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Slide (Goo Goo Dolls song)

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"Slide"
Single by Goo Goo Dolls
from the album Dizzy Up the Girl
B-side
  • "Acoustic #3"
  • "Nothing Can Change You"
ReleasedSeptember 17, 1998 (1998-09-17)[1]
Genre
Length3:32
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Johnny Rzeznik
Producer(s)
Goo Goo Dolls singles chronology
"Iris"
(1998) 		"Slide"
(1998) 		"Dizzy"
(1999)
Music video
"Slide" on YouTube

"Slide" is a song by American alternative rock group Goo Goo Dolls. It was released as the first single from their sixth studio album, Dizzy Up the Girl, in September 1998. According to lead guitarist John Rzeznik, the song is about a Catholic girl who becomes pregnant and discusses with her boyfriend how they should respond to it. Musically, the track is a jangle pop and alternative rock song.

"Slide" reached number one on the US Billboard Adult Top 40, Modern Rock Tracks, Mainstream Top 40, and Triple-A charts. On the Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at number eight in February 1999. In Canada, the song debuted atop the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart on October 19, 1998, becoming the band's second number-one single on that chart after "Iris". Worldwide, "Slide" reached number 14 in Iceland, number 29 in Australia, number 36 in New Zealand, and number 43 in the United Kingdom.

Meaning and composition

[edit]

In a 2002 performance on VH1 Storytellers, John Rzeznik explained that the song refers to a teenage girl in a strict Catholic environment who has become pregnant. She and her boyfriend are debating as to the possibility of abortion or marriage, which is presented in the song as the verse "do you want to get married or run away".[2] A jangle pop and alternative rock song,[3][4] "Slide" is written in common time (4
4) with a key of A♭ major.[5]

Chart performance

[edit]

"Slide" topped four US Billboard charts: the Adult Top 40,[6] the Modern Rock Tracks chart,[7] the Mainstream Top 40,[8] and the Triple-A ranking.[9] On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the song peaked at number eight in February 1999, giving Goo Goo Dolls their third top-10 hit on this chart, and became the United States' 13th-most-successful song of 1999.[10][11] In October 2012, "Slide" was ranked number nine on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart, which also featured two other Goo Goo Dolls hits: "Iris" (number one) and "Name" (number 24). The Goo Goo Dolls are the only musicians to have three songs chart on the list, two breaking the top 10 and all three falling within the top 25. They are also the only musicians that have back-to-back singles ("Iris" and "Slide") featured on the list.[12] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded the song a triple-platinum certification in September 2023.[13]

In Canada, the song accomplished a rare feat by debuting at number one on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, on October 19, 1998.[14] Not counting the number-one song on the magazine's first issue, it became only the third (and final) song to debut at number one on this chart, after Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1985 and Tom Cochrane's "I Wish You Well" in 1995.[15][16] After its debut, "Slide" spent a second week at number one, then dropped to number four on November 2.[17] It spent a total of 26 weeks in the top 20 and remained in the top 100 until the end of 1999.[18] The song also reached number 22 on the RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and number five on the Alternative 30.[19][20] It was the 18th-most-successful single of Canada in 1999.[21]

Outside North America, "Slide" underperformed in most countries. It debuted at number 45 on the Australian Singles Chart on January 17, 1999, then slowly climbed up the chart until reaching its peak of number 29 on March 7. Afterwards, it dropped out of the top 30 and left the chart five weeks after peaking.[22] Despite its low peak, it earned a gold certification for sales exceeding 35,000 copies.[23] In neighboring New Zealand, the single first appeared at number 41 on February 21 and peaked at number 36 the following week, then spent three more weeks in the top 50.[24] On the UK Singles Chart, "Slide" debuted and peaked at number 43 on March 27, but spent only one more week on the chart before dropping out of the top 100.[25] On the UK Indie Chart, which ranks songs released by independent record labels, it reached number eight.[26] It attained its highest European peak in Iceland, where it charted at number 14 for two weeks.[27]

Music video

[edit]

The music video was directed by Nancy Bardawil and partially filmed at the El Dorado Hotel on South Spring Street, Los Angeles.

