Lyric discussion by osubuckeye4 

Cover art for Violet Rays lyrics by Smashing Pumpkins, The

Definitely a song about a faithless lover, or at least questioning if a lover is being faithful or not.

I'd say there's an 80% chance at least that this is about Jessica Origliasso.

The only part of the lyrics that are a little confusing are the first couple lines:

Faithless moors Pulling up your oars From rivers I have crossed In magic no heart’s lost

Moors are generally people from North Africa... and to my knowledge Origliasso is from Australlia?

Billy probably just used the term because it rhymes with oars and fit in with the boating imagry.

I do kind of like the image of a relationship being someone traveling on a rowboat and a breakup/infidelity being the boatman pulling up the oars and not allowing travel anymore.