The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Th… Read Full Bio ↴The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago. The band was formed in 1988 by Billy Corgan and James Iha, with bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin joining shortly after. Despite going through many lineup changes, the current lineup is identical to the original, with the exception of Wretzky, who would end up leaving the band just before their initial breakup in 2000.

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.

Perfect
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics

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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