By Starlight
The Smashing Pumpkins (1) Lyrics


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By starlight I'll kiss you
And promise to be your one and only
I'll make you feel happy
And leave you to be lost in mine
And where will we go what will we do?
Soon said I will know
Dead eyes are you just like me?
'Cause her eyes were as vacant as the seas
Dead eyes are you just like me?
And all along we knew we'd carry on
Just to belong
By starlight I know you
As lovely as a wish granted true
My life has been empty, my life has been untrue
And does she really know, who I really am?




Does she really know me at last
Dead eyes, are you just like me?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "By Starlight" by The Smashing Pumpkins encompass a confession of love and a quest for self-discovery. The song opens with the promise of an intimate moment between two people under the starry night sky. The singer pledges to make the other person happy, but at the same time, reveal all of his own vulnerabilities, encouraging the listener to question whether they too have "dead eyes." The reference to dead eyes suggests a certain emptiness or lack of real emotion, and ultimately draws a parallel between the singer and the object of his affections.


Throughout the song, there is a sense of longing and a desire for something that has yet to be accomplished. The lyrics echo this feeling of incompleteness, as the singer wonders "what will we do?" and implores the listener to consider whether they truly understand him. The repetition of the phrase "dead eyes" serves as a reminder that everyone is capable of feeling lost and alone, despite the comfort of being in love. In the end, the song conveys a sense of hope and the promise of finding one's true self through the journey of love and self-discovery.


Line by Line Meaning

By starlight I'll kiss you
I will kiss you in the moonlight


And promise to be your one and only
I promise to be your only love


I'll make you feel happy
I will bring you joy and happiness


And leave you to be lost in mine
I will give you myself, completely


And where will we go what will we do?
We will explore the unknown future together


Soon said I will know
I will soon discover our destiny


Dead eyes are you just like me?
Do you feel the same emptiness inside?


'Cause her eyes were as vacant as the seas
Her eyes were empty, like the vast ocean


And all along we knew we'd carry on
We always knew we would continue on our journey


Just to belong
To find our place in the world


By starlight I know you
I know you under the light of the stars


As lovely as a wish granted true
You are as beautiful as a dream come true


My life has been empty, my life has been untrue
I have lived a life of sadness and unfulfillment


And does she really know, who I really am?
Does she truly understand me?


Does she really know me at last
Does she finally know the real me?


Dead eyes, are you just like me?
Are you too struggling with emptiness and loneliness?




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Corgan, William Patrick

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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