Corgan released his first solo album TheFutureEmbrace on June 21st, 2005. It warranted mostly lukewarm reviews from the press and only sold 69,000 copies. It was followed by a tour of Europe, USA, Australia, and Japan.
Trivia:
The scars on his arms and hands in the artwork for TheFutureEmbrace are his birthmarks.
Corgan is also a huge sports fan.
TheCameraEye
Billy Corgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the mark I cannot place
This is the wish I do not lead
Time uncovers what is keeping still
I unaware moved against my will
Simon says, "pass on by"
Passions wane
Hungers fight
For the CameraEye
Hold me so I'll never let you go
Stay with me for a while, while I sleep
Mamas squeeze
Grace my spine
Walk on through the CameraEye
Listen, listen
This is the name I cannot speak
This is the flame I dare not douse
Here things are
We'll never get that far
Close enough to die a time or two or three
Stretch my skin
Restless gods
Made it so
My heart would pounce
Deposit change in the CameraEye
Who needs pain to survive?
I need pain to change my life
In gentle myths and turning leaves
We all come to bury truth
Honey choose, my wet dream
A naked soul, just has to believe
If I bleed, the camera cries
No one doubts the CameraEye
Move fast-forward through the CameraEye
Move fast-forward through the CameraEye
The CameraEye
The CameraEye
In Billy Corgan's song The Camera Eye, the lyrics present a theme of being caught in a moment in time but unable to fully comprehend what is happening. The singer cannot place a mark, nor lead a wish. The line "time uncovers what is keeping still" conveys a sense that some things are meant to be discovered only with time. The singer is moved against their will, suggesting a lack of control over their situation.
The second verse introduces the character Simon, who says "pass on by" to the singer. Passion wanes, stragglers weep, and hungers fight for the CameraEye. These lines show that there are forces driving people to capture and preserve moments through the camera. The singer longs for someone to hold them, and they go through the CameraEye. This could imply the idea of being captured by the camera, and that the singer is aware of being observed.
The third verse talks about a name the singer cannot speak and a flame they dare not douse. Something is holding the singer back, preventing them from going farther. They stretch their skin, and restless gods make their heart pounce. The CameraEye receives deposited change, metaphorically showing how much people are willing to give to preserve a moment. The line "who needs pain to survive?" could suggest that pain is crucial for us to grow and change. In the end, the CameraEye watches everything, and we move forward through it, captured in moments that will always be preserved.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen, listen,
Pay attention, pay attention,
This is the mark I cannot place
This is the thing I cannot identify
This is the wish I do not lead
This is the desire I cannot fulfill
Time uncovers what is keeping still
Time reveals what is hidden
I unaware moved against my will
I moved without realizing it
Simon says, "pass on by"
Simon commands, "keep going"
Passions wane
Emotions decrease in intensity
Stragglers weep
The remaining ones cry
Hungers fight
Desires struggle
For the CameraEye
For the sake of the CameraEye
Hold me so I'll never let you go
Embrace me tightly so I won't lose you
Stay with me for a while, while I sleep
Stay with me for some time while I rest
Mamas squeeze
Mothers hug
Grace my spine
Bless my back
Walk on through the CameraEye
Move forward through the CameraEye
This is the name I cannot speak
This is the thing I cannot say
This is the flame I dare not douse
This is the desire I am afraid to extinguish
Here things are
Things exist here
We'll never get that far
We will never reach that distance
Close enough to die a time or two or three
Near enough to experience death few times
Stretch my skin
Extend my body covering
Restless gods
Agitated gods
Made it so
Caused it to happen
My heart would pounce
My heart would beat rapidly
Deposit change in the CameraEye
Put small denominations in the CameraEye
Who needs pain to survive?
Who has a necessity for pain to live?
I need pain to change my life
I require pain to transform my life
In gentle myths and turning leaves
In mild legends and shifting foliage
We all come to bury truth
We all arrive to conceal the truth
Honey choose, my wet dream
Darling, choose my arousing dream
A naked soul, just has to believe
An exposed spirit only has to have faith
If I bleed, the camera cries
If I bleed, the camera weeps
No one doubts the CameraEye
No one questions the CameraEye
Move fast-forward through the CameraEye
Advance rapidly through the CameraEye
The CameraEye
The CameraEye
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind