Embracer
"Embracer" is the fourth song from The Smashing Pumpkins' 2023 rock opera, ATUM. Billy Corgan has stated that it is a very personal song to him, as it is about faith. Within the ATUM story, this song returns to the viewpoint of the character June in outer space.
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
(performed by June, to Earth below)
In the "Butterfly Suite" episode of the Thirty-Three podcast, we learn how June is deeply in love with Shiny, both of whom have been exiled into space in different places. Shiny one day punches in the code on his spacecraft that ignites the "The March of Life" – a "noble suicide" of sorts that sends his spacecraft into the sun.[1]
In "Embracer", the narrative returns to June while she is in space. She sees Shiny is on The March of Life, but feels she must do something about it. Recalling from earlier in the story, June purposely put herself into space exile just to be near Shiny, and thus must decide what to do when his time came. As typical for her, she first sings to him, realizing his place in her life, his importance as an artist and a muse to the people of Earth. Ultimately though she decides against taking The March of Life with him.[1]
June refuses to accept Shiny's decision to die and instead takes action. Unlike other exile spacecrafts, Jane's was secretly equipped with a device allowing her to send anonymous messages down to Earth. Using what is a primitive message board in this story, June sends a cryptic message that only fans of Shiny would recognize. The problem is Shiny, as a 20-year exile, had long been forgotten and all written accounts of him (digital and otherwise) have been purged. Corgan said he was "snuffed out" by algorithms along with his older portrayals Zero and Glass. The message nonetheless states Shiny has taken The March of Life and is hoping someone can change his course. Although she has faith that she can save the man she loves, as Corgan puts it, "it's the equivalent of putting a message in a bottle into the ocean and hoping somebody finds it."[1]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
as stilled as a flower
as ruined as a saint where true met true
let's feast on his rage
unleash what allays our muse
i realize
realize, i realize
i'd believed what was lonely in you
"i realize", said the knife to the spoon
i believed what was lonely in you
shake hard this summons
with bottles tossed
down said seas of noise
in notes and sighs to the void
i'd love you to follow
a star on the rise, entombed by blue
in heed of the sage
i've sent out a faith once removed
i realize
realize, i realize
it's only the lonely who should lose
i realize said the knife to the spoon
it's only the lonely who lose
as fools 'cross a cosmos
as a soot on your age
where true cuts true
i've had you beside
to show me what always might do
i'd love you to follow
a star on the rise, entombed by blue
in heed of the sage
i've sent out a faith once removed
i realize
realize, i realize
it's only the lonely who should love
i realize said the knife to the spoon
it's only the lonely who lose
i realize
realize, i realize
it's only the lonely
Availability
| Title | Notes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| ATUM | Act I | Studio |
External links[edit | edit source]
- "Embracer" at SPFC
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Corgan, Billy. "Butterfly Suite (with Tommy Lipnick)". iHeartPodcasts. Retrieved September 19, 2022.