Empires

From SPCodex, The Smashing Pumpkins wiki
"Empires"
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
Released2023-04-13
Length3:10
LabelMartha's Music
Songwriter(s)Billy Corgan
Producer(s)Billy Corgan
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"Spellbinding"
(2023)
"Empires"
(2023)
"Mayonaise"
(2023)

"Empires" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins from Act II of their 33-song opera and twelfth studio album, ATUM. The song debuted live at the one-off Metro show on September 20, 2022. The studio recording was first released to the public as part of episode 13 of the Thirty-Three podcast. On April 13, 2023, it was released as the third single from ATUM, with a music video directed by Kevin Kerslake – the same director who famously did "Cherub Rock" in 1993.[1]

Synopsis[edit | edit source]

(performed by 'Zero' by way of Ruby)

In the story of ATUM, "Empires" is the song sung by Shiny's "pure personality" as heard through Ruby the robot. Osirah and Nighthawk are in a field of sunflowers and have set up a live video to broadcast the message from Shiny, knowing it has great significance given the attention it has attracted from the government. The message was projected to the world and specifically the XI. The live stream stays up for only about three minutes before the X+I is able to remotely shut it down.[1]

Music video[edit | edit source]

The music video was released the same day as the single on April 13, 2023. It was directed by Kevin Kerslake – the same director who did "Cherub Rock" nearly 30 years earlier.

Lyrics[edit | edit source]

Oh, empires
Oh, empires
Empires your help is on the way
In bonfires slash, circuit breaks and change
Empires, empires
No, you needn't worry, hey!
'Bout your empires
Empires

You know that zero is one more than null
But a zero can't leave well-enough alone
Oh, empires

Come and meet your new gods
Livewire and stick
Shock troops and foxes stumble from the mist
Empires, empires
You should mind your trust
Of these empires
Empires

You know that zero is one more than null
But a zero can't leave well-enough alone

Who will come for you, oh no
No, no
Who can't hide from us, oh no
No, no
Pick your avatars for graves
No, no

Ooh, empires
Come and meet your new gods
Livewire and stick
Shock troops and foxes stumble from the mist
It's about your empires
Empires
It's about your empires
Empires
It's about your empires
Empires

Ooh, empires
The fascist face of faith
Empires
Kiss the brutal fist of hate, hey!
Empires
Who owns the black of the night
In your empires
Empires

Release[edit | edit source]

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan.

No.TitleLength
1."Empires"3:10
Released Label Catalog ID Format Country External sites
April 13, 2023 Martha's Music Digital Worldwide [1]

Charts[edit | edit source]

Chart (2023) Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[2] 24

Availability

TitleNotesType
ATUMAct IIStudio
EmpiresSingle

Tour stats

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Corgan, Billy. "Empires (with Jeff Schroeder)". Thirty-Three (Podcast). Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.

External links[edit | edit source]