The Smashing Pumpkins and Billy Corgan finally let their progressive-rock ambitions dictate the band’s musical direction on “Tonight, Tonight.” And, in doing so, the group also created one of the most remarkable alternative songs of the 1990s.
But just what is the meaning of the lyrics of this mysterious song? And what’s the story of it and the famous double album, “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” off which it was selected as a single? I’ll be revealing all today, today.
The Smashing Pumpkins’ Journey to Making “Tonight, Tonight”
If grunge and alt-rock hadn’t happened, The Smashing Pumpkins would’ve been destined to become one of Chicago’s finest progressive rock groups. Formed after the dissolution of Billy Corgan’s gothic metal group, early Smashing Pumpkins recordings show a band interested in complex, lush arrangements.
However, it was a direct power chord three-chord attack that turned the group into a sensation with its sophomore record, and singles like “Today.”
With the success of the 1992 album, “Siamese Dream,” the Chicago band had joined groups like Nirvana and Pearl Jam as some of the most famous bands of the new grunge scene.
That’s why the ever-competitive Corgan sought to create the follow-up as a more complex collection of songs than the ones that their rivals were producing.
The Meaning of the Lyrics to “Tonight, Tonight”
The Smashing Pumpkins, both artistically and commercially, may have been the most ambitious of the grunge and alternative rock bands of the 1990s. Billy Corgan’s drive helped the group achieve its goals. But, it’s fair to say that it made their contemporaries, the likes of Pavement or Nick Cave, view them with suspicion.
But wasn’t young Mr. Corgan just a true believer in the power of rock n’ roll? After all, putting together The Smashing Pumpkins had helped him to get out of his small town of… Chicago.
It’s most likely that this is what the lyrics are about. This orchestral-driven prog-rock track is about making one’s dreams come true. “The impossible is possible tonight, tonight,” Corgan sings.
Often sung as an acoustic number in concerts, “Tonight Tonight” features the line: “And the embers never fade in your city by the lake/ The place where you were born.” It’s one more clear reference to Chicago, the birthplace of Corgan and of The Smashing Pumpkins.
Still, the meaning of “Tonight, Tonight” must also be judged in the context of the album “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.” The band’s third release is a concept record of sorts. Corgan later clarified that the album is about “the human condition of mortal sorrow.” The second track on the album, “Tonight, Tonight”, is meant to set up the story on a hopeful tone.
When it came to recording the track, Corgan found it difficult to sing the melody in the key of C in which it was written. As a consequence, the orchestration is dropped down to the key of G.
To complete his grand vision, Corgan employed the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Later recalling the recording, he said that it “was probably one of the most exciting recording experiences I have ever had.“
The Music Video for “Tonight Tonight”
The music video for “Tonight, Tonight” is, most likely, equally as famous as the song. Directed by married couple Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the promotional video would end up winning six MTV Video Music Awards and would remain in heavy rotation on the channel for years to come.
The music video is inspired by the famous silent film “A Trip to the Moon,” by Georges Méliès. The video features people taking a zeppelin to the moon, fighting aliens, and diving to the bottom of the sea to meet Poseidon, only to be rescued.
The band members appear miming to the song in old costumes, with James Iha playing an old harp guitar and bassist D’arcy Wretzky playing a 1920s mandobass.
The Legacy of The Smashing Pumpkins and of “Tonight, Tonight”
Billy Corgan was right about “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.” The record was very well received, topped many end-of-the-year lists in 1995, and helped grow the band’s profile even further. It was a number one hit across many countries and has sold over 5 million units in the U.S.A. alone.
“Tonight, Tonight” was one of several successful singles from that album, along with the likes of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” and “1979.” All are rated among the best songs of the decade.
The Smashing Pumpkins continued in just as ambitious a style. And while 1998’s “Adore” was a hit, the group stumbled after its release. Line-up changes and ego clashes led to the band’s breakup around the end of the century.
Recently, Corgan has reunited the band with Iha and original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Nowadays, The Smashing Pumpkins is routinely viewed as one of the most important bands of the 1990s.
