Cyr (song)

For the double album, see CYR.

"Cyr"
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
Album Lyrics Tabs Video Spotify
Released	August 28, 2020
Length	4:03
Label	Sumerian Martha's Music
Songwriter(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Billy Corgan
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"Knights of Malta" (2018) "Cyr" (2020) "Confessions of a Dopamine Addict" (2020)
CYR The Colour of Love Confessions of a Dopamine Addict Cyr Dulcet in E Wrath Ramona Anno Satana Birch Grove Wyttch Starrcraft Purple Blood Save Your Tears Telegenix Black Forest, Black Hills Adrennalynne Haunted The Hidden Sun Schaudenfreud Tyger, Tyger Minerva

"Cyr" (working title "Steam") is the first Smashing Pumpkins single from their eleventh studio album, CYR. It and "The Colour of Love" were released as a digital double A-side single on August 28, 2020. A Linda Strawberry-directed music video was also produced for "Cyr".

“ Cyr is dystopic folly, one soul against the world sort of stuff, set against a backdrop of shifting loyalties and sped up time. To me it stands as both hopeful and dismissive of what is and isn’t possible with faith. ” — Billy Corgan, Rolling Stone, August 2020

Background and recording

"Cyr" was originally had a working title of "Steam" because it reminded Billy Corgan of a steam piston engine. The main riff was written on guitar and was the first riff to come out of the Shiny Vol. 1 sessions from January 2018. This version involved heavy guitar, but Corgan and engineer Howard Willing decided it didn't fit on Shiny Vol. 1. After digging through old ideas for the new CYR album, the song ended up being re-recorded at Pumpkinland II in April-May 2019. This version was entirely produced by Corgan, who attributed the sound of the revamped material to the largely industrial Wax Trax! Records – a label who were influential to The Smashing Pumpkins.

Lyrically, Corgan has said of the song:

“ address the state of the world, where we're all facing different masters. We're all facing pan global companies that operate outside the sovereignty of nation states. We have tech companies running amok. I'm speaking to you probably on a tech platform, they're running amok, and we're part of the running amok I guess since we're on here. It just kind of points the finger at what we're facing, but it also encourages you to shake your ass. Which is never a bad thing. Unless you don't want to. ” — Billy Corgan, #CyrCyries deep dive

A teaser of the song appeared on Sumerian Records' Instagram account on August 25, 2020. The caption for the Instagram post read, "this friday is the biggest announcement in sumerian history. stare down your masters. 8/28". Music recognition software prematurely identified the song title as "Cyr". "Cyr" is a French name that comes from the Latin name "Cyricus" and ultimately from the Greek word "kyrios", which is usually translated as "lord" or "master", aligning with the mysterious caption and the lyrics.

Background singer Katie Cole released her own acoustic cover of the song on YouTube on September 1, 2020.

Music video

Official music video, directed by Linda Strawberry

The music video was directed, edited and colored by creative director Linda Strawberry, and released the same day as the single. It was recorded while the band was in lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic. The video stars burlesque performer and model, Mosh, who also starred in the "Ramona" music video as well as Shiny Vol. 1 vignettes.

“ This is a goth fever dream of pent up emotion – an artistic visual release attempting to create a momentary escape from the emotional black cloud hanging over all of us this year. A dark seduction filmed in quarantine at a social distance. ” — Linda Strawberry, Rolling Stone, August 2020

By September 1, the official video had racked up 1 million views on YouTube. Jimmy Chamberlin's dance moves became a favorite among fans, and was ultimately dubbed the #jimmyshimmy on social media.

A second video of the band playing the song was premiered on December 1, 2020 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Strawberry again took the lead as editor, piecing together the band member's remote videos into what was is essentially a new music video, while giving the first glimpse of what "Cyr" would be performed like live.

Lyrics

fragments form the mind
shadows hold the mist
fractured as this wish
shattered i resign
we’re on the verge, we’re on the verge
of sacred dawning and sloe-sloe eyes

say, i done told you
say how i tried, too
where you’ve wrought
from creation’s crown
say, dire warning
stare down your masters
with the promise of
one and what you are
were on the verge

tangents vex the whorl
the void arrives, then leaves
returning
returning a kiss
for lovers built the dream

did the times, wind
did the crowd, kind
aping youth, wise
ever lost, ides
‘midst the chaff, as meek
and those weak, as sand
turning glass upside down
for the hours should they pass

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Cyr"	4:03
2.	"The Colour of Love"	4:23
Total length:		8:26

Release history

Released	Label	Catalog ID	Format	Country	External sites
August 28, 2020	Martha's Music • Sumerian		Digital	Worldwide	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[1]

Critical reception

Both songs generally received positive reviews. Consequence of Sound described "Cyr" as "a dance anthem that sounds like Adore meets ABBA", while they described “The Colour of Love” as an "all the midnight anthems within 2000's Machina". They also added that both tracks "hearken back to Billy Corgan's salad days, back when he worshipped The Cure on FM radio".

Personnel

The Smashing Pumpkins

• Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, production
• James Iha – guitar
• Jeff Schroeder – guitar
• Jimmy Chamberlin – drums

Additional personnel

• Katie Cole – background vocals
• Sierra Swan – background vocals
• Linda Strawberry – music video director, music video editor

Chart performance

Chart (2020)	Peak position
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	19
US Rock Digital songs (Billboard)	21
US Alternative Digital songs (Billboard)	23
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)	35

Availability

Title	Type
CYR	Studio
CYR Singles	Box set

Tour stats

• Total plays: 61 plays, 7 acoustic, 2 artists
• First performance: Billy Corgan 2020-10-30 Chicago, IL, US
• Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2023-03-04 at The World Is A Vampire festival, Mexico City, MX