Perfect
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know we're just like old friends
We just can't pretend
That lovers make amends
We are reasons so unreal
We can't help but feel that something has been lost

But please you know you're just like me
Next time I promise we'll be
Perfect
Perfect
Perfect strangers down the line
Lovers out of time
Memories unwind

So far I still know who you are
But now I wonder who I was

Angel, you know it's not the end
We'll always be good friends
The letters have been sent on

So please, you always were so free
You'll see, I promise we'll be
Perfect
Perfect strangers when we meet
Strangers on the street
Lovers while we sleep

Perfect
You know this has to be
We always we're so free




We promised that we'd be
Perfect

Overall Meaning

In "Perfect," Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins sings about a lost relationship that has reached a standstill. The song was released as a single in 1998, and though it didn't score as high on the charts as some of the band's other singles from the period, it has nonetheless gone on to become a fan favorite over the years.


Corgan's lyrics touch on themes of nostalgia, regret, and a longing for the past. He describes the relationship as being like that of old friends who can't pretend to be lovers anymore, and the reasons for their separation as being "so unreal." Despite this, there is a sense of hope in the chorus as he sings about the possibility of the two of them becoming "perfect strangers down the line" and maybe even "lovers while we sleep."


The song's optimistic message is underscored by its bright, poppy sound, with chiming guitars and a driving beat. It's a far cry from the band's more intense and brooding songs, but it still carries the emotional weight that defines so much of their music.


Line by Line Meaning

I know we're just like old friends
We have known each other for so long that we are like old friends


We just can't pretend
We can no longer pretend that we are just friends


That lovers make amends
The relationship between lovers is reconciliatory


We are reasons so unreal
We are not genuine in our reasoning


We can't help but feel that something has been lost
We have a sense of loss that is beyond our control


But please you know you're just like me
We share similar traits and qualities


Next time I promise we'll be
I will ensure that the relationship is better next time around


Perfect
The relationship will be flawless


Perfect
The relationship will be ideal


Perfect strangers down the line
We will be strangers in the future


Lovers out of time
Our relationship is out of sync with time


Memories unwind
We reminisce about the past


So far I still know who you are
I still remember who you are


But now I wonder who I was
I am questioning my past self


Angel, you know it's not the end
I want to emphasize that this is not the end of our relationship


We'll always be good friends
We will maintain a strong friendship


The letters have been sent on
We have communicated our feelings through letters


So please, you always were so free
You were always a free spirit


You'll see, I promise we'll be
We will become an ideal couple


Perfect
Our relationship will be perfect


Perfect strangers when we meet
We will be strangers when we meet again


Strangers on the street
We will be strangers to each other in public


Lovers while we sleep
Our relationship will be intimate while we are asleep


Perfect
The relationship will be perfect


You know this has to be
We both know that this has to happen


We always were so free
Our relationship was always unrestricted


We promised that we'd be
We made a promise to each other


Perfect
Our relationship will be perfect




Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Patrick Corgan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@pinakdasgupta6490

I know we're just like old friends
We just can't pretend
That lovers make amends
We are reasons so unreal
We can't help but feel that something has been lost
But please you know you're just like me
Next time I promise we'll be perfect
Perfect
Perfect strangers down the line
Lovers out of time
Memories unwind
So far I still know who you are
But now I wonder who I was...
Angel, you know it's not the end
We'll always be good friends
But the letters have been sent on
So please, you always were so free
You'll see, I promise we'll be perfect
Perfect strangers when we meet
Strangers on the street
Lovers while we sleep
Perfect
You know this has to be
We always we're so free
We promised that we'd be
Perfect
Perfect
Perfect



All comments from YouTube:

@benjamindavidson4033

So a little story about that brief concert scene starting at 2:14. I was living in Los Angeles at the time, and had been obsessed with the Pumpkins ever since Siamese Dream was released. As luck would have it, I must have been listening to the radio (KROQ) at the right time because they announced that the Pumpkins would be recording a video and that all you needed to do was line up at a certain address. This is before social media of course. So the next thing I know, I was there with a friend of mine -- it was one of those old abandoned buildings in Hollywood that once must have been magnificent but now was falling into disrepair. They let in the first however many people in that line, and we happened to be among of those. And let me tell you, the next two hours were incredible. There was some waiting around in this industrial-type room, packed tight with fans, with just a stage on it. Then the Pumpkins took the stage and they didn't just play Perfect -- in fact, they may not even have played Perfect at all. Instead, they performed an entire impromptu concert of all their hits from Gish and Siamese Dream. They must have been playing for at least an hour, totally rocking out, and we were all so close them. The energy was incredible and it was so intimate, so powerful. You can see how low the ceiling was in that room, I'm sure it was hot as hell too. Now, I can't see myself in the scene in the video, but I was there. It's an example of how, at least back then, the Pumpkins just loved playing music for playing's sake, and giving back to their fans. Same thing with their concerts, when they would do encores that lasted an hour. Here, they could have just showed up for five minutes and gotten the footage they needed, but no, they treated their fans to special, secret concert and a memory for a lifetime. Here's to Billy, James, D'arcy, and Jimmy. True class and genius.

@juliocaesaralcaraz9891

What a great story. And thank you 🙏 KROQ for all the great memories. From the 80’s, the 90’s and the 2000’s

@samwindmill8264

That abandoned building was formerly a legendary 70s punk rock venue called The Masque, if you didn't know

@benjamindavidson4033

@@samwindmill8264 I had no idea (or else i forgot). Thanks for that!

@dilegox

Thanks for sharing dude. That's an incredible story.

@dunner079

Lucky bastard. And to live in LA back then too.

24 More Replies...

@connorklingman3711

I gotta say, this has become my favorite Smashing Pumpkins song. It just fills me with a wave of nostalgia for adolescence and more importantly, that I have done so much more in life than I think I have.

@smashingbrandon

well said!

@sus5434

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

@crayonbrain2187

I arrived at the exact same place this week. This is a miracle of a song.

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