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.
Zero
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's no connection to myself
I'm your lover I'm your zero
I'm the face in your dreams of glass
So save your prayers
For when you're really gonna need 'em
Throw out your cares and fly
Want to go for a ride?
She's the one for me
She's all I really need, oh yeah
She's the one for me
Emptiness is loneliness and loneliness is cleanliness
And cleanliness is godliness, and God is empty just like me
Intoxicated with the madness, I'm in love with my sadness
Bullshit fakers, enchanted kingdoms
The fashion victims chew their charcoal teeth
I never let on, that I was on a sinking ship
I never let on that I was down
You blame yourself, for what you can't ignore
You blame yourself for wanting more
She's the one for me
She's all I really need, oh yeah
She's the one for me
She's my one and only
The lyrics to The Smashing Pumpkins’ song Zero speak to feelings of disconnection, emptiness, and loneliness. In the first verse, the singer sees himself reflected in a dirty mirror, but feels no connection to who he sees. He describes himself as the lover, but also the zero, suggesting a feeling of insignificance. The line “I’m the face in your dreams of glass” adds to this sense of detachment, as he is not a real presence in another’s dreams, only a reflection.
The chorus seems to offer a solution to these feelings, encouraging the listener to throw out their cares, save their prayers for when they really need them, and go for a ride. This could be interpreted as a call to escape from the pressures and expectations of daily life, to let go of worries and just enjoy the moment.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer’s emotional state, suggesting that his loneliness and emptiness are connected to his sense of cleanliness, godliness, and emptiness. He is intoxicated with the madness of his own sadness, suggesting that he is familiar with these feelings, perhaps even addicted to them. The lines about bullshit fakers and enchanted kingdoms could be interpreted as a critique of societal norms and expectations, or perhaps of the singer’s past attempts to fit in or succeed within those structures.
The final verse is more personal, with the singer admitting to keeping his struggles hidden from others. He suggests that others may blame themselves for not realizing what was going on, or for wanting more than what they were given. The final repetition of “She’s the one for me” seems to suggest that despite everything, there is still hope for connection and love.
Overall, the song Zero explores themes of disconnection, loneliness, and the struggle to find meaning in a world that often feels empty and devoid of true connection.
Line by Line Meaning
My reflection dirty mirror
I see myself through a dirty mirror, feeling disconnected from the person I see.
There's no connection to myself
I can't seem to find a connection with my true self, feeling lost and alone.
I'm your lover I'm your zero
I am the one you love, but at the same time, I feel like nothing and have no value.
I'm the face in your dreams of glass
In your dreams, I am the reflection of what you want me to be, but in reality, I am just a fragile and breakable figure.
So save your prayers
Don't bother praying.
For when you're really gonna need 'em
You will need them when the time comes, but for now, it won't make a difference.
Throw out your cares and fly
Let go of your problems and enjoy the moment without any burdens holding you back.
Want to go for a ride?
Do you want to join me on this journey of self-discovery and isolation?
She's the one for me
She is the perfect match for me.
She's all I really need, oh yeah
I don't need anything else but her, she completes me.
Emptiness is loneliness and loneliness is cleanliness
Being empty and alone is better than being surrounded by toxic people and situations.
And cleanliness is godliness, and God is empty just like me
Being clean and pure is like being close to god, but god is empty like me because of the absence of meaningful connections.
Intoxicated with the madness, I'm in love with my sadness
The chaotic situation I'm in has made me accept my sadness as part of my identity.
Bullshit fakers, enchanted kingdoms
People who pretend to be something they're not, living in a fantasy world that doesn't exist.
The fashion victims chew their charcoal teeth
People obsessed with being trendy and fashionable follow toxic beauty standards that harm their health.
I never let on, that I was on a sinking ship
I pretended that everything was fine, even though I was in deep trouble and couldn't keep my head above water.
I never let on that I was down
I kept my emotions bottled up, never showing anyone that I was struggling.
You blame yourself, for what you can't ignore
You feel guilty for not being able to ignore something that bothers you, but it's not your fault.
You blame yourself for wanting more
You feel guilty for wanting something more than what you have, but it's a natural feeling.
She's the one for me
She is the perfect match for me.
She's all I really need, oh yeah
I don't need anything else but her, she completes me.
She's my one and only
She is the only one for me.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Patrick Corgan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cybernetic Ritual
My favorite song by them in existence.