In Lieu Of Failure

"In Lieu Of Failure"
Song by The Smashing Pumpkins
Album Lyrics Tabs Spotify
Released	2023-03-14
Length	3:27
Songwriter(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Billy Corgan
ATUM Atum Butterfly Suite The Good In Goodbye Embracer With Ado I Do Hooligan Steps In Time Where Rain Must Fall Beyond The Vale Hooray! The Gold Mask Avalanche Empires Neophyte Moss Night Waves Space Age Every Morning To The Grays Beguiled The Culling Springtimes Sojourner That Which Animates The Spirit The Canary Trainer Pacer In Lieu Of Failure Cenotaph Harmageddon Fireflies Intergalatic Spellbinding Of Wings Simmatar Magdalena Saffron Zope Huzzah! Automaton MaryQ Burr Excelsior Necromance

"In Lieu Of Failure" is the fifth track from Act III of the The Smashing Pumpkins' 2023 rock opera, ATUM.

Billy Corgan has compared the feeling of the song to that of Mellon Collie-era B-sides, in an assertion that that "machine" of songwriting is still very much alive. "That's what this song sort of represents both narratively and personally," he said on the Thirty-Three podcast.

Synopsis

Main article: ATUM (synopsis)

(performed by Shiny and 'Los Machinas', a freshly-formed Machines Of God tribute band)'

Shiny is invited to a celebration event hosted by a group of fans who are now out in the open after being in secret for so long. At the event, a cover band plays all of Shiny's hit songs. Near the end of the show, they begin to play this song in which Shiny gets up on stage and begins singing with the band. While singing, A person in a hood walks up on stage and takes the mic out of Shiny's hand. This person is revealed to be Osirah and she starts denouncing Shiny. She eventually gets the crowd to turn against Shiny. As the crowd grows ever more violent, Ruby comes out of nowhere and pushes past Osirah to take Shiny away. They run out of the building and into the night together.

Lyrics

i'd pass the salt if i could shake, whoa
i'd blitz your waltz and halve for blame
oh, just know
my limps and lisps and lays for laughs
my chin and chance and churl are glass
alright? so send in the drones
and check yourself, alright?
just send in the drones, alright

i warned you, yeah
it's a kind bluff
you a'int so tough, so far from home
alone, alone, alone

i'd take you upon fates and frolic, whoa
i'd lollygag and crack some colic
thar' she blows
my dinks and dings and dangs say bold
my gags and gaffes and grinds gird slow
alright? so send in the drones
and check yourself, alright?
just send in the drones, alright

i warned you, yeah
it's a blind bluff
you a'int so tough, so far from home
alone, alone, alone

check yourself, alright?

Availability

Title	Notes	Type
ATUM	Act III	Studio

External links

• "In Lieu Of Failure" at SPFC