The Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris' is one of the most famous songs of the 90s and had a large part in propelling the band to stardom. However, the song was very nearly never written.
John Rzeznik was approached to write a song for the 'City of Angels' soundtrack. He agreed, and what resulted was 'Iris.'
In interviews later on, Rzeznik stated that he had been experiencing severe writer's block at the time. Just days before writing the song, he came very close to quitting the band altogether.
It's a good thing Rzeznik didn't quit. 'Rolling Stone' ranked the song at #39 on their list of 100 greatest pop songs. 'Iris' was one of the biggest crossover hits ever, hitting number one on modern rock, pop, and adult contemporary radio stations.
The song spent a record 18 weeks at number one in hot 100 airplay. It wasn't allowed on the Billboard Hot 100 because there was no commercial release, though later it was put on the band's record 'Dizzy Up the Girl.'
