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.
Tonight Tonight
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change, the less you feel
Believe, believe in me, believe
That life can change, that you're not stuck in vain
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight, tonight
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake
The place where you were born
Believe, believe in me, believe, believe
In the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance
Tonight, tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight, tonight
We'll crucify the insincere tonight (tonight)
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight (tonight)
We'll find a way to offer up the night (tonight)
The indescribable moments of your life (tonight)
The impossible is possible tonight (tonight)
Believe in me as I believe in you
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Tonight, tonight
The Smashing Pumpkins's song Tonight Tonight is a powerful reflection on life and the inevitability of change. The opening lyrics, "Time is never time at all, you can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth," suggest that time is never static and leaving a place or a time in your life always means losing a part of yourself. It reflects on how life is constantly changing, and even though we try to hold on to the past, we must accept and move forward with the changes.
The chorus, "Tonight, tonight, tonight so bright, we'll crucify the insincere tonight, we'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight," is a celebratory call to live in the present. It encourages the listener to embrace the moment and all that it has to offer. The lyrics, "The indescribable moments of your life, the impossible is possible tonight, believe in me as I believe in you," suggest that anything is possible if we believe in ourselves and each other.
Overall, The Smashing Pumpkins's song Tonight Tonight is a powerful commentary on life, change, and accepting the present moment. The lyrics are poetic and introspective, and they encourage the listener to believe in themselves and embrace the possibilities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is never time at all
The concept of time is relative and subjective
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
Every experience we have leaves a trace of our youth behind
And our lives are forever changed
Our experiences shape us and alter the course of our lives
We will never be the same
Change is inevitable and irreversible
The more you change, the less you feel
Change can sometimes numb the emotions and sensations we feel
Believe, believe in me, believe
Have faith in the singer's message and inspiration
That life can change, that you're not stuck in vain
There's hope and possibility for personal growth and progress
We're not the same, we're different
Individuality and diversity make us unique and valuable
Tonight, tonight
The present moment is special and worth celebrating
Tonight, so bright
The energy and intensity of the night are invigorating and exciting
And you know you're never sure
Uncertainty is a fact of life and should be accepted
But you're sure you could be right
Believe in yourself and trust your instincts
If you held yourself up to the light
Examining yourself and your life can provide clarity and guidance
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake
The memories and emotions tied to your hometown are enduring
The place where you were born
Your place of origin has a special significance and sentimental value
In the resolute urgency of now
The importance of taking action and seizing the moment is stressed
And if you believe there's not a chance
Believing something is impossible can be self-limiting and harmful
We'll crucify the insincere tonight (tonight)
Dishonesty and insincerity will be called out and punished
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight (tonight)
There's a desire and determination to correct wrongs and experience everything deeply
We'll find a way to offer up the night (tonight)
The night and its potential experiences will be shared and enjoyed together
The indescribable moments of your life (tonight)
There are profound experiences that cannot be put into words, and they are happening now
The impossible is possible tonight (tonight)
The boundaries and limits holding you back can be overcome tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you
A mutual trust and support is established
Tonight, tonight, tonight
The night is a moment in time that deserves to be fully embraced and experienced
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Patrick Corgan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andres diez
Eternal rock masterpiece
Martijn V
Indeed xxx
Ben Walker
Thanks for the upload my dude. This song is one of those songs that touch so many people in their own way.
R Marchione
80's baby, as I was a teenager when 1st album: Siamese Dream was released. Good $tuff!
Daniel Jeffery
Really sounds much better with the 720 quality
Bill Mwatts
Awesome upload thank you much appreciated bro
Jimmy Murray
I am as Conservative as u get, and yet music could unite us if we would let it!
Staircase Mishap Aleks
Billy Corgan is pretty conservative too lol
Donghyuk Heo
Every night we live is tonight
Lucky|Sharp Channel
i love this fucking drums!