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.
vanity
The Smashing Pumpkins Lyrics
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Crack beneath her wheels
Tears of Avalon
Streak silent down her shield
High crimes and misdemeanors
Unfortunate attacks
Will leave you standing nameless
While she's turning black
Vanity stands naked at my door
Vanity cries, why?
Eleanor, you've lost me
In a haze of wine and cocaine
Gone out and cost me
Everything I blame
Broadcast in TV detail
To call their own stories
As I try to recapture
Our best in former glories
Vanity stands naked at my door
Vanity cries, why?
Vanity wants everything and more
Vanity must die
She swears she'll turn around
Turn around for good
She swears she'll turn around
Turn around for sure
You know you'll run around
Run around for her
You know you want to know so pure
Ease on that dirt road
You've still a ways to go
Soak in sights and city lights
While you still can borrow
Cursed fall will find you
And bring a memory
The ghost of her surrender
With the kiss of anarchy
She's naked at my door
Vanity cries, why?
Vanity wants everything and more
Vanity must die
Die
The lyrics to the song Vanity by The Smashing Pumpkins are open to interpretation, but upon analysis, they suggest an individual struggling with their addiction to a person who represents vanity. The first verse talks about a woman who is driving, the sound of "baby bones" suggests that she is reckless and not taking responsibility for her actions. The imagery of the "tears of Avalon" on her shield is also interesting, as it could represent the idea that she has faced many battles and hardships due to her vanity. The second verse references a woman named Eleanor who has had a negative impact on the singer's life due to her addiction to drugs and alcohol. The singer seems to be reminiscing on their past with fondness and trying to recapture moments of clarity and happiness.
The chorus of the song is where the theme of vanity becomes prominent. The singer repeats the phrase "vanity stands naked at my door" which suggests that he is confronted with the reality of vanity every day. The line "Vanity wants everything and more, Vanity must die" is particularly powerful as it shows the singer's frustration with the superficiality of vanity and his desire to eliminate it from his life. The final verse is interesting as it suggests that the singer is trying to move on from his addiction to vanity, but it is not an easy process. The mention of a "cursed fall" implies that there will be setbacks in his journey towards recovery.
Line by Line Meaning
You can hear the baby bones
Crack beneath her wheels
The excruciating sound of shattered hope and innocence is audible as she crushes under her wheels.
Tears of Avalon
Streak silent down her shield
The silent tears that run down her face are like the once mighty rivers emptied to a mere trickle by the ravaging force of time.
High crimes and misdemeanors
Unfortunate attacks
Will leave you standing nameless
While she's turning black
Even the slightest of offenses of the fragile human soul paints you black while she feeds on your misery, leaving you as an unrecognizable shadow of your former self.
Vanity stands naked at my door
Vanity cries, why?
This represents a moment where Vanity is exposed and vulnerable, begging for justification for its existence.
Eleanor, you've lost me
In a haze of wine and cocaine
Gone out and cost me
Everything I blame
Broadcast in TV detail
To call their own stories
As I try to recapture
Our best in former glories
This stanza depicts the desperation of someone trying to recapture the past glories and fame that have faded off into a mix of alcohol and drugs.
She swears she'll turn around
Turn around for good
She swears she'll turn around
Turn around for sure
You know you'll run around
Run around for her
You know you want to know so pure
Vanity makes the promise of changing her ways, but her true nature won't let her do so, and you know that you'll be constantly running towards her, for the purest of intentions.
Ease on that dirt road
You've still a ways to go
Soak in sights and city lights
While you still can borrow
Cursed fall will find you
And bring a memory
The ghost of her surrender
With the kiss of anarchy
This seemingly innocuous piece of advice still leads you down the path of destruction, where Vanity waits for you to borrow the glitz and glamour of the city lights, all while the shadow of anarchy and the memory of her surrender loom over you.
She's naked at my door
Vanity cries, why?
Vanity wants everything and more
Vanity must die
Die
As Vanity stands naked and vulnerable, its true nature of never-ending greed is revealed, and it becomes evident that the only way to curtail it is its eradication. This fierce message ends with a brutal command - Die.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM PATRICK CORGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@travisjohnson622
This song reminds me of my ex wife of 13 years. She died of an overdose sept 15th. i walked away for the last time a couple of years beforehand. I wanted to get sober and she couldnt. i finally made it and she didnt. I'm always so conflicted when my thoughts return to her.
Such an amazing song. It captures the good things about her and the very ugly things. I played it and thought of her years ago and I still do today.
@Loganmccoy1996
I remember downloading the MP3 in middle school to my class lab top and burning myself a copy good ole days!!
@joshuacotto5825
There are many SP songs that we all love but honestly digging thru the cracks, you find diamonds. This is a diamond here. The drums are simple but great at reflecting dynamic throughout the song. The lead and bass guitars together sound like a chord due to the registers they both play at. It's like the guitar sort of merges into bass territory in EQ and the bass meets the guitar there.
@fullario
2002, blasted this out the windows of my 1994 Pontiac Sunfire every day on my lunch break. A girl I worked with who seemed way out of my league was blatantly flirting with me every day, and I only realized it years later. This tune always make me think of her.
@pameladilop4891
❤❤❤adore this song. I really miss my days in Vancouver Canada 🍁
@jordansernik
I remember being so fucking depressed on a lonely NYE listening to this song
@Nothing-qq4hd
Happy to say it's 2021 and the pumpkins just rocked Chicago's riot fest alongside hardcore punk acts and followed it up in NJ for the Hearnow festival bringing the house down...rock on pumpkins!!!
@silviocinti
This should be released as an official album!
@OE-jy6yt
This album has some amazing songs on it.
Thanks for the upload.
@jasonscott9645
I spent almost 30 min trying to read more of your comment