Cupid de Locke

     This haunting melody from the album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" by The Smashing Pumpkins has entered my playlist once again as the air has become colder, and as the use of harp has struck me, so have the lyrics. The title "Cupid de Locke" meaning Cupid of Locke is a reference to a mid-seventeenth century masque "Cupid and Death" whose score was written by composer Matthew Locke. This masque follows the characters of Cupid and Death who have accidentally mixed up their arrows. Havoc ensues as Cupid shoots and kills potential lovers and Death shoots two men in a duel and instead, they fall in love. The style and lyrical nature of this song is heavily inspired by the baroque era in which the masque was produced. 

    In addition, Corgan's lyrics mirror the tumult of this story, "Cupid hath pulled back his sweethearts bow," and "Your world will be shattered with nary a note," exemplify the unpredictable nature of love. There is a duality to the meaning of these lyrics. As Cupid pulls his bow back, we don't know whether it is his arrow or Deaths. Corgan plays into this uncertainty with the double entendre of his later lyric. The lover's worlds are shattered by this arrow, but listeners must determine if their world is shattered by tragedy or by exultation. Corgan continues to sing "The Devil may do as the Devil may care," and "Her mouth the mischief he doth seek, her heart the captive of which he speaks,". Within these lyrics, listeners wonder whether Death or "The Devil" is going to take the life of the girl or if he is in love with her. He seeks her mouth; he speaks of having her heart. The misdirection and uncertainty of these lyrics certainly add charm and intrigue to the song, contributing to its evident success. 

    The lyrics of "Cupid de Locke" explores the unpredictable nature of love, a force that can both empower and devastate, much like in "Cupid and Death". The timeless narratives reflected in both pieces truly emphasize the continuous themes of love within every life and showcase how they endure throughout history.