Today - The Smashing Pumpkins
Upon first listen to this song, I thought this was very confusing.
That opening line:
Today is the greatest day I've ever known. Followed later in the song by the identical sounding line-
Today is the greatest day I've never known.
The lyrics continue on a cryptic memoir of a man who is it at the end of his rope. Which really confused my young mind back in the good ole days of 1993. It wasn't until a couple years later that I truly discovered the genius and background of this song.
The writer of the song, Billy Corgan, (on the right in the picture) frontman of the group, was depressed and suicidal after an 18 month long tour. For whatever reason- he felt like things couldn't get any worse. I'm not going to pretend like I know what pulled him out of his rut, but this song is the product of that experience. Read the lyrics. Those 'pink ribbon scars that never forget' can safely be assumed to be actual scars from cutting.
The genius of the song lies in how life like it is. It's hopeless and beautiful simultaneously. Such a wonderful contradiction. You have this gorgeous, almost bubbly guitar melody which sort of represents how things can appear fine with people on the surface, everything's ok and right. Then you have these depressing lyrics that show that if you dig deeper beyond the surface you can find a whole world of darkness and hurt.
Despite it's dark nature, I find the song comforting because of the self-discovery going on within the song's words. It's more than just overcoming suicide. It's a world view of everything having a nice appearance, but honestly having a sad, futile depth. It reminds me that I should give up trying to be what everyone else wants me to be. Usually when I'm sad, it's because I'm fucking exhausted living as a constant outsider. Whether it's regionally, or because my morals just can't withstand the onslaught of society's trends. (That goes from love, to living) The song shows me that sometimes you reach a point in life and it's like you feel that's as far as it can go and then it doesn't work anymore, so you shed your skin. You become something that you're probably not in order to succeed at what you want. Finally, at some point you realize that whatever it is, will also hurt you, so now you have to go through the process of getting rid of that person.
Just one huge pickle.
But when you do figure it out- it may just be the greatest day you'll ever know.
Upon first listen to this song, I thought this was very confusing.
That opening line:
Today is the greatest day I've ever known. Followed later in the song by the identical sounding line-
Today is the greatest day I've never known.
The lyrics continue on a cryptic memoir of a man who is it at the end of his rope. Which really confused my young mind back in the good ole days of 1993. It wasn't until a couple years later that I truly discovered the genius and background of this song.
The writer of the song, Billy Corgan, (on the right in the picture) frontman of the group, was depressed and suicidal after an 18 month long tour. For whatever reason- he felt like things couldn't get any worse. I'm not going to pretend like I know what pulled him out of his rut, but this song is the product of that experience. Read the lyrics. Those 'pink ribbon scars that never forget' can safely be assumed to be actual scars from cutting.
The genius of the song lies in how life like it is. It's hopeless and beautiful simultaneously. Such a wonderful contradiction. You have this gorgeous, almost bubbly guitar melody which sort of represents how things can appear fine with people on the surface, everything's ok and right. Then you have these depressing lyrics that show that if you dig deeper beyond the surface you can find a whole world of darkness and hurt.
Just one huge pickle.
But when you do figure it out- it may just be the greatest day you'll ever know.
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