What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art & Commerce [Enhanced][Original recording remastered]

Goo Goo Dolls

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 29, 2001)
• Original Release Date: May 29, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00005J9YE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,120 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

You'd think that after reaching the heights of rock stardom and becoming mainstream enough to achieve three Grammy nominations, the Goo Goo Dolls would play it safe with a greatest-hits compilation. But this hits package totally ignores their huge megahit "Iris" as well as the four hits that followed. Instead, EOAC mostly offers 22 of the band's hardest rock tracks from their six albums. It's interesting to hear the evolution from Replacements wannabes to the more polished, radio-friendly rockers of today. What's most interesting when heard in this context, however, is how little the band--and leader Johnny Rzeznik's melodic music--has actually changed over the years. (All the tracks have been remixed and remastered.) "Acoustic #3" and "Two Days in February" are acoustic ballads, and "All Eyes on Me" features symphonic accompaniment--but everything else rocks. The gloriously anthemic "Another Second Time Around" and "Girl Right Next to Me" nearly rank with the Replacements at their best. In fact, this compilation might offer those who've written off the Goo Goos as "wimp rockers" a chance to reassess the band's status. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Typical Greatest Hits Album, May 29, 2001

By	Manny Ramirez - See all my reviews

The Goo Goo Dolls' 7th album, What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art, and Commerce, is an album that has no new tracks on it. It's their greatest hits with a twist: their most popular songs, Name, Iris, Slide, Black Balloon, and Broadway, are all conspicously absent. So, you may be saying to yourself, why should I buy an album that doesn't even feature their biggest hits? Well, just because those songs were their biggest hits don't necessarily mean that they are the group's best songs. The 22 tracks here represent songs from the 1st 6 albums and they are all good except Amigone and Two Days in February. For those people who think that the GGD are a pop machine, they need to listen to this album. This CD represents some of the most hard-rocking tracks that the GGD have done. I really believe that their purpose in releasing this album was to remind people that they are still a hard-rocking band and not some bubblegum pop machine. The tracks are broken down by album like this:

1) From Dizzy Up the Girl--Bullet Proof, All Eyes on Me, Amigone, and Acoustic #3.

2) From Boy Named Goo--Naked, Ain't That Unusual, Burnin' Up, Flat Top, and Eyes Wide Open.

3) From Superstar Car Wash--Fallin' Down, Another Second Time Around, Cuz You're Gone, We Are the Normal, Girl Right Next to Me, Lucky Star, and On the Lie.

4) From Hold Me Up--Just the Way You Are, Two Days in February, Laughing, and There You Are.

5) From Jed--Up Yours.

6) From The Goo Goo Dolls--I'm Addicted.

Some of the songs sound exactly the same like they do from the last 3 albums. (I don't know about the songs from the 1st 3 albums because I don't have those yet.) However, Acoustic #3 is a little longer here than it was on DUTG, and Burnin' Up and Naked both sounded a little different here than they did on BNG. I was a little disappointed that 2 of my favorite songs didn't have the same bite here that they did when they were originally presented in Eyes Wide Open and Cuz You're Gone. I don't know if it was because they toned down the guitars or the new mix was bad, but the originals are, in my opinion, better. This album was good to get because you get a sample of stuff before BNG especially alot of stuff from SCW and HMU.

If you have GGD albums and you have really listened through them, then you know that the GGD can rock with the best of them. I'm a die-hard GGD fan (if you couldn't tell by now) and I feel that this is an excellent way to be exposed to their "non-hit" music. If you're expecting an album full of songs like Name, and Iris, then you'll be severely disappointed. However, if you just want to listen to some great hard rocking tracks with great melodies and hooks, then you will want to buy this album.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Collection, June 19, 2001

By	pomuzak (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

It's been 3 years of waiting for Goo Goo Dolls fans. We are still waiting for new material (soon I hope), but "What I Learned About Ego, Opinion, Art and Commerce" will do very well until then. I have seen people complain that this album doesn't have the huge radio hits like "Iris", "Slide", "Name", "Black Balloon", etc. STOP COMPLAINING! If you are a huge Goo Goo Dolls fan, you already have all of those songs. The group hasn't been around long enough to compile a definitive greatest hits collection, so they have given us a collection of what they feel is their best non-radio work. This is an amazing album. For all of you out there who knock the Goo Goo Dolls, I wish you would listen to this album. It shows that they are not all about soft pop music. By the end of the album, they have shown their roots in harder rock music.

Some highlights of this album for me were: 1. "Bullet Proof" - Off of "Dizzy Up The Girl", all around good song. (4/5)

5. "Naked" - This song, off their 1995 release fits in perfectly with the hits they have churned out for the radio. It's very much like Iris with it's guitar sounds and pop melody. (5/5)

8. "Flat Top" - Catchy (4/5)

10. "Fallin' Down" - What a great song, I have no idea why the radio didn't love this one back in 1993 when it came out on "Superstar Car Wash". It is leaning more towards rock than usual Goo Goo Dolls, it has a great electric guitar beginning, an extremely catchy chorus, and good lyrics. What more could you want? (5/5)

12. "Cuz You're Gone" - Heading into rock territory...the Goo Goo Dolls do that well. An upbeat song about somber subjects, that's hard to do. (5/5)

13. "We Are The Normal" - A really cool song all around. It especially stands out because of the violin in the background and the amazing lyrics. (5/5)

14. "Girl Right Next To Me" - This was released nearly 9 years ago, but it would still fit in very well with radio hits nowadays. Great hook. (5/5)

18. "Two Days In February" - Like "Acoustic #3", this is an entirely acoustic slower song. It has a good tune (Though not as good as "Acoustic #3"). They played this on Jay Leno's show a few weeks back. (4/5)

The last few songs are from their earlier days, and are, to me, not as good as more current things. I tend to like their more melodic pop hits than the hard rock stuff. But that doesn't detract in this album in the least. It's a great CD, so don't worry about wasting money. This is something you will be able to listen for a long time to come without it getting old.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great way to expose yourself to some GOOd music!, July 18, 2001

By	"dreamaway13" (USA) - See all my reviews

Most people don't know many Goo Goo Dolls songs beyond those played on the radio ("Name", "Iris", "Slide", etc) and/or those on the "Dizzy Up The Girl" album. Let me tell you right now that you're missing out on some great music from a great band! For those who are looking for more GGD material, but don't want to shell out all the $$$ to buy their first 5 albums, this is a great CD to get. (Think about it- you're getting a whopping 22 songs on a single CD!!!) It contains many of the fans' favorite hits from over the years, and it showcases the GGD's unique rock/punk/pop stylings over their 14 year career. This CD has been in my CD player almost every day since the day I bought it. Favorites include the expanded version of "Acoustic #3", the amazing re-recorded version of "Two Days In February", the catchy "Girl Right Next To Me" and "Cuz You're Gone", plus the beautifully written "All Eyes On Me". The CD is perfect for those GGD fans who have not gotten to hear older GGD material, or for die-hard GGD fans who want to hear new remixes of all their favorites. Buy it! You'll be glad you did!