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.
Siva
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Throwing stray a spark instead
Gather strength down in my heel
And dig it in the world I peel
Way down deep within my heart
Lies a soul that's torn apart
Tell me, tell me what you're after
I don't live, I inhale
I don't give, I unveil
Don't want to live in your misery
I don't live, I inhale
Sprinkle all my kisses on your head
Stars full of wishes fill our beds
She said, "I'm dead"
All this pain smothers me
Like a bomb that you can't see
Tell me, tell me what you're after
I just want to get there faster
You
I don't live, I inhale
I don't give, I unveil
I don't live, I inhale
I don't live
The lyrics to "Siva" by The Smashing Pumpkins explore themes of inner turmoil, self-destructive tendencies, and a need for escape. The song opens with the line, "I spin off and lose my head," which reflects a sense of feeling ungrounded and untethered. The singer continues to express their frustration and desire to break free from their internal struggles, saying, "I just want to get there faster."
The chorus repeats the lines "I don't live, I inhale / I don't give, I unveil," which can be interpreted as a rejection of traditional ways of living and a desire to live life on one's own terms, even if that means it is self-destructive. The line "Don't want to live in your misery" further emphasizes this rejection of societal norms and expectations.
The verses also include imagery of stars, wishes, and kisses, which can be interpreted as moments of brief respite and hope amidst the singer's pain. However, the chorus ultimately returns to the darker themes of the song, with the repetition of "I don't live, I inhale" echoing the singer's inability to escape their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
I spin off and lose my head
I become overwhelmed and disoriented
Throwing stray a spark instead
Expressing my emotions in an uncontrollable and erratic way
Gather strength down in my heel
Finding strength in my core beliefs and values
And dig it in the world I peel
Applying this strength to intensely analyze and examine the world around me
Way down deep within my heart
In the depths of my emotions and being
Lies a soul that's torn apart
A soul that is in turmoil and pain
Tell me, tell me what you're after
Asking for clarity and understanding in another's actions or intentions
I just want to get there faster
Eager to reach a resolution or understanding as quickly as possible
I don't live, I inhale
Existing only to consume or experience moments, rather than truly living and engaging with the world
I don't give, I unveil
Being vulnerable and revealing my true self, instead of simply giving surface-level interactions
Don't want to live in your misery
Refusing to let the negative emotions or experiences of others bring me down
Sprinkle all my kisses on your head
Showing affection and adoration to someone
Stars full of wishes fill our beds
Feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future with this person
She said, "I'm dead"
A declaration of emotional numbness or feeling spiritually unfulfilled
All this pain smothers me
Feeling suffocated and overwhelmed by the intensity of my emotions
Like a bomb that you can't see
A force that has the power to wreak havoc, even though it may not be immediately apparent
You
A direct address to the listener, either as an accusation or a plea for assistance or understanding
I don't live, I inhale (x2)
Reiterating the main idea of the song, that I exist but do not truly live
I don't live
Ending on a bleak note, emphasizing my lack of engagement with life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@miadebel6980
I spin off and lose my head
Throwing stray a spark instead
Gather strength down in my heel
And dig it in the world I peel
Way down deep within my heart
Lies a soul that's torn apart
Tell me, tell me what your after
I just want to get there faster
I don't live - I inhale
I don't give - I unveil
Don't want to live in your misery
I don't live - I inhale
Sprinkle all my kisses on your head
Stars full of wishes fill our beds
She said, "I'm dead"
All this pain smothers me
Like a bomb that you can't see
Tell me, tell me what your after
I just want to get there faster
I don't live - I inhale
I don't give - I unveil
I don't live - I inhale
I don't live
@dannymaciel5974
The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Alice in chains, Nirvana, Sublime, Stone Temple Pilots, and Soundgarden.....The Early 90s Had so much to offer.
@yamomsahoe42
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Nas, 2Pac
@steamedauroraborealis8208
+Joseph Stalin Oasis, get out of here Stalin.
@iSynthh
The fuck is wrong with Oasis?
@wangchung8382
what isnt wrong with that God forsaken band?
@iSynthh
wang chung explain to me what exactly is wrong with their debut album, or even their second album?
@jackbrown4697
Gish is so underrated, amazing debut album
@heavymetalcompilations4784
Jack Brown hi jack again
@jackbrown4697
Hey
@benmiddleton9984
Recorded at smart studios in Madison Wisconsin. The best recorded album the pumpkins put out by far.