johnny is the guy who wrote their most famous songs like “Iris”, so I suppose he’s considered the “better” songwriter.  But, as we’ve learned from SO many bands here on the music blog, popularity doesn’t necessarily mean greatness.  Now, I won’t sit here and say that I’m not a John Rzeznik fan- I absolutely am.  But, for some reason, I absolutely love Robby’s songs, too!  My favorite from him, other than the new stuff, is “Already There” from Superstar Car Wash- it’s a great tune with some really introspective lyrics.  That’s a bit surprising, considering his punk roots and his incredibly raspy voice.  Normally, I wouldn’t like that, but I don’t think he’s doing it on purpose.  For instance, you can just tell that John Mayer sings like that on purpose, so I can’t stand it.  Same with Dylan.  But, people like Dennis Wilson and Robby Takac just have raspy voices for one reason or another and can’t sing any other way.  That I can deal with.

I chose this song instead of the better tune, “Now I Hear” from the same album because I wanted to hear how this song would come out acoustically.  I love the results and I hope it shows how great of a song it is on its own.  And, I hope Robby somehow watches this someday- I want him to know that there are fans out there that love his songs and that want even more per album!  I hope you enjoy tonight’s Laptop Session and I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with another great new acoustic cover song music video!

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“Laughing” (Goo Goo Dolls Cover)

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By Chris Moore:

So, in the middle of the second biggest, busiest weekend of my semester, I decided to record a Laptop Session.  A couple years ago, this would have been no surprise, but it’s been a long time since the “session-a-day” workaholic’s regime ruled this blog.

July 26th.

That’s the date I posted my last acoustic cover song music video.  I’ve recorded performances of original songs since then, but it’s been since before the premiere of Steven Page’s “Indecision” that I posted a true Laptop Session.

Back in July, I had based my cover on an acoustic performance by Page that a fan had posted on YouTube.  That pretty much sums up my working philosophy concerning covers: I’m not on a schedule so much as I’m waiting for the interest to strike.  Of course, I keep plenty busy in between writing music reviews and publishing playlists, as well as facilitating the Guest Sessions division of the blog, and I’m happier about my work here than I’ve been in a long time.

Still, there was an appeal to those days when cover songs were the sole focus of our efforts, and we were excited about expanding our repertoires at a breakneck pace.

That being said, I’ve learned fairly recently that the past is a nice place to think about and even visit, but I wouldn’t want to stay.

Today’s session is born out of how pleasantly surprised I was to find how much I like the Goo Goo Dolls’ early nineties work.  I’ve been a fan of the band since I first heard “Iris” on the KISS 95.7 morning radio show in early 1998.  I remember saving up my allowance so I could pick up the song the next time my parents took us out to the mall.  This being before I understood and appreciated albums, I picked up the first CD I could find with “Iris”: the City of Angels soundtrack.  (If I remember correctly, Dizzy Up the Girl hadn’t been released yet.)  This wasn’t a complete loss, as this is the disc that introduced me to other great songs like Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House,” Eric Clapton’s “Further On Up the Road,” and one of the few U2 songs I truly love, “If God Will Send His Angels.”

Needless to say, I fell even more in love with “Slide” when that was released as the follow-up single.  Looking back, I took this time period entirely for granted: excellent rock bands like the Goo Goo Dolls were on the radio all the time and their music videos were being played — sometimes at full length (gasp!) — on MTV.  To this day, I can’t listen to “Iris” without imagining clips from the video, like in the tower or under the over pass.

At the end of the day, though, I’ve always felt Dizzy Up the Girl to be an okay album and not much more.  There are some outstanding songs — “Broadway” became and remains my favorite song from the album and “Acoustic #3” is utterly, heartbreakingly beautiful — but there are also a handful of “okay’s” and throwaways.  Compared to other albums I was listening to at the time — BnL’s Stunt and Matchbox20’s Yourself or Someone Like You — Dizzy Up the Girl took a back burner, and I never bought a follow-up album.  By the time I was old enough to know about and be interested in back catalogs, I had left the Goo Goo Dolls behind.

Fast forward to 2010.  Something For the Rest of Us is released, and interestingly, my review of Dizzy Up the Girl could be duplicated here, with only the specific song titles needing to be changed.  (For the record, “Still Your Song” is in the running for my favorite GGD song and there are others, like “Sweetest Lie,” that I love.)  My friend Mike kept singing the praises of this new album, so I gave it another chance (thus falling in love with the aforementioned songs that I hadn’t paid more than one listen), but the result still falls flat in comparison with his enthusiasm.

Then, Mike, my girlfriend Nicole, and I saw the Goo Goo Dolls in concert.

Several songs into the setlist, something clicked.  I finally “get” the Goo Goo Dolls.  Unlike Third Eye Blind (another late nineties favorite of mine that promptly faded from my radar when I “got” them and consequently got bored), the Goo Goo Dolls have such depth and energy that I had partially forgotten and partially missed.  So, I set out to find albums from their back catalog.  The first two I’ve been able to find are 1995’s A Boy Named Goo (discussion of which I will reserve for a future post) and 1990’s Hold Me Up.  The latter is such a boneheaded album filled with boneheaded little rock songs like “Laughing,” but I loved it instantly.  Almost immediately, I began singing a quieter version of “Laughing” to myself, eventually figured out the chords, and have played it now and then over the past week.  Finally, I got the urge to record it today and voila!

It should be noted that I’m rusty and the consequences are as follows: I didn’t comb my hair, I didn’t think to hook up my new USB microphone that I’ve been using to mic sessions for my new album, and I absentmindedly dragged over the nearest item that would hold my cheat sheet at the proper level.  The results?  I look disheveled, it’s harder to hear me than it should be, and I smelled the vague whiff of cat poop throughout my two takes (turns out the aforementioned item is the cat’s poop bin, moved into the spare room while the bathroom is being worked on).

So, without further ado — and there’s been much ado, many parentheticals, and a slew of sidebars — I bring you my first authentic Laptop Session in over four months.  My acoustic arrangement is certain to drum up a compliment or two and a much greater number of grammatically nonsensical rants about my talent (or lack thereof) and sexual orientation, but that’s the only way to know I’m back on the blog!

See you next session!

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