Black Balloon (Goo Goo Dolls song)

"Black Balloon"
Single by Goo Goo Dolls
from the album Dizzy Up the Girl
Released June 8, 1999
Format CD single
Genre Rock
Length 3:55
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) John Rzeznik
Producer Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls singles chronology
"Dizzy"
(1999)		 "Black Balloon"
(1999)		 "Broadway"
(2000)

Music video
"Black Balloon" on YouTube
This article is about the third single released from the Dizzy Up the Girl album by the Goo Goo Dolls. For the EP by The Kills, see Black Balloon EP. For the 2008 film, see The Black Balloon (film).

"Black Balloon" is the title of a song recorded by the Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in June 1999 as the fourth single from the band's 1998 album, Dizzy Up the Girl.

Contents

Track listing

United States release

  1. "Black Balloon (Radio Remix)" - 4:10
  2. "Slide (Live)" - 3:33

United Kingdom release

  1. "Black Balloon (Radio Edit)" - 4:01
  2. "Black Balloon (Album Version)" - 4:10
  3. "Naked" - 3:44

Australia release

  1. "Black Balloon"
  2. "Lazy Eye"
  3. "Naked (Remix)"
  4. "Flat Top"

Meaning and composition

This song, according to the band's frontman Johnny Rzeznik, is about a woman with a heroin addiction and how her lover is desperately trying to save her. He has also said that it is about "seeing someone you love that is so great just screw up so bad." Speculation as to the song's subject has included bassist Robby Takac's ex-wife (who overdosed on heroin).

Like many other songs by the Goo Goo Dolls, "Black Balloon" uses an unusual alternate tuning. Several electric guitars used in the introduction and the acoustic rhythm guitar are tuned to an open D-flat fifth chord.

Music video

The video for the song opens with a woman blowing smoke into a soap bubble (a "black balloon"). The video then changes focus and shows various scenes from a 50s or 60s era swim club while the band performs the song. Tracy Phillips is found in this video as well. The video was done by Nancy Bardwell.

Chart positions

The track was moderately successful at rock radio, reaching #13 and #28 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, respectively. It also became the fourth pop hit for the band, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Peak positions

Chart (1999) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart 3
Canadian RPM Rock/Alternative Chart 8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 16
U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40 3
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 13
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 28

End of year charts

End of year chart (1999) Position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[1] 21
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[2] 64

References

  1. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.9952&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Retrieved 2011-01-09. 
  2. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1999". http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1999. Retrieved 2010-08-28. 
Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2011-12-11.
Goo Goo Dolls
Studio albums
Extended plays
Live albums
Compilations
Videography
Singles
"There You Are" · "I'm Awake Now" · "We Are the Normal" · "Only One" · "Flat Top" · "Name" · "Naked" · "Long Way Down" · "Lazy Eye" · "Iris" · "Slide" · "Dizzy" · "Black Balloon" · "Broadway" · "Here Is Gone" · "Big Machine" · "Sympathy" · "Give a Little Bit" · "Better Days" · "Let Love In" · "Stay with You" · "Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)" · "Real" · "Home" · "Notbroken" · "All That You Are"
Tours
Related material