Faith lies in
The ways of sin
I chased the charmed
But I don't want them anymore

And in their eyes I was alive
A fool's disguise
Take me away from you

Shame my tongue
Fat with promise all along
But when I woke up from that sleep
I was happier than I'd ever been

When you decide
That your life is a prize
Renew and revive
It's alright honey
It's alright, yeah

Happiness will make you wonder
Will I feel OK?
It scares the disenchanted
Far away

Yeah I want something new
But what am I supposed to do about you
Yeah I love you, it's true

Life's a bummer
When you're a hummer
Life's a drag

Ask yourself a question
Anyone but me
I ain't free

Ask yourself a question
Anyone but me
I ain't free

Do you feel
Love is real?



Lyrics submitted by dsfire

Track duration: 06:56


Hummer song meanings
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81 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:i am liking all these insights. being a hummer to me is how you sidle up on happy and popular people, but are just a hummer, a stand by in the spotlight of them, you hum along.... Life's a bummer when your a hummer. No recognition for your unique spirit. But the ultimate thing in this song is "love". Do you feel that it is real? your love? great song.
    Flag Ahourstoryon September 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I should have said that comment was by existentialredhead, that was pretty retarded.
    Flag richeyeon July 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:'However, I'm probably overanalyzing it:). I'm sure Billy didn't write it with all this existential garbage in mind, but that's what it's always been to me.'

    I'd like to think Billy did write it with all that 'existential garbage' in mind, I thought that was a great interpretation. Or maybe you've just articulated how I feel right now; either way, it was well put :)
    Flag richeyeon July 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:The pleasures of conformity is a Fool's Disguise. This song is about James Iha finding God and then going back to being an asshole BECAUSE of a relationship (likely with cocaine). When James appears to be falling back into his hole of SIN, the UNENCHANTED (Believers of God) are SCARED because they love James.
    Flag collectivesoulon March 25, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think "hummer" comes from "hum". In the part of:

    Life's a bummer
    When you're a hummer
    Life's a drag

    For me it means: "Life sucks when you don't do things right, when you just hum stead of sing, then live becomes hard

    The whole song it's about being in a love relationship, finding out that it's untrue and looking for changing. But at the end, you don't to hurt anyone so you star thinking "But what am I supposed to do about you". You asked her "have you ever loved anyone? (Ask yourself a question= I asked yourself a question) and you get a "Anyone but you" then you know you Aint free cause she really loves you, even-though you don't. Indeed, you're in love of someone else "Happiness will make you wonder Will I feel OK?" you're alredy thinking of someone else, even dreaming with that person "But when I woke up from that sleep I was happier than I'd ever been"
    Flag Dioshafaton January 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Hummer is the idea that life is not designed for those who are cheerful, whistling, daydreamers, (but) designed to be cruel and mean." Billy Corgan (1993)


    That actually makes a lot of sense. Sometimes I find it easier to draw off the negative aspects of my life when I need something to keep me moving forward. It's almost like Corgan is saying that experiencing the bad things in life is the real gift of living, not being a content individual all the time. It can't be sunny everyday. It's all about the ups and downs, folks.
    Flagged CMan0928on August 22, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:"i chased the charmed"
    = going after that which is appealing
    "but i don't want them anymore..."

    "And in their eyes I was alive
    A fool’s disguise
    Take me away from you."
    = (you) is the charmed...and what is causing the feeling of not being alive, which needs to be escaped from.. alas, they are charmed

    "Shame my tongue,
    Fat with promise all along.
    But when I woke up from that sleep,
    I was happier than I’d ever been
    = denial/not knowing what to do because they are being charmed. yet, when they finally realize their denial they are happy

    "When you decide
    That your life is a prize
    Renew and revive"
    = when you see how important your life is, do something to help yourself

    "Happiness will make you wonder...
    Will I feel ok?
    It scares the disenchanted
    Far away"
    = am i going to be alright without you?
    if i stay with you it won't be any good either

    "Yeah... I want something new.
    But what am I supposed to do about you??
    Yeah, I love you, it's true"
    = i need this, but i can't just let you go, i love you.

    "Life’s a bummer
    when you’re a hummer...
    life’s a drag"
    i'm guessing being a hummer is sitting on the fence, finding it hard to decide on right/wrong/love

    "Ask yourself a question,
    Anyone but me...
    I ain’t free
    Do you feel
    Love is real?"
    = is love real and is this what is making it all so difficult? you answer, cause i'm too confused
    Flag Floyd67on July 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Do you even know anything about Pumpkins? Homosexuality? Are you kidding? Isn't this site supposed to explain in the best way possibile the meaning of songs? Half of the comments in here are absolutely ridiculous... fantasies without the slightest glimpse of truth whatsoever. Hummer is about the girl he was living with, his future wife. Fuck me.
    Flag yamazon November 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, it's about freeing yourself of all outside influences and bias and living as the true essence of yourself. In the first verse, he speaks of how he used to chase after the people who seemed happy all the time, even though they may have been lying to themselves or not really living at all. He seemed "alive" in everyone else's eyes, because he still lived the way they had taught him to (dependent on others), but when he "woke up from that sleep", i.e., he gave up relying on others as a source of happiness, he was able to live life as full as he could and learn to exist only as himself and nothing else of the outside world. HOWEVER, there is a conflict in the second part of the song - he is in love, which is tying him to the world he used to live in, and he knows that he can never be free so long as he is under the influence of someone else. In conclusion, I think Hummer is a conflict between absolute freedom (what he dreams of) and the completely "real" feelings of love (what he is) and our inborn failure to truly break away from everything we know. However, I'm probably overanalyzing it:). I'm sure Billy didn't write it with all this existential garbage in mind, but that's what it's always been to me.
    Flag existentialredheadon August 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The first five verses are sarcastic truths about life and feeling unjustly ostracized by your views on reality.

    The last five verses are sarcastic truths about love and feelings of disconnection with women in general because of opposing views on reality.

    Also I think the title is using slang as a sarcastic metaphor about materialism/ as well a sexual euphemism

    Also I think that verses 8 & 9 should be properly read like this:

    Ask yourself a question
    Anyone but me
    Are you free?

    Ask yourself a question
    Anyone but me
    I ain't free
    Flag STEADYtilton June 17, 2010   Link

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