Zero

The Smashing Pumpkins, Smashing Pumpkins

About Zero

"Zero" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "Zero" was written by Billy Corgan and was the first song recorded for Mellon Collie. The song has six rhythm guitars, with two line-in twelve string acoustics. Commercially, "Zero" reached number one in Spain and number three in New Zealand. In North America, the song reached number one on Canada's RPM Alternative 30, number 15 on the US Mainstream Rock chart, and number nine on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In the United States, the song was released as an EP, so it instead charted on the Billboard 200, making it to number 46. The song was featured on "Homerpalooza", the penultimate episode of The Simpsons's seventh season. The cover artwork features photography by Corgan's then-girlfriend, Yelena Yemchuk, who also directed the music video.  


Year:
1995
2:40
680 
#50

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My reflection dirty mirror
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

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Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. Formed by frontman Billy Corgan (lead vocals, lead guitar) and James Iha (rhythm guitar), the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin (drums), D'arcy Wretzky (bass guitar), Melissa Auf der Maur (bass guitar), and currently includes Mike Byrne (drums), Nicole Fiorentino (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Jeff Schroeder (rhythm guitar) among its membership. more »

5 fans

Written by: William Patrick Corgan

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Meaning
"Zero" is written by Billy Corgan, the front-man of the Smashing Pumpkins. The song centers around themes of self-identity and self-worth, with Corgan often associating himself with the title's name implying he felt like nothing or zero.
Album Success
"Zero" is one of the most popular songs from the band's third studio album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" (1995), which debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This album is reputed to be one of the most successful and critically acclaimed records of the 90s.
Chart Performance
Upon its release, "Zero" reached No.1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1996, becoming one of three tracks from the album to top that chart.
Music Video
The music video for "Zero" was directed by Billy Corgan and Yelena Yemchuk. It plays out as a performance video with intense surreal visuals, reflecting the stress and chaos of the band’s lives at the time.
Vine Cover Art
The single's cover features a 'ZERO' sign inside a heart-shaped vine, which is a departure from colorful, surreal art of most of their releases. Billy Corgan often sported a shirt with the same design during concerts.
Extension
The album version of the song is a concise, heavy track, but during live performances, the band is known for extending the song's outro, sometimes improvizing it for up to 30 minutes.
Lyrics Controversy
The song's initial draft contained a lot more vulgar language, prompting Corgan to rewrite parts of the lyrics. Despite this, the angsty and rebellious spirit of the song remained intact.
Corgan's Identity
Corgan has admitted that the song—outwardly aggressive and containing lyrics like "I'm your lover, I'm your zero"—was a desperate way of trying to reclaim his identity during a time where he felt lost and powerless.
Composition
"Zero" is built around a heavy guitar riff, and is characterized by a relentless rhythm and dark, aggressive lyrics.
Recognition
Rolling Stone magazine named "Zero" as one of the top 100 pop songs of 1997. Despite it being a heavy rock track, the song's catchy riff and lyrics helped it cross over to mainstream success.

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