Bullet With Butterfly Wings
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics


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The world is a vampire sent to drain
Secret destroyers hold you up to the flames
And what do I get for my pain?
Betrayed desires and a piece of the game

Even though I know, I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold, like ol' Job
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Someone will say, "What is lost can never be saved"
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Now I'm naked, nothing but an animal
But can you fake it for just one more show?
And what do you want? I wanna change
And what do you got when you feel the same?

Even though I know, I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold, like ol' Job

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Then someone will say, "What is lost can never be saved"
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Tell me I'm the only one
Tell me there's no other one
Jesus was an only son, yeah
Tell me I'm the chosen one
Jesus was an only son, for you

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Then someone will say, "What is lost can never be saved"
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a
Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Tell me I'm the only one
Tell me there's no other one
Jesus was an only son, for you

And I still believe that I cannot be saved
And I still believe that I cannot be saved




And I still believe that I cannot be saved
And I still believe that I cannot be saved

Overall Meaning

The song "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by The Smashing Pumpkins is a reflection on the feelings of helplessness and frustration in the face of a world that seems determined to drag one down. The opening lines, "The world is a vampire sent to drain/ Secret destroyers hold you up to the flames" suggest that there are powers beyond our control that seem to seek our destruction. Yet, even as the singer feels this pain, he/she is left with nothing but unfulfilled desires and the knowledge that the game is rigged against them. The line "Betrayed desires and a piece of the game" highlights this frustration and perhaps suggests that success in life is not simply about being good enough but that one must also play the game according to certain rules in order to succeed.


The repetition of the line "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage" emphasises the singer's feelings of entrapment and frustration. These lines suggest that even when we feel as if we are struggling against the world, we are still just powerless creatures at the mercy of greater forces. The reference to the biblical character Job, who despite his faithfulness to God, faces a series of trials and tribulations, suggests that even in the face of seeming injustice, we must remain steadfast.


The song concludes with a plaintive cry for salvation, with the repeated lines "And I still believe that I cannot be saved" conveying a sense of desperation and hopelessness at our inability to change the world or our place within it.


Line by Line Meaning

The world is a vampire sent to drain
The world is an entity that exhausts and takes all power from us relentlessly


Secret destroyers hold you up to the flames
Unknown forces consistently carry us closer to our breaking point


And what do I get for my pain?
My suffering does not yield any compensation


Betrayed desires and a piece of the game
My aspirations have been betrayed, and I have only achieved a small part of my objectives


Even though I know, I suppose I'll show
Despite recognizing the futility of my actions, I will still follow through with them


All my cool and cold, like ol' Job
I will present a composed exterior, even if I'm falling apart inside, like in the tale of Job


Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage
Even with my immense anger and frustration, I am still confined and powerless


Someone will say, "What is lost can never be saved"
Others may point out that once something is gone, it can never be fully recovered


Now I'm naked, nothing but an animal
I feel vulnerable and exposed, no longer in control


But can you fake it for just one more show?
Can I continue pretending everything is fine for just one more public appearance?


And what do you want? I wanna change
What do you desire? I want to transform myself and my circumstances


And what do you got when you feel the same?
What do you gain when you share my feelings and views?


Tell me I'm the only one
Tell me that I am unique and special


Tell me there's no other one
Tell me that there is nobody else like me


Jesus was an only son, yeah
A subtle suggestion of the sacrificed and solitary nature of existence


Tell me I'm the chosen one
Tell me that I have been selected and favored


And I still believe that I cannot be saved
Despite everything, I maintain my conviction that there is no redemption for me




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Patrick Corgan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Pride317

Lyrics

The world is a vampire
Sent to drain
Secret destroyers
Hold you up to the flames
And what do I get
For my pain?
Betrayed desires
And a piece of the game

Even though I know
I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold
Like ol Job

Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
Someone will say, 
"What is lost can 
Never be saved."
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage

Now 
I'm naked
Nothing but an animal
But can you fake it
For just one more show?
And what do you want?
I wanna change
What do you got
When you feel the same?

Even though I know
I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold
Like ol Job

Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
Then someone will say, 
"What is lost can 
Never be saved."
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage

Tell me 
I'm the only one
Tell me 
There's no other one
Jesus 
Was an only son, 
Yeah
Tell me 
I'm the chosen one
Jesus 
Was an only son, 
For you

Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage
And someone will say, 
"What is lost can 
Never be saved."
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage!

Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a…
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a…
Despite all my rage, 
I am still just 
A rat in a cage

Tell me 
I'm the only one
Tell me 
There's no other one
Jesus 
Was an only son, 
For you

And I still believe that 
I cannot be saved
And I still believe that 
I cannot be saved
And I still believe that 
I cannot be saved
And I still believe that 
I cannot be saved



All comments from YouTube:

@AndyZaturno

Masterpiece for all humanity.

@redskies4530

Hi I recommend a song called 'Looking Into The Mirror' By Robert Nix

@aliciapetronio2394

Damn right!!!👍

@jankompos2330

and hollywood behind the screen

@jackromig9844

Nevermind The Bollocks, Sex Pistols also a musical "masterpiece for humanity." It's good to see some enthusiasm here. Ahhh. Yes, that pesky temporal lobe! Hearing is important for fascist brainwashing.

@ahhwe-any7434

My hubby done found 3 birbs for him to rescue. The first 1 didn't make it. It was wounded badly. The 3rd came in immediately after the 2nd. Idk how it got in the house he thought it was the 2nd. But now we have 2 of nature's beirbs and they actually get along. And they're actually friendly. Really weird what the universe sends our way. But we're new to this & I have no clue what I'm doing. I wish they'd get used to their store brought food. And if they come to us, & we gotta domesticate them, is it wrong to keep wings in a cage? Bc if they come to us, isn't that them telling us they may not make it out there? Well, at least they won't ever hafta worry about being killed. I always come here just to talk about pets :/. Gonna see how they react to this now 😊 bc apparently all animals love music. Especially birds 🤔🤷🏻‍♀️

82 More Replies...

@vicebuzz1255

Song: Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in the CAGE!!!
Me: aggressively washing dishes

@Charlottethefox42

Nothing has ever been more accurate LMAO

@nirmond5506

Billie Joe Armstrong

@johndeever

This comment is almost better than the song itself

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