Perfect

"Perfect" is the second single from The Smashing Pumpkins' fourth album, Adore (1998). It was the final commercial single from the album, although "Crestfallen" and "To Sheila" were subsequently released as promotional singles. The song received remixes from Nellee Hooper and Paul Oakenfold.

Billy Corgan wrote the song in Los Angeles during the November 1997-March 1998 – Sunset Sound sessions, as a late addition to the album. He explained that lyrically, the song was inspired by the breakup of a couple that he knew, and that "the lyric is meant as ironic, as little in love's affairs can be quantified as perfect."

Critical reception
Upon release, the song received positive reviews. Rolling Stone notes that the song "picks up on the synth-pop echoes of the 1996 Pumpkins hit 1979." Feldman of website Musiccritic.com called the single "an irresistible slice of candy-coated pop" while website Rockmusicreview.com praised it for its "glimmering shine."

Music video
The music video debuted on MTV's 120 Minutes on September 16, 1998. To expand on the musical similarities between "Perfect" and "1979", the band made the video continue the story of the characters in the "1979" video. They were able to find and use four out of the five original actors from the "1979" video, including Giuseppe Andrews. The fifth was in jail. The same crew of directors was hired, which consisted of husband-and-wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. It was the fifth and final collaboration between the two and The Smashing Pumpkins.

The conclusion of the video, in which a tape falls off a car and is crushed, is probably a reference to the fate of the first tapes of the "1979" music video, which had to be re-taped because they were left on the roof of a car and destroyed when the car drove off.

The video also contains footage of the band performing at The Masque in L.A. for selected fans, featuring touring drummer Kenny Aronoff. The set played at the taping included heavier songs the band was not performing during regular concerts at the time, such as "Where Boys Fear to Tread", "Bodies", and "Pug".

Corgan considered the video "disappointing". He wrote that he regretted his decision to lip sync the vocals from atop a 150 foot crane, which revealed his fear of heights. "As I tried to sing I found I couldn't stop shaking. Affecting what became a tremulous, unfortunate delirium that would last a week."

Track listing
All songs written by Billy Corgan, except "Summer", written by James Iha. Drums provided by Joey Waronker.