The Everlasting Gaze by Smashing Pumpkins

Album: Machina: The Machines Of God (2000)

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After their huge success in the mid-'90s, The Pumpkins weren't too active and were somewhat forgotten. In 1999-2000, with the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, they decided to make one more album and hopefully have it be a great one. It was, with the success of this song and "Stand Inside Your Love." The line, "Ya know I'm not dead" meant the band was just as lively as they were in the previous years.

The Pumpkins did call it quits in 2000 but reunited in 2006.
This was the first song on the album to have a video, but it was not the first single - that was "Stand Inside Your Love."

Comments: 11

Guy Hd from WashingtonA inner dialogue with God, who for him, is not, as modernity suggests, dead, but also disquietly intrusive and always in his head.

"...You know I'm, you know I'm not dead
I'm just the tears inside your head
Forever waiting on the ways of your desire
You always find a way
And through it all, into us all you move
Forgotten touch, forbidden thought
We can never have enough
You know I'm not dead
We all want to hold in The Everlasting Gaze
Enchanted in the rapture of his sentimental sway
But underneath the wheels lie the skulls of every c.o.g.
The fickle fascination of an everlasting God
You know I'm not dead
I'm just living in my head"
Dewayne from EnglandGreat tune. I love the sweeping, mysterious sounding chorus. As for the meaning, I think its probably about the drawbacks of a world with an all powerful God or possibly a metaphor for the music industry.
Matt from Houston, TxActually jay, the album title gets it's roots from"deux es machina" a greek phrase that means god save the machine,meaning when a god falls from heaven the angels will come down and save it.
The video is creepy though,the song is really good, especially the bridge.
Jay from Jackson, Msthe creature screams - born again - a god machine (hence the name - machines of god)
Andres from Deltona, FlThis song is good, whats poor is the Video for this song!
The video is TERRIBLE!
If your not a pumpkins fan I urge you to stay away from the video in fear that you might be turned off by it.
Tim from Los Angeles, CaIt sounds to me like a Machine or tool of God (Satan)that does not like him and is waiting for his time and seems dead and defeated, but will forever be present in his head and the hearts and minds of Man. The rant at the end seems like his way to tell the world to wise up and that Christianity is a fairytale,("the fickle fascination of an everlasing God") and that God is almost using Man("but underneath the wheels are the skulls of every C.O.G."(Child of God), yet he is controlled by God.("forever awaiting a cruel death").
Dave from Duvolle, OhThis as well as every other Pumpkin song is in itself emotion expressed through sound. The Smashing Pumpkins have no poor, or bad songs, simply one song may not be connecting with your emotion at the time. But theres no need for name calling with time understanding and placement of the song in the mind will be made. The Pumpkins are marvelous
Alexandra from Pico Rivera, CaHUH....THAT'S REALLY WEIRD THAT U GUYS SAY IT'S A POOR SONG 4 THE PUMPKINS CZ I REALLY LIKE IT.
Derek from Qld, AustraliaI don't mind this song at all. I always seen it as a bit of tongue in cheek towards stardom - especially in the rant: "we all want to hold in the everlasting gaze, enchanted by the rapture of his sentimental sways, but underneath the wheels are the skulls of every cog, the fickle fascination of an everlasting god. you know i'm not dead". I read once that "cog" stands for Child Of God.
John from Raleigh, NcYeah, not a very stellar song.
Jess from Springfeild, IlThis is a poor song, for the pumpkins.

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