RMR Just Remade Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris,” Too

RMR Just Remade Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris,” Too

We seem to be in the midst of some kind of Goo Goo Dollaissance. Earlier this year, Real Estate covered the Goo Goo Dolls’ 1995 hit “Name” in a SiriusXM session. Then, earlier this month, Phoebe Bridgers made good on her promise to cover the Goo Goos’ 1998 City Of Angels soundtrack smash “Iris” if Joe Biden won the election. Bridgers enlisted Maggie Rogers’ help in the cover, and they sold it for a single day on Bandcamp, raising money for Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight nonprofit. Yesterday, we learned that Bridgers and Rogers’ version of “Iris” was the best-selling digital song of its week. In fact, the song made it to #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 — the first appearance on the big chart for either Bridgers or Rogers. (The original “Iris” peaked at #9 on that very same chart.) So naturally, here comes RMR with his own version of “Iris.”

RMR, the anonymous ski-masked R&B singer, made his debut earlier this year with the strange and intriguing viral hit “Rascal” — a trap-themed take on “Bless The Broken Road,” a country ballad made famous by Rascal Flatts. RMR is apparently running with this gimmick now. Earlier this month, he offered up “The Wishing Hour,” his take on Matchbox 20’s “3AM.” He also released “That Was Therapeutic,” a take on Drake’s “Laugh Now, Cry Later.” And now, as the conclusion to his 4th Quarter Medley short film, RMR has shared “Substitution For Love,” his version of “Iris.”

RMR’s new lyrics for “Iris” aren’t especially lurid, and he does some cool things with his falsetto, but I don’t know much longer this whole bit is going to feel fresh. You can watch the whole 4th Quarter Medley film below; the “Substitution For Love” bit starts at the 5:02 mark.

Check out our 2018 Tracking Down interview with Goo Goo Dolls leader John Rzeznik here.

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