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.
My Mistake
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we're so dumb
We don't register calculations
And if you dare
And should I care
I could destroy you
And take you there
And tragic romantic ascent
My love is one hundred percent
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
Mistake, it was all my mistake
So suck me through
Your saliva screws
And I can't help myself if I don't know
The flaws in you
That was equal to
The mysteries of almost knew
And I've said this so many, many times
Canät help you out of your mind
So please don't judge me a time
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
And if you pretend
Please try to offend everyone
We share the same monkey disease
So give me my grape of peace
And do what you want as you please
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, my mistake
The lyrics of "My Mistake" by The Smashing Pumpkins showcase the youthful ignorance of love and the desire to hold on to it, even if it means destroying the other person. The lines "We're so young, and we're so dumb, we don't register calculations" set the tone for the naive and reckless attitude towards relationships. The singer is aware that he could destroy his partner but still wants them to come back to him, which shows a lack of consideration for the other person's feelings. The lyrics also touch upon the relationship's flaws and the lack of knowledge about them, which adds to the overall feeling of confusion.
The song makes references to historical events using the lines, "As the spitfires begin their descent, and tragic romantic ascent." The Spitfires were British planes used in World War II, and the phrase "tragic romantic ascent" might refer to the doomed love affair between two pilots or the bravery exhibited during the war. The line "We share the same monkey disease, so give me my grape of peace" alludes to humankind's primal and flawed nature, symbolized by the "monkey disease." The phrase "grape of peace" might refer to the Biblical story of Noah, where a dove brought back an olive branch symbolizing peace in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
We’re so young
We're inexperienced and lack the judgment of older, more mature individuals.
And we're so dumb
We're foolish and not very intelligent.
We don't register calculations
We don't take into account the consequences of our actions and decisions.
And if you dare
And if you take the risk.
And should I care
And if I should be concerned.
I could destroy you
I have the power to harm or ruin you.
And take you there
And take you to a place of emotional or physical vulnerability.
As the spitfires begin their descent
As a metaphor for a romantic relationship in the middle of a difficult moment.
And tragic romantic ascent
The ups and downs of a romantic relationship.
My love is one hundred percent
My love for you is completely genuine and real.
Come back to me, my mistake
Come back to me, despite the fact that getting involved with me was a mistake.
Mistake, it was all my mistake
I take full responsibility for the relationship not working out.
So suck me through
So, draw me in with your actions and behavior.
Your saliva screws
Your seductive powers and influence over me.
And I can't help myself if I don't know
I am helpless to resist you, especially if I am unaware of your manipulations.
The flaws in you
The negative aspects of your personality or behavior.
That was equal to
That matched or equaled to the amount of mystery about you.
The mysteries of almost knew
The unknown aspects of you that I am trying to figure out.
And I've said this so many, many times
I have expressed my feelings about this repeatedly.
Can't help you out of your mind
I cannot change the way you think or feel.
So please don't judge me a time
So, don't criticize me for my inability to help you.
And if you pretend
And if you act as if.
Please try to offend everyone
Please try to upset everyone around you.
We share the same money disease
We both struggle with the same emotional and mental issues.
So give me my grape of peace
Let us make peace and put an end to our conflicts.
And do what you want as you please
Do whatever you like, without worrying about what anyone else thinks.
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Leon_el_Reo
One of the hundred SP hiden gems of that period of time.
Lisa Prive
I love this song
Jay Sharp
This might just be my favorite BSide of theirs. My other favorite rock band is R.E.M. so this really makes sense, eh? ...with what, that weird organ sound and all
ashtree80
Me too! One of my favourite songs since I was 13!
Alhawraa Hamid
Woooooooooooooow
CR 5.06
(You can't find this one on Spotify)
Sonya Blade's Booty
Watch me find it
Brendan Black
@MCP_ Scottie Ayup. It's in the video description and in the image on this video. Smashing Pumpkins - Rarities and B-Sides.
Paul Hughes
@MCP_ Scottie I believe this is on Judas 0 the second disc on rotten apples
MCP_ Scottie
Is it on any disk they released? I'm not seeing this version in the Adore Super Deluxe release.