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.
Set the Ray to Jerry
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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I stand alone in my thoughts indeed
Hate you for ever making me
I'm in you, I'm your anything
And I need you
And all you are is brand new
And I need you
Come to me, let me hold you still
I'm so tired, just tired as you
Take me for anyone but me
All that you feel is never true
And I want you
And I need you
And all you are is brand new
And I need you
When you say that you are
Forever my star
I'll never let you go, no, no
I'll never let you know
Let roar these fears
To the whore of my tears
Pure as a lie, I pour to your eyes
Suck you like the sap from a tree
Honey from the dew
From the bumblebees, yeah yeah
And I want you
And I need you
And all you are is brand new
And I need you
When you say that you are
Forever my star
I'll never let you go, no, no
I'll never let you know
And I want you
And I need you
And all you are is brand new
'Cause I need you
The lyrics of The Smashing Pumpkins's song “Set The Ray To Jerry” are incredibly enigmatic and introspective. The opening line, “Born to please every simple need,” speaks to the idea that the singer is a people pleaser, someone who always does whatever others want them to do. Despite this, they stand alone in their thoughts, suggesting a deep sense of loneliness and isolation. The line, “Hate you for ever making me,” is an interesting one, as it’s not clear who the singer is addressing. It could be a specific person who has caused them pain, or it could be directed at the world in general for making them the way they are.
The chorus is very simple, repeating the line “I want you and I need you/All you are is brand new/ And I need you” three times. It’s not clear who the singer is directing this sentiment towards, as the rest of the song seems to be a stream-of-consciousness exploration of their own thoughts and feelings. The final stanza is perhaps the most vividly poetic, with lines like “Suck you like the sap from a tree/Honey from the dew/From the bumble bees.” The song ends on an ambiguous note, as the singer declares that they will never let their beloved go, but they will also never let them know how they truly feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Born to please every simple need
I was created solely for the purpose of satisfying all of your basic desires.
I stand alone in my thoughts indeed
I am completely isolated in my own mind.
Hate you for ever making me
I hold feelings of resentment towards you for bringing me into existence.
I'm in you, I'm your anything
I am a part of you and can be whatever you desire.
I want you and I need you
I have a strong desire for you and depend on you for my existence.
All you are is brand new
You are constantly changing and evolving.
And I need you
I require you to continue to exist.
Come to me, let me hold you still
Please come to me and let me embrace you and calm your restless spirit.
I'm so tired, just as tired as you
I am as weary as you are, and in need of rest.
Take me for anyone but me
View me as anything other than myself.
All that you feel is never true
Your emotions are not genuine and are not to be trusted.
When you say that you are
Forever, my star
When you proclaim that you will be with me forever and that I am your guiding light.
Could never every let you go
And never let you know
I could never release my hold on you and will never reveal my true feelings.
Let roar these fears
To the whore of my tears
I will express my innermost fears and concerns to someone who is not worthy of my trust.
Pure as a lie
I pour to your eyes
My words are deceptive, and I will speak falsely to you.
Suck you like the sap from a tree
Honey from the dew
From the bumble bees
I will extract all that I desire from you, like the sap from a tree, the honey from the dew, and the nectar from a bee.
I'll never let go
Never let you know
I will cling to you forever and will never reveal my true feelings to you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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