Lyric discussion by dross82 

Cover art for This Time lyrics by Smashing Pumpkins, The

To me this song signifies the defeat of true love in the face of circumstance. It says to me that, when you're in love, you believe in it completely...and you believe that you can beat the odds and that lasting love has found you. But then when "the spell is broken", you really "must be told" and hear it be said out loud because you can't believe it's gone.

But lyrics like "crashing down again" and "only love can win" seem to say that even though you thought this would be the one, you've got to keep trying and that you may lose and love many more times.

It seems that the protagonist wanted this to be the one, and will forever feel sorrow for this loss but realizes the reality that there's nothing they can do to bring back the way it was.