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.
Marquis In Spades
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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I'm devoted
To destroy for no one
Now it's that time again to take revenge
The bitter charlemagnes so self-absorbed
The bodily remains such a bore
Hey, yeah
Was I good enough to break you
Hey, yeah
And all I see is empty
'Cause now, I'm one of them
So adored
The slink of impotence
That money can afford
We know, who you are and where you live
Is your innocence all that you can give
Hey, yeah
Was I good enough to break you
Hey, yeah
In the back of the car
The angel dust was given back to the stars, stars
Hey, yeah
Was I good enough to break you
Hey, yeah
And in this fall from grace
We'll meet again
Another time another place
I've been deep down in you and me
Let's see where we can go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Angels, barbed wire
Fuck you, desire
The Smashing Pumpkins's song Marquis In Spades is a song that delves into themes of revenge, destruction, and social dynamics. The lyrics begin with the singer expressing their desire to be noticed and their devotion to destruction but without a specific target. The song then takes a turn and attacks the upper-class debutantes and their friends, referred to as "bitter charlemagnes." The singer seems to hold a grudge against this group, perceiving them as self-absorbed and finding their physical remains mundane.
The chorus asks the question, "Was I good enough to break you?" which seems to indicate a desire for restitution, a want to bring these upper-class individuals down from their pedestal. The lyrics further highlight the singer's disdain for this group as they declare that they know exactly who they are and where they live, and suggest that the only thing they have to offer is their innocence. The middle section of the song suggests the use of drugs or the perception of being under the influence; the "slink of impotence that money can afford" could refer to the feeling of being powerless under the influence of expensive narcotics.
The song then returns to the chorus, continuing to question whether the singer was good enough to break the upper-class individuals, and then offers a promise to meet again in another time and another place. The song's final line - "Angels, barbed wire, fuck you, desire" - is a potent mix of religious and sexually charged imagery that is evocative of the themes explored throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
And I'd love you to notice
I want you to acknowledge me and give me attention.
I'm devoted
I am committed and dedicated to something or someone.
To destroy for no one
I want to cause destruction and chaos without any specific target.
Now it's that time again to take revenge
I am seeking retaliation for a past wrong or injustice done to me.
On all the debutantes and their friends
I am targeting the group of privileged, high-society young people and their associates.
The bitter charlemagnes so self-absorbed
I am referring to the arrogant and narcissistic individuals who are like Charlemagne, the legendary ruler of Europe.
The bodily remains such a bore
I find the physical aspects of these people dull and uninteresting.
Hey, yeah
A form of emphasis or excitement used to introduce a statement or question.
Was I good enough to break you
Did I have the power and influence to cause you harm or destroy you mentally and emotionally?
And all I see is empty
I am surrounded by emptiness and lack of meaning in my life.
'Cause now, I'm one of them
I have become part of the group I used to despise and hate.
So adored
People now admire and worship me.
The slink of impotence
The appearance and behavior of feeling powerless and weak.
That money can afford
This characteristic can be bought and paid for with money or wealth.
We know, who you are and where you live
I have information about your identity and location.
Is your innocence all that you can give
Is your naivety and lack of experience all that you have to offer?
In the back of the car
A reference to a possible sexual encounter in a car.
The angel dust was given back to the stars, stars
A reference to the drug PCP, which can cause hallucinations or a feeling of being disconnected from reality.
And in this fall from grace
I am experiencing a loss of status or a decline in my reputation.
We'll meet again
We will have another chance to encounter each other.
Another time another place
At a different moment in time and a different location.
I've been deep down in you and me
I have an intimate understanding of both you and myself.
Let's see where we can go
Let's explore and discover what can happen between us.
Angels, barbed wire
A juxtaposition of the concepts of heaven and hell, or good and evil.
Fuck you, desire
I reject the idea of wanting or desiring something or someone.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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