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.
Daphne Descends
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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You spy the kidnap kid
Who kids you to oblivion
It's the perfect hassle
For the perfumed kiss
He makes you miss him more than home
You love him
You love him and you cannot, you can't resist
You love him
You love him for yourself
You love him and no one, no one else
Past sidewalk ashes
A last lovers arc
You come apart to intertwine
It was all so simple
As you watched him move
Across the darkness in your room
You love him
You love him for yourself
You love him and no one, no one else
And the winding vines
The pretty boys dive
And through the pinhole stars
Into the shadow mind
You will lose him then
On some gentle dawn
This boy is here and gone
You love him
You love him for yourself
You love him and no one, no one else
You love him
You love him more than this
You love him and you cannot, you can't resist
You love him...
The song "Daphne Descends" by The Smashing Pumpkins is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that explores themes of love and loss. The opening line, "With the sugar sickness," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is sick with love for someone who is not good for them. The second line introduces the "kidnap kid," who is likely the object of the singer's obsession. The singer cannot resist this person's charm, even though they lead them down a path to oblivion.
The third line, "It's the perfect hassle," could mean that despite the difficulties of being with this person, the singer thinks it is worth it for the "perfumed kiss." The fourth line reveals just how much the singer is hooked on this person, "He makes you miss him more than home." The second verse paints a picture of two lovers coming together and falling apart. The "last lovers arc" could be the end of their relationship. They "come apart to intertwine," suggesting that even though they are together, they are slowly falling apart.
The third verse introduces the idea of losing this person. The "winding vines" and "pinhole stars" represent the complexity and mystery of losing someone you love. The final line, "This boy is here and gone," is a heartbreaking realization that this love is fleeting and temporary. The repetition of "You love him" emphasizes the singer's obsession, and the desperation in their voice suggests they know it is not healthy.
Line by Line Meaning
With the sugar sickness
Feeling an addiction to a toxic relationship
You spy the kidnap kid
You notice the manipulative partner who takes advantage of you
Who kids you to oblivion
Who leads you to your own destruction
It's the perfect hassle
The relationship is tumultuous and difficult
For the perfumed kiss
Despite the trouble, the partner has an irresistible allure
He makes you miss him more than home
You become so attached to the partner that you crave them like a missing piece of you
You love him
You feel a deep affection for your partner
You love him more than this
Your love for him outweighs other aspects of your life
You love him and you cannot, you can't resist
You are powerless to the pull you feel toward your partner
Past sidewalk ashes
Memories of past pain and brokenness
A last lovers arc
The end of a relationship
You come apart to intertwine
The cycle of breaking up and getting back together
It was all so simple
In hindsight, the relationship seemed easier than it really was
As you watched him move
You were mesmerized by your partner's every move
Across the darkness in your room
Even when apart, you are consumed by thoughts of your partner
And the winding vines
The many twists and turns of the relationship
The pretty boys dive
The seductive partners you can't resist
And through the pinhole stars
You hold onto illusions about the relationship
Into the shadow mind
You embrace the darker aspects of the relationship
You will lose him then
You know that the relationship will end
On some gentle dawn
The relationship will end with a bittersweet goodbye
This boy is here and gone
Your partner will come and go from your life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind