Going back a few years...

Here, you will get a glimpse into my teen years.

I first heard the Smashing Pumpkins when I was probably 14 years old. They had just released "Cherub Rock" as a single and were featured on my favorite show at that time, MTV's 120 Minutes. I used to stay up until the wee hours of the morning on Sunday nights to watch because that was the only show on MTV that played music that I cared about. I saw the video and thought that they had a cool sound. I then obtained a copy of their album Siamese Dream (either by legal means or illegal means, back then, you never knew with me) on tape. I wore it out. Then the Pumpkins blew up when "Today" came out and suddenly everyone was into them. Billy Corgan did an interview around that time (I read every magazine having to do with music back then) that I remember reading. He said that "Today" was written at a very low point in his life. He indicated that he was suicidal at the time and that song was essentially about offing himself. The lyrics are not particularly cryptic. They're not as hopeful as the first line of the song suggests. But isn't that what everyone remembers about that song? The first line?
So, imagine my surprise when I saw this:

Now, I am not going to bust on the formerly rabidly anti-sellout Billy Corgan for selling out because I believe that eventually everyone has a price. I am going to tell you that I believe that Mr. Corgan is playing an elaborate joke and is laughing every time the commercial comes on the television. I think that he saw the proposal for the commercial. Representatives from Visa told him that it is a commercial about hope and moving on with your life even amidst these tough economic times. "Mr. Corgan, can we please use your song? We feel that the message behind your song and the first line that says 'Today is the greatest day I've ever known' is what we're trying to communicate with this commercial." Billy then chuckles to himself knowing what everyone else in the world knows about that song and signs the deal.