In "Black Stars," The Smashing Pumpkins wander a decaying town where youth has fled and old grief still clings to the tombs. The repeated plea to stay near and cast a spell suggests a desperate need to keep love or memory alive amid ruin. Black stars become the strange light of that devotion, beautiful but unnatural, while chartreuse eyes and whitewashed tears turn love into something serpentine and doubtful. The song lingers in the ache of holding on where everything else has gone dead or alone.
Black Stars Lyrics by The Smashing Pumpkins
The town and the tombs, a touch of ruin
Where nobody young is staying so foolish
And right where we lied, and cried so ghoulish as all
Wherever we go
Stay near
Casting our spell
Catacombs
Unknown unknowns
Dead or alone
The town and the tombs, a touch of ruin
Where nobody young is staying so foolish
And right where we lied, and cried so ghoulish as all
I know you’re out there
Forgotten ways once mine
And someday soon
You’ll stand here
Bathed in black stars
Bathed in black stars
Catacombs
Unknown unknowns
Dead or alone
The town and the tombs, a touch of ruin
Where nobody young is staying so foolish
And right where we lied, and cried so ghoulish as all
Wherever we go
Stay near
Casting our spell
Chartreuse eyes spill whitewashed tears
Born of love
Lackluster psalms make serpentine years
Born of love
Surrender serpent doubt
The town and the tombs, a touch of ruin
Nobody young is staying so foolish
And right where we lied and cried so ghoulish as all
Wherever we go
Wherever we go
Ooh
Bathed in black stars
Ooh
Bathed in black stars
Casting our spells
