About Iris

Iris was written for the film "City of Angels" and became one of the biggest alternative rock songs of the 1990s. John Rzeznik wrote it in an alternate tuning (BDDDDD) that gives the song its unique, ringing quality. The song spent nearly a year on the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the number one song of the 1990s-2000s decade by Billboard, despite never actually reaching number one on the Hot 100 itself.

Tips for Playing Iris

• The original uses a unique open tuning: BDDDDD — this creates the distinctive sound

• In standard tuning, use Bm-D-A-Bm-D-G for an approximation of the verse

• The chorus is D-Em-G with powerful, ringing open chord strumming

• If using standard tuning, a capo on 2nd fret with Am-C-G shapes works

• The dynamics are critical — quiet verses building to the explosive "I don't want the world to see me" chorus

Fun Facts About Iris

• Rzeznik wrote it in the unusual BDDDDD tuning

• It spent 18 weeks at number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart

• Billboard named it the number one song of the 1998-2008 decade

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Frequently Asked Questions