Goo Goo Dolls: Big Machine Meaning

Song Released: 2002

Big Machine Lyrics

Ecstasy is all you need
Living in the big machine now
Oh, you r so vein
Now your world is way too fast
Nothings real and nothing lasts
And I’m aware
I’m in love but you don’t care
Turn your anger into lust
I’m still here but you don’t...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Nov 16th 2006 !⃝

   This song is about a man who falls in love with a girl, but there is one catch. That's her apathy: she doesn't care that he's head-over-heels for her ("I'm in love but you don't care"), and she doesn't care about all of the things that she should take notice of. Thus, her life is a mess ("Living like a house on fire") and she takes no notice of the guy who has feelings for her. He tries to help her even though she ignores him ("It's hard to deal, but I still love the way you feel"). So he spends all of his time wishing that she would get over her carelessness ("I'm blind and waiting for you") and giving her little hints that he will love her no matter what she thinks of him. Thus, "You're all or not, but I don't need what you ain't got".
2. anonymous

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   Jan 18th 2011 !⃝

   Big Machine is, in my opinion, the best song written by John Rzeznik. I have heard in interviews that this song means that it is about Los Angeles, and everything that he finds in this new place, after a scene change from Buffalo. The brilliance of the song is that it can mean so many different things (something that the Goos do extremely well). For me the song takes this meaning: It’s another depressing but yet a heroic, and contenting ballad. It’s about this guy who has deep feeling for this “more popular” girl, whose life is full of havoc and drama (living in the big machine). The big machine represents the craziness and the complexity of living in modern times. The song starts by saying that happiness in the moment, and enjoying the present without consequence or regret is the way that this girl lives her life (Ecstasy;Vain). The song moves on to say how living this way makes everything fast (which accounts for the pace of the song), and somewhat pointless without meaning, saying that you might enjoy your life now, but it means nothing when it comes down to it. (Now you’re world is way too fast, nothings real and nothing lasts) He now moves on to explain that she knows how he feels for her, and that it means nothing to her, and yet he has a high level of cognitence of it all, and “he’ll be waiting”. (I’m aware, I’m in love but you don’t care). The next line, (turn your anger into lust) suggests that she doesn’t necessarily like this life, cut she feels trapped and can’t get out, and he wants her to overcome her fear, and explains that he’d do anything needed for her but she doesn’t “trust at all”. At yet she still leads a life with the good and the bad, taking some of both. (Love and sex and loneliness, take what’s your and leave the rest). He then says that he’ll be okay, and that he is ready and willing to take on, or jump into this crazy life she lives, and the responsibilities and stress that comes with it. The second verse is after she has started to open up, or trying to get her to still open up, explaining that whatever she does, he’ll “still be waiting”. (Still in love with all your sins; Living like a house on fire) The next line is one of my favorites (what you fear is your desire), which just about everybody can relate, that people are scared that they will lose or change something in there life and what it back, even thought the other way, the new way is what they truly desire. In this case it’s letting go of the craziness, she really wants to, but she is deeply afraid of what life will be like without it. Then comes the heroic lines, that no matter how bad it gets, he’ll be the silver lining (It’s hard to deal, I still love the way you feel). The end of the second extended verse has him saying how she’s “drowning in this pretty world”, and tells her to do what she must to be who she is (Swallow all your bitter pills, That’s what makes you beautiful) Then lines that everyone wants to hear (You’re all or not, I don’t need what you ain’t got). Over the course of the song he really tries to convince her to let him be a part of her life, because he’ll accept her as is, and he’ll bring meaning to her life. The chorus supports this ‘main idea’ by saying that whenever she needs, that he’ll be waiting for her no matter how crazy and how hard it gets on him. Rzeznik creates something that all of us long for, an unconditionally caring relationship.
3. anonymous

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   Nov 10th 2010 !⃝

   This song is about John moving from buffalo to LA. The meaning can also be about a relationship, but hidden inside the lyrics is john's feelings of moving to LA, or the Big Machine.
4. anonymous

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   Apr 23rd 2010 !⃝

   I think this song is about a man who falls for a woman and he used to just go the way of everything else in the world living for the feeling of feeling good, (ecstasy is all you need, living in the big machine) he meets a woman who has never lived for that and although she cares for him she thinks she's worth more than he can offer(ah you're so vain.) (now your world is way too fast, nothing's real and nothing lasts) now she is doing what he did I can only assume it means promiscuity, and now her world is going by way too fast she has nothing to hold onto and nothing lasts (well I'm aware I'm in love but you don't care) he is aware that he is in love with her but she's trying to fill the void she feels from his history with other people. (turn your anger into lust, I'm still here but you don't trust at all, and ill be waiting) she's going off and turning her anger towards him into having sex with other men because she doesn't trust that he isn't still doing it but he's still waiting.(Love and sex and loneliness Take what’s yours and leave the rest
   So I’ll survive God it’s good to be alive)he wants her to decide on love, sex or being alone because her promiscuity is hurting him now. (I’m torn in peaces I’m blind and waiting for My heart is realign I’m blind and waiting for you) its tearing him apart and he's turning a blind eye to it like she couldn't and waiting to have her back, he is heartsick. (Still in love with all your sins Where you stop then I’ll begin and I’ll, I’ll be waiting) now she has become like he used to be "where you stop and I begin" she has become what hurt her in the first place but he's still waiting and not fooling around.(Living like a house on fire/What you fear is your desire It’s hard to deal I still love the way you feel.) now she's becoming smaller and become what she fears, she's addicted and craves it now, its hard for him to deal with it but he still loves the way she feels. (Now this angry little girl,Drowning in this petty world,And I'm, Who you run to).now she's angry and falling into the big machine which is the flow of the world and he's the one she runs to (Swallow all your bitter pills,That's what makes you beautiful.) she swallows her anger and bitterness and comes running to him and that is what he loves about her (You're all or not, I don't need what you ain't got.) whether or not she is complete or a shell of what she used to be she is all he needs. :) menacingbeauty@hotmail.com if you want to comment on my interpretation
5. anonymous

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   Feb 3rd 2008 !⃝

   This song is about sex without commitment.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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