What are the best/essential Smashing Pumpkins tracks?

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (130 of them)
1979 and that batman song.

ah, but is it the FAST or the SLOW batman song?

thank you K (x-post)

joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Sunday, 19 June 2005 13:04 (eighteen years ago) link

"Bullet with Butterfly Wings"

best? essential? ... more like a litmus test.

If you can even stand it a _little_ bit, you'll probably adore the Pumps. If not, well unfortunately many other songs by them are equally afflicted with this godawful nasal whinge & whine.

hatorade!!!!!!, Sunday, 19 June 2005 13:25 (eighteen years ago) link

the one that goes "Stay with me I'll set you free" on the 1979 single

Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:10 (eighteen years ago) link

I think "shame" is the best song they ever did.

kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link

Pissant
Soma
Siva
Whir
Bodies
Starla
Today
Rocket
Silverfuck
Set The Ray To Jerry

Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:38 (eighteen years ago) link

I find I like the bombast and the production, but his voice is so thin--that's the only part that keeps me from really loving them 100%. I wish they had another vocalist.

I like the actual music, though, with the exception of the song Today, which is too Paul McCartney-esque in its sentiment for me to take seriously. Cherub Rock reminds me of a Heatmiser Song; I like Heatmiser, but I didn't like Cherub Rock.

The theatricality of Silverfuck, and the heavier stuff, which I like much better, reminds me of Alice Cooper's Welcome to my Nightmare album. Not sound-wise, but in the sense of the dramatic, the story-telling. Bullet w/ Buttterfly Wings was another one I really liked. I love the Zeppelin-heavy stuff--thanks for pointing me in the right direciton, all!

Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:48 (eighteen years ago) link

The one where he appears to be singing "in sodomy and such a part of you" and "in his bum" and "I used to need a little boy" and "tequila in me and tequila in you". Disarm.

Hahahahahhahaha oh my god, I will never hear this song the same way again.

Roz (Roz), Sunday, 19 June 2005 18:56 (eighteen years ago) link

Coincidentally, I just bought the new Billy Corgan CD

Wait, I thought it wasn't out for two more days...

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Set the Ray to Jerry is indeed a very nice one (I'm still making my way though these)

Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Starla is the perfect thing for my psych-loving self! Great song!

Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:38 (eighteen years ago) link

None of them, of course.

Ismael, Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:50 (eighteen years ago) link

Ismael's right. It's a trick question.

Stoner Guy, Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:52 (eighteen years ago) link

You two are fun little people.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:34 (eighteen years ago) link

I like the actual music, though, with the exception of the song Today, which is too Paul McCartney-esque in its sentiment for me to take seriously. Cherub Rock reminds me of a Heatmiser Song; I like Heatmiser, but I didn't like Cherub Rock.

The theatricality of Silverfuck, and the heavier stuff, which I like much better

Try this live version of Today. Far less prissy.
http://s30.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0TPFP11M142Y11SG0QX8E1MKNP

btw, try Bodies, XYU, Zero, or Where Boys Fear To Tread if you like heavy.

Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:56 (eighteen years ago) link

Billy really should sing with a little more vibrato and a little less downward pitch-diving.

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 22:18 (eighteen years ago) link

If you like the psych Zep guitarzz, check out some Gish tracks, especially "Bury Me."

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 22:20 (eighteen years ago) link

gotta put the 2 cents in---
seek-
drown
STARLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
siamese dream (yes, the song)
window paine
frail n' bedazzeled
XYU!!!!!!!
jackboot (lol)
heavy metal machine (live only)
blue skies bring tears (alt. Machina 2 version, the speed version)

destroy-
adore.all of it.and most of machina.any iha song.

eedd, Sunday, 19 June 2005 23:11 (eighteen years ago) link

Your last line is the product of demons.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 23:12 (eighteen years ago) link

nay, sir.
tis not.
i merely can not(but did try) get into adore. many have argued, none have won. for me it very easily the point where i say the true decline began...even corgan admits it was a blunder and a fluke.

as for machina, well, all i gots to say is-Machina 2=the real rawk.

c'mon, iha's songs all sounded too sappy- blew away, the boy,etc.=ick.

eedd, Monday, 20 June 2005 02:37 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, "Home" off of Machina 2 is a great great lost song.

PB, Monday, 20 June 2005 02:53 (eighteen years ago) link

Frail and Bedazzled is fantastic. I'd also second Hello Kitty Kat, Pissant, and Geek USA.

Pisces Iscariot is their best, I say.

cdwill, Monday, 20 June 2005 03:43 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...
1979 is the obvious pick - great songwriting by billy corgan
i love age of innocence as well - in fact i DO like machina
by the way, did you know the Pumpkins were reforming ?

El carnal, Sunday, 28 August 2005 17:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Astounding lack of love here for the never-equalled "Rhinoceros," an easy OPO for me: the big washy epic buzz of their later stuff, with an admirable mystery that some of their later songs boringly dispel. "Rhinoceros" = SP's "Radio Free Europe" as against _Mellon Collie_ = SP's still-worthwhile but more direct and concomitantly less interesting _Automatic for the People_.

Guayaquil, Sunday, 28 August 2005 19:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Machina is vastly underrated, these are all classic:

"The Everlasting Gaze"
"Raindrops and Sunshowers"
"Stand Inside Your Love"
"Try Try Try"
"Heavy Metal Machine"
"Wound"

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Sunday, 28 August 2005 19:51 (eighteen years ago) link

maybe im i'm the only one but i'm pretty fond of "ode to no one" as far as rockin' pumpkins goes. anyone else...?

coil my, Monday, 29 August 2005 04:37 (eighteen years ago) link

It's a fine one...

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 04:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Secret favorite low-key Pumpkins tracks -- "Set the Ray to Jerry" and "Shame

Amen. "Set the Ray..." in particular.

Also:

"Soma"
"I am one"
"Rhinoceros"
"Glynis"
"Hummer"
"Stand inside your Love"
"Everlasting Gaze"
"Landslide"
"Mayonnaise"

One of the best bands in the world to be 16 years-old to. All the drama, exaggerated self-importance, angst and wide-eyed innocence you could ever want in one convenient package.

J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 29 August 2005 05:30 (eighteen years ago) link

mayonaise
snail
silverfuck
sweet sweet
drown [their best song ever]

stevie (stevie), Monday, 29 August 2005 09:51 (eighteen years ago) link

nb the live version of 'silverfuck' recorded at brixton academy, 1993(4?) and on the viewphioria video/cd captures the *exact moment i realised corgan/the pumpkins were totally full of shit

stevie (stevie), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:04 (eighteen years ago) link

ie i was at that show, and they never needed to cover 'over the rainbow', ever.

stevie (stevie), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:04 (eighteen years ago) link

Instead, it needed to be "The Sound of Music."

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:40 (eighteen years ago) link

Said Sadly
Mouths of Babes
My Blue Heaven (a cover, but still wicked)
Mayonnaise
Zero
Eye
Ava Adore

Erock Lazron, Monday, 29 August 2005 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link

alright, i'm gonna have to say it, Machina just wasn't made right. the production kills that album, whereas Adore the production's so slick, it's too glossy. i know, some people would say that about EVERY SP release, but, the only trks off Adore i can even listen to are the singles, and that's after years of trying. Machina...well...i'll just pop it on every so often just to skip around and finally put in Machina II:FaEoMM. it rips the skin off Machina and makes it do push ups in vinegar!

other tracks to seek, not destroy---
Apathy's Last Kiss
Bullet Train to Osaka
La Dolly Vita
Plume
Smiley
Groover (Gravity Demo)
Razor (never recorded, but played live '90/91 era)
Try to Try (not to be confused w/ TryTryTry, another '90/91 era live)

MOuths of Babes is certainly a GREAT b-side, as is Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right).

it's a shame they never recorded some of the stuff they'd do live (Rattler/Razor/Try to Try).

