"Black Balloon" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in June 1999 as the fourth single from the band's sixth studio album, Dizzy Up the Girl (1998), and reached No. 3 in Canada, No. 16 in the United States, and No. 23 in Iceland.

Meaning and composition

The song, according to lead singer John Rzeznik, is based on a woman who is struggling with a heroin addiction and her lover who 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 had it that the specific person the song was based on was the ex-wife of bassist Robby Takac; she died of a heroin overdose. Like many other songs by 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. It was half-stepped on the album version.

Chart performance

The track reached No. 13 and No. 28 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, respectively. "Black Balloon" was the band's first commercially released single in the US since "Name" in 1995, reaching No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 with its combined sales and airplay figures. In Canada, the song reached No. 3 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, giving the Goo Goo Dolls their fourth top-three hit there. Outside North America, the song charted in Iceland and the United Kingdom, reaching No. 23 in the former country and No. 76 in the latter.

Music video

The video opens with a woman blowing smoke into a soap bubble. It then moves into showing scenes from a 1950s era swim club while the band performs the song. The video was directed by Nancy Bardawil.

Live performances

During live performances of the song, fans can often be seen inflating black balloons and batting them around in the crowd.

Track listings

US CD, 7-inch, and cassette single Australian CD single UK CD single European CD single

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history