Today – English Lyrics

• By: The Smashing Pumpkins
• Album: Greatest Hits

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into The Smashing Pumpkins' iconic 1993 hit, "Today," a seemingly upbeat track with a profound, ironic depth. This song masterfully blends contrasting emotions, making it a powerful vehicle for exploring nuanced English vocabulary related to feelings and resilience. Its dynamic shifts from quiet introspection to explosive rock allow for appreciation of both lyrical subtlety and energetic expression, making it a captivating and educational listen for language learners.

[English]

(GENTLE UPBEAT MUSIC)

(GENTLE UPBEAT MUSIC)

- [CHILD] CAN WE HAVE AN ICE CREAM CONE?

- [CHILD] CAN WE HAVE AN ICE?

(GENTLE UPBEAT MUSIC)

(UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC)

♪ TODAY IS THE GREATEST ♪

♪ DAY I'VE EVER KNOWN ♪

♪ CAN'T LIVE FOR TOMORROW ♪

♪ TOMORROW'S MUCH TOO LONG ♪

♪ I'LL BURN MY EYES OUT ♪

♪ BEFORE I GET OUT ♪

♪ I WANTED MORE ♪

♪ THAN LIFE COULD EVER GRANT ME ♪

♪ BORED BY THE CHORE ♪

♪ OF SAVING FACE ♪

♪ TODAY IS THE GREATEST ♪

♪ DAY I'VE EVER KNOWN ♪

♪ CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW ♪

♪ I MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT LONG ♪

♪ I'LL TEAR MY HEART OUT ♪

♪ BEFORE I GET OUT ♪

♪ PINK RIBBON SCARS ♪

♪ THAT NEVER FORGET ♪

♪ I TRIED SO HARD ♪

♪ TO CLEANSE THESE REGRETS ♪

♪ MY ANGEL WINGS ♪

♪ WERE BRUISED AND RESTRAINED ♪

♪ MY BELLY STINGS ♪

♪ TODAY IS ♪

♪ TODAY IS ♪

♪ TODAY IS ♪

♪ THE GREATEST DAY ♪

♪ I WANT TO TURN YOU ON ♪

♪ I WANT TO TURN YOU ON ♪

♪ I WANT TO TURN YOU ON ♪

♪ I WANT TO TURN YOU ♪

♪ TODAY IS THE GREATEST ♪

♪ TODAY IS THE GREATEST DAY ♪

♪ TODAY IS THE GREATEST DAY ♪

♪ THAT I HAVE EVER REALLY KNOWN ♪

[ENGINE NOISE]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
live /lɪv/ A2	verb - to be alive; to exist
know /noʊ/ A2	verb - to have information or understanding about something
burn /bɜrn/ B1	verb - to be on fire; to destroy by fire
get /ɡɛt/ A2	verb - to obtain, receive, or become
long /lɔːŋ/ A2	adjective - having a great extent from end to end
tear /tɪər/ B2	verb - to rip or make a hole in something
regret /rɪˈɡrɛt/ B2	noun - a feeling of sadness or disappointment about something that happened verb - to feel sad about something
bruised /ˈbruːzd/ C1	adjective - having a mark on the skin caused by injury
restrained /rɪˈstreɪnd/ C1	adjective - controlled or restricted
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ B2	verb - to want to know about something
know /noʊ/ A2	verb - to have information or understanding about something

Key Grammar Structures

• TODAY IS THE GREATEST DAY I'VE EVER KNOWN

  ➔ Present Perfect Tense ('I've known')

  ➔ Use of the present perfect tense to express an experience that happened at some point in the speaker's life. The implication is that this day is greater than all other days experienced up to now. "I've" is a contraction of "I have".

• CAN'T LIVE FOR TOMORROW, TOMORROW'S MUCH TOO LONG

  ➔ Modal verb 'can't' (negative ability/possibility)

  ➔ 'Can't' expresses an inability or unwillingness to live for the future. "Tomorrow's" is a contraction of "tomorrow is" and uses an apostrophe to indicate possession (belonging to tomorrow - the length of it).

• I'LL BURN MY EYES OUT BEFORE I GET OUT

  ➔ Future Simple ('I'll burn') with a Time Clause ('before I get out')

  ➔ Expresses a future action ('I'll burn') that will happen before another event occurs ('I get out'). "I'll" is a contraction of "I will". The time clause uses the present simple tense even though it refers to the future.

• I WANTED MORE THAN LIFE COULD EVER GRANT ME

  ➔ Past Simple ('wanted') with a relative clause using a modal verb ('could grant')

  ➔ Expresses a past desire ('wanted') that was greater than what life was able to provide. 'Could grant' is used to express a possibility or capability in the past.

• I'LL TEAR MY HEART OUT BEFORE I GET OUT

  ➔ Future Simple ('I'll tear') with a Time Clause ('before I get out')

  ➔ Expresses a future action ('I'll tear') that will happen before another event occurs ('I get out'). "I'll" is a contraction of "I will". The time clause uses the present simple tense even though it refers to the future.

• PINK RIBBON SCARS THAT NEVER FORGET

  ➔ Relative Clause ('that never forget') modifying 'scars'

  ➔ The relative clause 'that never forget' describes the scars. 'That' introduces the clause and acts as the subject within the clause. 'Never forget' is present simple, implying a continuous state.