Eye would get honorable mention.

eedd, Monday, 29 August 2005 18:56 (eighteen years ago) link

alright, i'm gonna have to say it, Machina just wasn't made right. the production kills that album, whereas Adore the production's so slick, it's too glossy. i know, some people would say that about EVERY SP release, but, the only trks off Adore i can even listen to are the singles, and that's after years of trying. Machina...well...i'll just pop it on every so often just to skip around and finally put in Machina II:FaEoMM. it rips the skin off Machina and makes it do push ups in vinegar!

other tracks to seek, not destroy---
Apathy's Last Kiss
Bullet Train to Osaka
La Dolly Vita
Plume
Smiley
Groover (Gravity Demo)
Razor (never recorded, but played live '90/91 era)
Try to Try (not to be confused w/ TryTryTry, another '90/91 era live)

MOuths of Babes is certainly a GREAT b-side, as is Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right).

it's a shame they never recorded some of the stuff they'd do live (Rattler/Razor/Try to Try).

Eye would get honorable mention.As would the cover of "Dancing In the Moonlight"

eedd, Monday, 29 August 2005 18:57 (eighteen years ago) link

ACK!
double post!!!
mod, please erase 1st.

eedd, Monday, 29 August 2005 19:00 (eighteen years ago) link

I think the production on Machina is perfect!

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 29 August 2005 19:53 (eighteen years ago) link

It's lush, that stuff. Even/especially at its loudest.

"Heavy metal, heavy metal machine, so sentimental..."

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 19:58 (eighteen years ago) link

Highlights for me are the guitar 'crunch' on "Everlasting Gaze", the (actual) Peter Hook bass on "Raindrops and Sunshowers", and the patented Pumpkins whisper-to-a-scream transitions in "Stand inside your Love" which is kind of "Tonight, Tonight" part 2.

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 29 August 2005 20:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Man, now I need to listen to the album again, it's been a bit.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 20:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh yes, and cheers for the video to "Stand Inside Your Love" being the ultimate Aubrey Beardsley tribute.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 20:42 (eighteen years ago) link

"Essential", don't make me laugh. 'Cherub Rock', 'Geek USA', 'Tonight Tonight' and 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' rock convincingly enough, but (like the rest of the band's catalog) they'd all be better if Billy Corgan kept his mewling mouth shut.

Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 03:12 (eighteen years ago) link

Thank you for this truly unique observation, which I have never heard before.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 03:16 (eighteen years ago) link

In my long-lasting quest to prove that Billy Corgan is probably a fun guy to be around, I present: (Hi Ned!)

ihttp://www.whatevs.org/images/dailypics/0903/bozo_billy.jpg

haters gotta recognize...

John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 05:56 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, for fucks sake...

http://metalmachine.free.fr/billybozo.jpg

John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:07 (eighteen years ago) link

I like Smashing Pumpkins, but I'd bet that Billy wouldn't be all that much fun to hang out with. However, the fact that he'd probably annoy the crap out of me in real life takes nothing away from the stunning body of work that he has bequeathed to the world. Hell, I think that a significant percentage of my favourite artists would probably fit in the same category. Perry Farrell immediately comes to mind.

J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Actually, I heard an extensive interview he did with Howard Stern and he seemed very good humored and likeable!

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:24 (eighteen years ago) link

And yes Ned, love the "Stand Inside Your Love" video!

Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:25 (eighteen years ago) link

If you hold hands with Bozo, the whole world smiles with you...

John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:45 (eighteen years ago) link

My POX selection:

- Through the eyes of Ruby
- Obscured
- Hummer
- Silverfuck
- Starla
- Apathy's Last Kiss
- Bullet w/ Butterfly Wings
- The Aeroplane Flies High (looks left, turns right)
- Rhinoceros
- Where Boys Fear To Tread

but it's all great...

JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 15:24 (eighteen years ago) link

i dunno, Machina always sounds 'murky' to me, well, most of it.
Stand Inside Your Love and Heavy Metal Machine and even Everlasting Gaze seem to be almost exempt, but even HMM gets a coating of 'murk' on it. it's like the low-end is cast off to put more high on...i don't dig that.
production wise, it's hard to top Siamese or even Mellon Collie.

it's all subjective, i suppose. i've spent way too much time disecting this band...

eedd, Tuesday, 30 August 2005 16:34 (eighteen years ago) link

autumn nocturne
valentine
wishing you were real
soot & stars
so very sad about us

I thought I was a relative SP completist but I have no idea what any of these are!

the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Sunday, 4 October 2015 03:53 (eight years ago) link

"Annie-Dog" from ADORE is a stunner.
"Obscured"
"Cash Car Star"
"The Aeroplane Flies High"
"Age of Innocence"
"Pissant"

beamish13, Sunday, 4 October 2015 05:42 (eight years ago) link

Let Me Give the World to You

hhoffman, Sunday, 4 October 2015 09:13 (eight years ago) link

siva
cherub rock
geek usa
1979
appels + oranjes
whir
hello kitty kat
obscured
starla
eye

hey wow that makes ten

brimstead, Sunday, 4 October 2015 22:19 (eight years ago) link

i tried, i really tried, but for me this is an all-SD and MCIS list...

01 Mayonaise (my one must-have pick)
02 Thru the Eyes of Ruby
03 Rocket
04 Cupid de Locke
04 Cherub Rock
05 Where Boys Fear To Tread
06 Tonight, Tonight
07 Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
08 Silverfuck
09 1979
10 Muzzle

This is definitely a "best" rather than a "sampler" list - maybe not showing all the things they did well or tried to do, but w/e. There's tons of stuff I like or love on Gish and Adore and even Machina but if I'm honest with myself about what I'd absolutely have to save from this band if the earth caught fire, this is it. Sturm und drang and the wash of inchoate rage and romantic disaster against the voice of Billy Corgan, hopeful little dreamboy amongst the flowers. The best psychedelia of the 90s? The fucking weirdest guitar rock albums to sell millions and millions of copies to however many equally wide-eyed and secretly precious teenage souls? God this was a great band in its day.

Gorefest Frump (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:27 (eight years ago) link

Rhinoceros
Mayonnaise (despite my aversion condiment)
Soma
Drown

A few years ago I realized this was all the SD I needed.

the cuddling of the american behind (how's life), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:56 (eight years ago) link

SP

the cuddling of the american behind (how's life), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:56 (eight years ago) link

i kind of want to make a mix editing together a bunch of billy's guitar solos, pastichio medley style

brimstead, Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:57 (eight years ago) link

I thought I was a relative SP completist but I have no idea what any of these are!

"soot and stars" is a machina b-side, a relatively pretty piano ballad. it was on that b-side collection they included with some copies of the greatest hits. the others iirc are on various demo comps. "autumn nocturne" is a hilarious pick for "essential" sp

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:58 (eight years ago) link

i kind of want to make a mix editing together a bunch of billy's guitar solos, pastichio medley style

― brimstead, Thursday, October 8, 2015 2:57 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yes! this is the first one that came to mind-

2:12 to 2:38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzBVvD1vUvM

flappy bird, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:01 (eight years ago) link

2:20 to 2:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbPCMoAFHAg

flappy bird, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:02 (eight years ago) link

nice

brimstead, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:10 (eight years ago) link

i have signed up to do the Smashing Pumpkins poll and it will be more than 20 picks.

so in about 3 years...

Bee OK, Friday, 9 October 2015 06:07 (eight years ago) link


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.