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.
Geek U.S.A.
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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We're born as innocents
Cast into the world
With apple eyes
To wish wish dangerous
My dear delirious
To try and leave
Shot full of diamonds
And a million years
The disappointed disappear
Like they were never here
Kiss kiss all of this
The hiss that we had miss
And understand what can't be understood
Sear those thoughts of me
Alone and unhappy
I never liked me anyway
If by chance
Or circumstance
We should fail
Don't be so sad
Shot full of diamonds
And a million years
The disappointed disappear
Like they were never here
In a dream
We are connected
Siamese twins
At the wrist
And then I knew we'd been forsaken
Expelled from paradise
I can't believe them
When they say that it's alright
Words can't define what I feel inside
Who needs them?
Caught with this virus of my mind
I give in to my disease, of my needs
To my disease, of my needs
She really loves to break
Her dad says it's OK
She really loves to break
And give it all away
Her ma says she's afraid
What more can she fake
She really needs to break
And give herself away
She gave it all away
She gave it all away
She gave it all away
We really love the USA
The Smashing Pumpkins’ song Geek USA, from their 1993 album Siamese Dream, is a complex and intricate composition that challenges the listener to interpret its meanings. The song opens with a call for a make-believe world where two lovers can exist in a state of innocence, cast into the world with apple eyes. The lyrics continue to evolve, calling for a dangerous attempt to leave others behind, shot full of diamonds and a million years, while the disappointed disappear as if they were never here. The song’s overall theme seems to revolve around a need for independence, disillusionment with the status quo, and a yearning to push beyond the boundaries of convention.
The song's chorus contains a powerful message, "In a dream, we are connected, Siamese twins at the wrist,” suggesting that what we perceive as separation and individuality are merely illusions, and we are all connected at a deeper level. The song’s lyrics are dense, cryptic, and metaphorical, making it challenging to understand what exactly the artist is trying to communicate. However, the song's overall themes of disillusionment, independence, and a desire to break free make it a powerful and thought-provoking composition.
Line by Line Meaning
Lover, lover let's pretend
Let's imagine a world where everything is perfect
We're born as innocents
Where we are all innocent, pure beings
Cast into the world
In this world full of chaos
With apple eyes
We are blessed to see the beauty in everything
To wish wish dangerous
We have a tendency to take risks despite the dangers we see
My dear delirious
Our actions may be wrong, yet we still continue with them
To try and leave
Attempting to break free from the rest of the world
The rest of us behind
Leaving everyone else to fend for themselves
Shot full of diamonds
We are a mixture of so many different things
And a million years
Over time, we have evolved into such complex organisms
The disappointed disappear
Those who have disappointed us fade from our lives
Like they were never here
It's as if they didn't even exist
Kiss kiss all of this
We are meant to embrace all of life, both good and bad
The hiss that we had miss
Sometimes we miss the subtle sounds of life
And understand what can't be understood
Acknowledging that there are things that we may never be able to comprehend
Sear those thoughts of me
Burning the memories of my unhappy past
Alone and unhappy
'Cause I don't like who I am
I never liked me anyway
Self-hatred is one of the worst things one can experience
If by chance
If it so happens
Or circumstance
Or due to change in circumstances
We should fail
If we were to fail
Don't be so sad
We should not despair
In a dream
When we're lost in our own world
We are connected
We are all connected in some way or the other
Siamese twins
Metaphorically linking us all
At the wrist
Foretelling connectedness
And then I knew we'd been forsaken
At that moment, I realized that we had been abandoned altogether
Expelled from paradise
We have been banished from our own heaven
I can't believe them
Can't trust anyone anymore
When they say that it's alright
What they say is irrelevant in a world that has gone wrong
Words can't define what I feel inside
There are experiences that cannot be expressed or put into words
Who needs them?
Who needs words when they fail to portray our deepest emotions
Caught with this virus of my mind
Trapped in my own world and thoughts
I give in to my disease, of my needs
I have succumbed to my own weakness, my own desires
To my disease, of my needs
My own selfish wants and needs
She really loves to break
She loves creates havoc and chaos
Her dad says it's OK
But her dad doesn't seem to realize the gravity of her actions
And give it all away
Giving away everything, including her sanity
Her ma says she's afraid
But her mother is scared of her rebellious behavior
What more can she fake
She can't pretend anymore
She really needs to break
Her need to cause chaos has become too much
And give herself away
Even if that means losing herself in the process
She gave it all away
She lost everything, including herself in the end
We really love the USA
Despite everything, we still have love for our country
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind