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.
Saturnine
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To pull it from its moorings
To fawn the young wicked roost
To weather the coming storms
They are inside
They are inside now
Saturnine
How I love to waste your time
Saturnine
Saturnine
Goodbye all you widows
Tear stained underneath
Blessed to the many
Who are seeking some relief
They are inside
They are inside now
They are inside
They are inside
You'll always run
But you cannot find
Saturnine
Saturnine
Saturnine
You were waiting all this time
Saturnine
Saturnine
Camera take this picture
The wreckage is outside
Quick, may you hurry
We are losing our light
We are inside now
We are inside
We are inside
You'll always run
But you'll never find
Saturnine
Saturnine
How I'd love to make you mine
Saturnine
Saturnine
To the ages I am speaking
To the creatures I am sky
Bloody simple features
Everyone chooses sides
Shatter this faith broken
Walk these summer miles
Leave here while forgotten
Carrying forth this child
Saturnine
The lyrics to The Smashing Pumpkins' song "Saturnine" convey a sense of weariness and resignation towards the world, with a certain disdain for those who play the game cleverly at the expense of others. The "clever" are those who manipulate and pull the world from its moorings, taking advantage of young, wicked people and weathering storms to come. The chorus, "Saturnine, how I love to waste your time," reflects a kind of world-weariness, perhaps directed towards those who perpetuate this cycle of manipulation and exploitation.
The song then turns to speak to widows seeking relief, and there's a sense of escaping from the world that has been described. The line "you'll always run but you cannot find" suggests that there is no escaping this cycle. The final stanza speaks to the ages and creatures, seemingly implying an attempt to speak to eternity and the world beyond the confines of human existence. The final line, "Saturnine," suggests a kind of resignation to a world that can be cruel and unforgiving. Overall, the lyrics reflect a certain weariness with the world and a sense that there is no escape from the cycle of exploitation and manipulation.
Line by Line Meaning
The clever make the world weary
Intelligent people make everything exhausting and dull
To pull it from its moorings
To detach something from its base or foundation
To fawn the young wicked roost
To excessively admire a group of nasty and immoral youths
To weather the coming storms
To be prepared and strong enough to handle upcoming troubles
They are inside now
Those people have gained entry and are present
They are inside
They have successfully infiltrated
They are inside now
They have penetrated and are currently present
Saturnine
Gloomy and mournful
How I love to waste your time
I enjoy idling and squandering your precious time
Goodbye all you widows
Farewell to all the mourning and grieving women
Tear stained underneath
Sorrowful and regretful beneath the surface
Blessed to the many
Many are fortunate and favored
Who are seeking some relief
Those who are looking for ways to lessen their pain
They are inside
They have entered
They are inside now
They have infiltrated and are currently present
They are inside
Those people have successfully made their way in
You'll always run
You'll always be in motion
But you cannot find
But you won't obtain or discover what you're seeking
Saturnine
Sorrowful and mournful
You were waiting all this time
You've been anticipating and having patience in this manner for a significant period
Camera take this picture
Photographic device, capture this image
The wreckage is outside
The damage and debris is located beyond this place
Quick, may you hurry
Make haste and go rapidly
We are losing our light
We are running out of time and are fading away
We are inside now
We have gone through and entered now
We are inside
We have gotten in
We are inside
We have made our way in and are present
You'll always run
You'll always move and run
But you'll never find
But you'll never locate or discover what you're searching for
Saturnine
Desolate and melancholic
How I'd love to make you mine
I would adore having you as mine
Saturnine
Sorrowful and mournful
To the ages I am speaking
I am addressing the people of all times and eras
To the creatures I am sky
To the beings of the universe, I am the vast sky
Bloody simple features
Basic, unadorned, and crude attributes that are violently displayed
Everyone chooses sides
All people select factions or positions
Shatter this faith broken
Destroy this belief that is already ruined
Walk these summer miles
Travel through these warm season distances
Leave here while forgotten
Depart this place while being disregarded and forsaken
Carrying forth this child
Taking this offspring or creation forward
Saturnine
Sorrowful and desolate
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexander
Better than almost every song that actually was on adore, surprising it didn’t make the cut
Kool Kat
Sorry but no
spanish kat
NO
Side Swipe
“Saturnine” was originally the title of a Magnetic Fields song performed under the band name “Polaris” for the Nickelodeon “The Asventures of Pete & Pete” in the army 90’s. In fact, Magnetic Fields and other Pete & Oete contributing bands artists like “Thedropnineteens” were on the brink of being @shoegazer” rock to the masses, but the Pumpkins killed their careers to early for such worthy competition by a couple weeks with “Today” and “Disarm” and left their label/label mates to become a very hit & miss sensation known for their atrocious, drugged-out live shows. “Machina” is by far their best album.
Matthew Schwartz
Did bad AI write this? 😂
Slothlorien
Woefully underrated.
Billy Jackson
So true
Nick Larson
This song is amazing
Arkadiusz Kopraczyński
👌Great 🎸song 🥁from🎧 great🎤 band 👍❤
Sakura Bloom
LOVE this, omg 🖤