Disavowing the punk rock roots of many of their alt-rock contemporaries, they have a diverse, densely layered, and guitar-heavy sound, containing elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegazing, and, in later recordings, electronica. Corgan is the group's primary songwriter; his musical ambitions and cathartic lyrics have shaped the band's albums and songs, which have been described as "anguished, bruised reports from Billy Corgan's nightmare-land".
The Smashing Pumpkins broke into the musical mainstream with their second album, 1993's Siamese Dream. The group built its audience with extensive touring and their 1995 follow-up, the double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. 1998's Adore would just barely miss out, peaking at number two. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, the Smashing Pumpkins were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands of the 1990s. However, internal fighting, drug use, and diminishing record sales led to a 2000 break-up.
In 2006, Corgan and Chamberlin reconvened to record a new Smashing Pumpkins album, Zeitgeist. After touring throughout 2007 and 2008 with a lineup including new guitarist Jeff Schroeder, Chamberlin left the band in early 2009. Later that year, Corgan began a new recording series with a rotating lineup of musicians entitled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, which encompassed the release of stand-alone singles, compilation EP releases, and two full albums that also fell under the project's scope—Oceania in 2012 and Monuments to an Elegy in 2014. Chamberlin and Iha officially rejoined the band in February 2018. The reunited lineup has released three albums so far—Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. in November 2018, Cyr in November 2020, and ATUM in 2023.
A Girl Named Sandoz
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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And she taught me many many things
Good things, very good things
Sweet things
I met her on a Sunday morning
It was hot though the snow lay on the ground
Strange things, very strange things
Sandoz sandoz
Will you tell me no?
Sandoz sandoz
Will you tell me why?
We could all learn something from your mind, yeah
She is very old yet many think she's young
One kiss from her and you know your time has come
Good times, for all times
Sandoz
In "A Girl Named Sandoz," The Smashing Pumpkins tell the story of meeting a woman who they refer to as Sandoz. This character seems to be a source of great knowledge and enlightenment for the singer, as she teaches "many many things" that are "good things, very good things" and "sweet things." Sandoz is apparently an enigmatic figure who inspires a great sense of fascination, as the singer describes her as "very old yet many think she's young." Yet despite her advanced age, Sandoz is still very alluring, as "one kiss from her and you know your time has come."
It's unclear whether Sandoz is a real person or a supernatural figure, as her influence seems to be almost otherworldly. The singer describes encountering her on a Sunday morning when "it was hot though the snow lay on the ground," which creates an eerie, surrealistic atmosphere that contributes to the sense of mystery surrounding Sandoz. Despite her esoteric nature, the singer sees great value in Sandoz's teachings, and urges her to share her knowledge with others: "We could all learn something from your mind."
Overall, "A Girl Named Sandoz" is a deeply poetic and ambiguous song that invites listeners to ponder the nature of knowledge, enlightenment, and the mysteries of the universe.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC VICTOR BURDON, JOHN WEIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind