The Chimera
| "The Chimera" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Smashing Pumpkins | |
| Released | June 19, 2012 |
| Studio sessions | May-September 2011 – Pumpkinland II |
| Length | 4:16 |
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan |
"The Chimera" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins off of their 2012 studio album, Oceania. It borrows from a unfinished demo song called "7 Sisters", which was slower in tempo.
In a 2012 interview with MusicRadar, Billy Corgan attributes the inspiration for the song to Mike Byrne's drumming:
| “ | A few people have asked me what it's like having a 20-something [year-old] in the band. Does it have an influence? In this case, I would say absolutely, because it's a song I might not have done without Mike's encouragement. | ” |
| — Billy Corgan, MusicRadar interview, June 13, 2012[1] | ||
The song originated when they were recording drums for a different song, and there was an issue with the snare drum. While the technical issues were being ironed out, Corgan came up with a new riff, and Byrne fed off of it.[1]
Corgan said in a Tweet that he used his famous Bat Strat guitar on the recording.[2]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Fairy tales and time in whales
Substitutes for sin
It takes some life to find the light within
Whistle past the lane lover
Whistle past the lane
Cause love's forever strange
Nestle on the moon, sunshine
Nestle on the moon
Should you hear that faint murmur
Of what love might do
Seven stars that shine
In my mind, oh my mind
I'll take you with me where I climb
In my mind, oh my mind
And if I'm wrong I'm right
I'm never gonna lose you
If I'm wrong I'm right
Take me to your life
Summertime's the only child
Summertime's the only child this night
You want to brace the golden fool
Let's make this right
Nightengales and nursery crimes
Twins that spark the charts
It takes some trust to find a trust apart
Whistle past the lane lover
Whistle past the lane
Cause love's forever strange
Nestle on the sun, starlight
Nestle on the sun
Should you hear the faint murmur
Of what love has done
Seven stars that weep
In my sleep, oh in my sleep
I'll take you with me where I keep
In my sleep, oh in my sleep
And if I'm wrong I'm right
I'm never gonna lose you
If I'm wrong I'm right
Take me to your life
All you need is you, lover
All you need is you
All you need is you, lover
So please need me too
What you need is love, stranger
What you need is love
When your love needs it's danger
Please let me through when I've got you
Availability
| Title | Type |
|---|---|
| Oceania | Studio |
| Oceania: Live in NYC | Live • Video |
Tour stats
- Total plays: 38 plays
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2012-07-26 at Challenge Stadium, Mount Claremont, WA, AU
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2013-05-07 at Red Hat Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC, US
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bosso, Joe. "Interview: Billy Corgan talks The Smashing Pumpkins' Oceania track-by-track". MusicRadar. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
- ↑ https://yourlifeisnotyourown.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/chimera-meets-billys-bat-strat/