Track listings

[edit]

UK and Japanese CD single[28][29]

  1. "Slide" (album version) – 3:33
  2. "Acoustic #3" – 1:57
  3. "Nothing Can Change You" – 3:14

European CD single[30]

  1. "Slide" (album version) – 3:33
  2. "Acoustic #3" – 1:57

Australian maxi-CD single[31]

  1. "Slide"
  2. "Nothing Can Change You"
  3. "Acoustic #3"

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[23] Gold 35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[13] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States September 17, 1998 Radio Warner Bros. [1]
Australia 1998 CD Third Rail [31]
Japan November 15, 1998 WEA Japan [44]
United Kingdom March 15, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
[45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Goo Goo Dolls [@googoodolls] (September 17, 2020). "'Slide' was released as a single on this day in 1998 !!" (Tweet). Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Rzeznik: "...the song is actually about these two teenage kids, and the girlfriend gets pregnant and... they're trying to decide whether she should get an abortion, or they should get married or what should go on..." (VH1 Storytellers: The Goo Goo Dolls, directly before they perform "Slide")
  3. ^ Payne, Chris (May 31, 2018). "'Dizzy Up the Girl' 20 Years Later: The Goo Goo Dolls' Improbable Journey from the 'Cracks of Society' to the 'City of Angels'". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  4. ^ Cosores, Philip (July 4, 2017). "Ranking: Every Alternative Rock No. 1 Hit from Worst to Best". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  5. ^ "Slide by Goo Goo Dolls – Guitar Chords/Lyrics from Sheet Music Direct". sheetmusicdirect.com. 162187. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Billboard Top 100 – 1999". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  12. ^ "The Top 100 Pop Songs 1992-2012, from No. 100 to No. 1". Billboard. October 3, 2012.
  13. ^ a b "American single certifications – Goo Goo Dolls – Slide". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7047." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  15. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9636". RPM. January 5, 1985. Retrieved January 18, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  16. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2749". RPM. September 4, 1995. Retrieved January 18, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  17. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7039". RPM. November 2, 1998. Retrieved January 18, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  18. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 10000". RPM. December 20, 1999. Retrieved January 18, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  19. ^ a b "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7480." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 7080." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  21. ^ a b "RPM 1999 Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved November 8, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  22. ^ a b "The Goo Goo Dolls – Slide". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  23. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  24. ^ a b "The Goo Goo Dolls – Slide". Top 40 Singles.
  25. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  26. ^ a b "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  27. ^ a b "Íslenski Listinn (9.4–16.4. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). April 9, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  28. ^ Slide (UK CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Edel Records, Hollywood Records, Third Rail Records. 1999. 0043955 ERE, 0102035HWR.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Slide (Japanese CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. WEA Japan. 1998. WPCR-2166.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^ Slide (European CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Edel Records, Hollywood Records, Third Rail Records. 1999. 0043956ERE, 0102036HWR.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ^ a b Slide (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Third Rail Records. 1998. D1763.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  33. ^ "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  34. ^ "Goo Goo Dolls Chart History (Rock Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  35. ^ "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  36. ^ "RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved November 8, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  37. ^ "Most Played Adult Top 40 Songs of 1998". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 6, no. 52. December 25, 1998. p. 55.
  38. ^ "The Year in Music 1998: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 52. December 26, 1998. p. YE-84.
  39. ^ a b "1999 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-100. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  40. ^ a b "1999 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 52. December 25, 1999. p. YE-90. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  41. ^ "Most Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 54.
  42. ^ "The Best of '99: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 38.
  43. ^ "British single certifications – Goo Goo Dolls – Slide". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  44. ^ "スライド | グー・グー・ドールズ" [Slide | Goo Goo Dolls] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  45. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting 15 March, 1999: Singles". Music Week. March 13, 1999. p. 27.
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