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.
Once Upon A Time
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come surrender my son
Time has ravaged on my soul
No plans to leave but still I go
Fallin' with the leaves
Fallin' out of sleep
To the last goodbyes
Mother I've tried
Wasting my life
I haven't given up, I lie
To make you so proud in my eyes
Fallin' out of sleep
Crawlin' over me
To the last goodbyes
Who cares why?
Tuesdays come and gone
Restless I still drive
Try to leave it all behind
Fallin', fallin' out of sleep
Fallin', fallin' with the leaves
I go crawlin', crawlin' over me
Once upon a time in my life...
I went falling...
Mother I hope you know
That I miss you so
Time has ravaged on my soul
To wipe a mothers tears grown cold
The lyrics of The Smashing Pumpkins' song Once Upon a Time are open for interpretation, but they convey a general sense of weariness, exhaustion and longing for something that the singer cannot quite grasp. The song starts with a weary plea, with the singer asking for his mother to come and surrender him. It is unclear what he means by that, but the implication is that he is tired of life and wants to rest, to stop struggling. However, he also notes that time has ravaged on his soul, indicating that he may be tired but he is not necessarily old, that it feels like he has aged more than his years. Despite this, he says that he has no plans to leave but still he goes, which could be interpreted as his lack of will to live contrasting with his instinct for survival.
The chorus seems to be a metaphor for the singer's state of mind. He is falling, both with the leaves that are autumn's sign of decay and out of sleep, suggesting that he is not just physically tired but mentally fatigued, unable to find peace even in rest. The last goodbyes may refer to the end of a relationship or a life, but the singer does not seem to be too concerned with the reason for his falling, as he asks "who cares why?"
The song then takes a turn towards introspection, with the singer admitting to wasting his life and lying to his mother to make her proud of him. This could suggest that he feels guilt or regret for not living up to his potential, or that he has been chasing someone else's idea of success instead of his own dreams. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the sense of being stuck in a cycle of exhaustion, with the singer crawling and falling over himself.
The last verse is the most poignant, as the singer remembers his mother and wishes she knew how much he missed her. He admits that time has ravaged his soul, suggesting that he feels aged beyond his years, and that he wishes he could wipe her tears grown cold. This can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically, with the tears representing the pain and sadness that life has inflicted upon both the mother and the singer.
Overall, Once Upon a Time is a song that conveys a sense of weariness, exhaustion and longing for something that the singer cannot quite grasp, be it rest, purpose or a connection with someone he loves. The metaphor of falling is pervasive throughout the song, suggesting that the singer is not in control of his life and that he is powerless to stop the decay that surrounds him. However, the song also contains moments of introspection and vulnerability, showing that the singer is aware of his shortcomings and his need for love and forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother I'm tired
The singer is exhausted and seeks comfort from their mother
Come surrender my son
The singer wants their mother to take care of them and offer guidance
Time has ravaged on my soul
The singer has endured many difficult experiences that have taken a toll on them emotionally
No plans to leave but still I go
The artist feels stuck in a situation but is compelled to move forward anyway
Fallin' with the leaves
The artist feels like they are falling apart, just like the leaves on the trees
Fallin' out of sleep
The singer is restless and struggling to sleep
To the last goodbyes
The singer is acknowledging the inevitability of endings and goodbyes
Who cares why?
The artist is resigned to the fact that there may not be answers to the questions they have
Mother I've tried
The artist has made an effort but is still struggling
Wasting my life
The artist feels like their life is slipping away from them
I haven't given up, I lie
The singer is saying that they are still trying, but they may be lying to themselves or others about it
To make you so proud in my eyes
The artist wants to make their mother proud and earn her respect
Crawlin' over me
The singer feels like they are being overwhelmed and can't escape their problems
Tuesdays come and gone
Time is passing by and the singer is still struggling
Restless I still drive
The singer is unable to relax and continues to push forward
Try to leave it all behind
The artist wants to move on and forget about the past, but it's not that simple
Once upon a time in my life...
The artist is reflecting on a time in their past when things were different
I went falling...
The singer is referring to a traumatic experience that caused them to fall apart
Mother I hope you know
The singer wants their mother to understand their struggles and feelings
That I miss you so
The artist is expressing their love and longing for their mother
To wipe a mother's tears grown cold
The artist wants to comfort their mother and take care of her, even though they are the ones struggling
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind