The Humble Meaning Behind “Good Intentions” by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Hits from rarities albums are something of a rarity unto themselves. When Toad the Wet Sprocket released a collection of B-sides, rarities, and songs from soundtrack albums called In Light Syrup in 1995, they introduced the world to a song that would become one of their biggest hits. “Good Intentions” owes some of its popularity to coming on the heels of a pair of Platinum albums, Fear (1991) and Dulcinea (1994). It also benefited from being used in an episode of the TV series Friends.

After Dulcinea, fans were eagerly awaiting Toad the Wet Sprocket’s next release, and the band did not disappoint with “Good Intentions.” Toad’s members knew it had hit potential. Frontman Glen Phillips wrote it for Fear, but the band deemed it too catchy to include on that album, since they were aiming for an edgier sound. The song also features Phillips’ inviting vocals and engaging lyrics. Part of what may make “Good Intentions” so relatable is that it’s based on Phillips’ own experiences. Granted, they were about an aspect of his life on the road as the lead singer for a rock band. While we may not be able to relate to Phillips’ specific circumstance, we can certainly understand what he was going through in those early adult years.

Navigating “the Edge of Moral OK-ness”

To fully appreciate what Phillips sings about in “Good Intentions,” it’s helpful to understand what was happening in his life around the time he penned the song. He wrote it when he was only 19 or 20, but he had already been in Toad the Wet Sprocket for four years. During that time, the band released their first two albums, Bread & Circus and Pale, and charted with a pair of minor hits, “One Little Girl” and “Come Back Down.” So even though Phillips was not yet old enough to buy alcohol, he was a veteran of the indie rock scene.

Phillips had also been married for about a year. So at the same time that he was dealing with the adult responsibilities of being a husband and fronting a rock band, he was also learning how to negotiate moral boundaries. “Good Intentions” is a song about that process. More specifically, as Phillips revealed in an interview with Songfacts, it was about “operating on the edge of ‘moral OK-ness’ as a young person.” More specifically, Phillips said, “I never messed around on the road. … But I probably flirted. I think it was about that, like pushing those edges and everybody trying to figure out where they stand in a relationship that way.”

In the first verse of “Good Intentions,” Phillips is grappling with how to make sense of times when he pushes the edge too far.

It’s hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head’s full of things that I can’t mention
It seems that I usually get things right
But I can’t understand what I did last night

Phillips makes the important distinction between intentions and actions. The first line summarizes the conundrum he presents throughout the song. No matter how noble one’s intentions are, they alone are not a guide towards moral behavior. Because our heads are “full of things” we’d rather not acknowledge that we’re thinking, we need to be more than just well-intentioned. On at least this one occasion, Phillips allowed one of those unmentionable thoughts to override his good intentions.

“I Can See that I’m Not Blind”

In the second verse, Phillips recognizes his limited field of awareness, and how that sometimes hinders his ability to make good decisions.

And it’s hard to rely on my own good senses
When I miss so much that requires attention
I have to laugh at myself sometimes
And I can see that I’m not blind

In the chorus, Phillips let us know that staying on the right side of the moral boundary is tiring. He also reiterates that, despite having made mistakes, he knows that he knows better.

There’s little relief
Give us reprieve
Ha ah
For all the things I’ve left behind
I’m positive that I’m not blind

Phillips acknowledged the importance of keeping his own mistakes in perspective when he sang, “I have to laugh at myself sometimes.” He reinforces that message in the third verse with the lines, You have to cry with your own blue tears / Have to laugh with your own good cheer. Phillips also shows he is humbled by his mistakes in the bridge, which could conceivably have been directed towards his then-wife Laurel.

I can’t be hard on you
‘Cause you know I’ve been there too
Learned a lot of things from you

The Impact of “Good Intentions”

“Good Intentions” did not register on the Billboard Hot 100, but it was a Top 20 song on the Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, Alternative Airplay, Mainstream Rock, and Adult Contemporary charts. At the time of its release, only “Fall Down” achieved a higher peak position on the Mainstream Rock chart than “Good Intentions”” top position of No. 19.

In Light Syrup went to No, 37 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold in 2001. “Good Intentions” was also included on the soundtrack album for Friends. The song was featured in the Season 2 episode, “The One with the Two Parties.” Friends (Music from the TV Series) peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum in 1996. Friends star Courteney Cox also appears in the official video for “Good Intentions.”

Toad the Wet Sprocket was right to think that “Good Intentions” was hit material. Its continued standing as one of their most popular songs is proof of that. “Good Intentions” is so catchy that it’s easy to gloss over the lyrics. We can also miss the fact that Phillips was awfully mature in his early adulthood to recognize why he didn’t always live up to his moral standards and to know what he didn’t know.

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Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for IEBA