To my mistakes to my mistakes of cowardice
She shimmy shakes the Jimmy Jakes of consequence
Born of the airs and dues my airs of madness do declare
That it's o.k. it's love
It's what you wanted to see it's who you wanted to be
For what you needed to need she'll make it up
Love it's who you know
Machine gun blues her vacant rush is so steel
I'm unaware lost inside your visions
I got mine too over, I got mine and I got you
'Cause I know you, you're love
It's what you wanted to see, it's who you wanted to be
For what you needed to need, she'll make it up
Love, it's who you know
When I lost my mind, I knew I was in for a long time
Can I look up to you as you look down on me
Can I feel in to you as you felt in to me
I can't help what you see, I can't help but to be
For what I needed to need, she'll make it
Love, it's who you know


Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by Joselo527

Love Lyrics as written by William Patrick Corgan

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Love song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    This song has to be sarcastic - just listen to the sneering tone that Corgan delivers pretty much throughout the song (the chorus in particular - "Love: it's who you know"). Plus, the music is distorted: it's not natural - like the lyrical sentiment, it's warped and been perverted. Alot of Mellon Collie seems to be about expressing the contradictions of human thought (and emotions); although being able to acknowledge them, one is still subject to their whims. PS The final lyric is missing: "Love solves everything!!!!! - LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE"

    The Distortedon August 31, 2007   Link
  • +4
    General Comment

    I think this song runs a lot deeper than the lack of love. For my the song is about that people try to find people that can match them, you know, that you don't try to get someone outta your league. And that Billy or the character in the song, is stuck with someone that he isn't really attracted to but can't get any better. And in this song he's in denial but also trying to convince himself to love her. Because THAT would solve evrything.

    JulesChannelon December 17, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    There is a point ina relationship.... Whene you realize love is not the perfect insitution you believe it to be.. You put down the book of fairytales... And say screw it... Sometimes lust...infatuation...is enough. Most people are not really in love.. But in love with the idea of being in love.

    Whitespideron February 14, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    gee, maybe he's in lust?

    Ethilienon May 28, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    it seems like it's about is that although he loves her, there's a lot of deception, misunderstanding, regret, and maybe embarassment. another one of my favourites and it has a totally kickin beginning.

    uselessdragon March 13, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    lady picture show, i hope u r the one joking...this is clearly a song about empty sex as a replacement for real love...a lot like "Young Lust" by Pink Floyd...i mean, seriously, "her vacant rush" --it's powerful, but empty and meaningless-- "the airs of madness do declare that it's ok" --he's goin crazy, and since the sex makes him feel better, it's justified-- and of course, "love, it's who you know" --i think(hope) most people don't think of love as the person but as the relationship w/ the person...this line could go as far as to reveal she's a hooker!!! (ex: weed, it's who u know...i'd say that's true!)

    ZinbobDanon June 08, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Hm I'm not positive on the meaning of this song either.. I think he's mocking people's views of love, "love, it's who you know". Maybe he feels people "love" each other by association, for who they are acquainted with.

    "my airs of madness do declare that it's ok, it's love it's what you wanted to see, it's who you wanted to be for what you needed to need, she'll make it up" Maybe he feels people put up with certain things in relationships that they shouldn't. They let the negative aspects go because "it's love" and it's "worth it". Love is something people strongly desire and they tell themselves they NEED it, when in actuality, they don't. "She'll make it up" makes it seem like their lover doesn't feel the same, but it is okay because they will "make it up" and pretend to have feelings they don't. "can i look up to you as you look down on me can i feel in to you as you felt in to me i can't help what you see" Although he's mocking other people's relationships, he admits he is stuck in a similar situation. It seems like he loves someone who may have had feelings for him in the past, but not anymore, and he is helpless.

    stumbleine881on July 13, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The thing you have to see in the smashing pumpkins is that they do have a mocking view to alot of things, and alot of these things still stay serious except with a darker tint sometimes. Take a song like "Bodies", it's talking about love but it's also talking about it in a negative way, but that doesn't mean he's not touching upon the subject of love in the song, just because there is also a negative tint to it.

    This song I think is talking about love, yes, in a mocking way to some degree but it's can still be talking about love, not neccessarily meaningless sex.

    The lyrics are in past tense: "When I lost my mind, I knew I was in for a long ride down...", meaning he's writing the song about something in his past, or thinking of love in a past tense and not neccessarily in the new and fresh atmosphere that it can often pop up in, but this song can also be thought of in the present tense, taking from past experiences. There is alot of emptiness and bitterness in this song, and I think it stems from the fact that he had a bit of a negative experience and hence the song surrounds that.

    Love has a dark and light side, and this song kind of tints it in the darker side.

    sephspinon December 05, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is awesome. It takes me right back to that good 90's vibe. Awesome dance/trance type song, it's really meaningful to me.

    UNKNOWIT88on May 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    my ex says this song reminds him of us at the moment, we still sleep together, I think we still feel love for each other but our relationship has deteriorated. Basically the sex is what makes the whole sorry situation bearable. So yeah, I think its about a sexual relationship to ease the pain of a lack of a emotional one

    ticklemeellenon August 19, 2009   Link

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