Here's to the Atom Bomb (Machina II)

Billy, I think, was really ...bitter... with the female race by the time Machina (and subsequently Machina II) came about. Years of having his heart cut open probably brought about a pleasant combination of anger, sadness, desperation, and desire for vengeance in him. Hence the concept of this song and many other late Pumpkins songs--the mysterious, beautiful (but heartless) girl who tears out (in this case, Billy's) heart, and yet, Billy can't stop feeling these emotions for her. As the lyrics to this song go:

Into the bed you hang your sling To watch your man as he seeks relief You cut out his heart and watch him die So we can know you, and that you're alive

If those lyrics don't spell out Billy's message, then listen to the song a few times. As a guy, I have definitely seen the world through Billy's eyes more than once. And having your heart ripped out hurts worse than anything you could imagine. As I am sure most of you know.

This is an amazing song. Why doesn't it have more comments?

i love this song, its pretty interesting to me...

this seems like a compelation of romantic trageties by william shakesphere. Horatio is a character in hamlet, and in a Midsummer night's dream in the begining a character must play a wall because two lovers communicated through a hole in a wall.

The original song is on Judas O (the disk with Rotten Apples) and I think it could be in TAFH, but I'm really not sure.

I used to really love this song (the original version).. I cant quite put my finger on why. The repetition maybe.. I could associate with it- 'A little piece of heaven is all you seek/ from the same old re-run week after week'

I found out where to find the original version of this song.

It was originally on the Try, Try, Try single, but you can also find it on Judas O and possibly the Untitled single.

I am pretty sure the official name of this song is Atom Bomb, so as to differentiate it from "Here's to the Atom Bomb." Its about love coming to a tragic yet somehow not a totally disasterous end end. Billy at least seems to have made his peace with it.The song is very passive, doesn't have any angry chords or lyrics which Billy so often throws in when he wants to get that sort of point through.

I've been doing some thinking, I think I might get the last verse.

"and sons that cry" The girl may have gotten pregnant.

"to the night of the dead and the wishing ghost beating on you to drain morose " The girl begins to wish she had lead her life differently, the "wishing ghost" is an image describing her desire for a different life.

As for the holes in the wall, Billy begins by saying the girl snuck out to sleep with guys "like a hole in the wall". Then, she uses guys maliciously and selfishly, making her the hole in the wall. Afterwards, the girl goes on with her life, possibly with a bunch of illegitemate kids, and Billy calls all of us the holes in the wall. I think, by the end of the song, Billy has begun to sympathize with the girl he is describing in the song, because her life sucks. The holes in the wall might be a greater metaphor about the human condition and how we must always make ourselves suffer. The image of a hole in the wall makes me think of urban decay, something ugly with the foundation of a building. Maybe he means that people always make themselves suffer, like a hole in a wall. Or something like that hah.

I agree with most of the previous writers.

One line that wasn't really touched: In saturnine, sweetness, and horatio fin -Saturnine means gloomy or gloominess. It's describing her emotions as she is having sex; there is sweetness and depression at the same time. I believe Horatio Fin could be the man she is having sex with. I have not come up with any other idea.

The Holes in The Wall -When there are holes in a wall, it is not in great condition and it is not perfect. Like an atom bomb devastating lands, similarly the holes are problems, so to speak. The girl is described as the "Hole in the wall" at times, which maybe implying that she is demented and crazy. "We are the holes in the wall". We are not perfect.

Perhaps the "hole in the wall" description of the woman in question, is meant as a belittling sexual metaphor (basically, she's a slut). Y'know, basically like saying she's vacant & superficial to the point of being like wallpaper (in terms of depth of character), and therefore is as good as dead inside. Also, maybe by the end, all of her 'victims', have become just as hollow as her (due to her treatment of them), and thus, he refers to them also as, "holes in the wall". Maybe this sentiment is also reflected in the music, being as lethargic and nonchalant as it is.

Dunno, just a thought/interpretation. And I have to say, I do like it ...