What are the best/essential Smashing Pumpkins tracks?

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I managed to live my entire adult life without ever hearing a SINGLE song by these people. Not one. I saw all the press of course, and heard all the hoopla, but I was into other things and the music passed me by.

What are the essential tracks for giving these guys a chance?

― Orbit (Orbit), Saturday, 18 June 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

Today
Silverfuck
Love
Pug
Once Upon a Time
Muzzle
Eye
Bury Me
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Stand Inside Your Love
Pennies
Mayonaise
Rocket
Ava Adore
Tonight, Tonight

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Saturday, 18 June 2005 18:46 (twenty years ago)

"Cherub Rock"
"1979"
"Hummer" (or is it "Mayonnaise" that has the sorta-MBVish thing going on)
"Tristessa"
"Rhinocerus"

hmmmm

― donut e-goo (donut), Saturday, 18 June 2005 18:46 (twenty years ago)

Hmm. This sounds like a PO5 or so...ok: Soma, Cherub Rock, Eye, Ava Adore, Stand Inside Your Love. Not neccessarily my favorites, just an overview... The next 5 would be Disarm, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Lily, the Never Let Me Down cover, the Landslide cover.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Saturday, 18 June 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)

"1979"'s probably the best (it's the 'i hate this band but i love this song' selection) but it's a bit atypical. if i was aiming for quality and typicality i'd suggest "today" or maybe "cherub rock".

― j blount (papa la bas), Saturday, 18 June 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

OK, I listened to 1979 first because more than one person mentioned it. It's not bad. Nice riffage, pleasant melody.

― Orbit (Orbit), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

Well, one part of blount's comment is holding true so far.. let's await the orbit verdict on the rest.

― donut e-goo (donut), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

haha!

― Orbit (Orbit), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:11 (twenty years ago)

All suggestions above apply and are accurate.

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

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

OK, if the rest of it is like Silverfuck, I'm converted!

― Orbit (Orbit), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

"Silverfuck" is definitely them in their most grandiose/epic mode. A twenty-five minute version was the last song they ever played. Similar songs like that, though not as balanced between dark and light, say, would be "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans," "Starla" and "XYU." (The first two are more dreamy, the latter more "ARRRRRRGH AND FUCK YOU TOO!" in intent.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

ned what was the one about superman? "you will be saafe with meee" or something like that?

― j blount (papa la bas), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:21 (twenty years ago)

Hmm...only vaguely ringing a bell (but I probably know it anyway, you know me and lyrics).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

i think i somehow conflated two our lady peace songs there

― j blount (papa la bas), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:26 (twenty years ago)

Seriously. Just buy Siamese Dream and call it a day.

Everything before was underdeveloped and everthing after that was bloated.

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

obvious ones:

Siva
Cherub Rock
Disarm
Rocket
Silverfuck
1979
Thirty-Three
Perfect

under the radar-ish but quite worth it:

Whir
Hummer
Pennies
Set the Ray to Jerry
Pug
Silverfuck (especially live versions with snippets of "Over The Rainbow")

― PB, Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:30 (twenty years ago)

Glynis

― AdrianB (AdrianB), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:55 (twenty years ago)

Ah, seconded. That song's a rare gem -- written about a member of Red Red Heat who died of AIDS and included on No Alternative comp; stands very well on its own but the circumstances behind it do lend an extra sad bite to the song.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 June 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

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.

(I'm not kidding, I'm still not convinced he's not singing "in his bum", even though I'm seeing the lyrics right in front of me)

― StanM, Saturday, 18 June 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

hahaha "tequila in me and tequila in you" omg

― j blount (papa la bas), Saturday, 18 June 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

"I send this lime over to you."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 June 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

SOMA

(and "Hummer" of course)

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 18 June 2005 20:29 (twenty years ago)

(Coincidentally, I just bought the new Billy Corgan CD.)

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 18 June 2005 20:30 (twenty years ago)

MAYONAISE MAYONAISE MAYONAISE MAYONAISE MAYONAISE

― - (smile), Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

Soma!
Starla!
Obscured!
Whir!
Here Is No Why!
Drown!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:48 (twenty years ago)

The essential album is Pisces Iscariot and don't let ANYBODY TELL YOU OTHERWISE!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

Bye June!
and I'm quite partial to Eye.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

Hello Kitty Kat!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

hahaha in a weird way the essential album is pisces iscariot.

― j blount (papa la bas), Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

My walking out the door, top of my head POX:

Drown
Cherub Rock
Silverfuck
Stand Inside Your Love
Love
Rocket
Daphne Descends
Perfect
Bodies
Thirty-Three

The essential album is Pisces Iscariot and don't let ANYBODY TELL YOU OTHERWISE!

I don't know why I don't listen to this album more often.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 19 June 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

"Cupid De Locke" is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded.

If I had to recommend one, that would be it. It's the one I rank the highest for the Pumpkins.

My fav Pumpkins rocker is probably "Siva."

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 19 June 2005 03:29 (twenty years ago)

"Cupid"'s a beauty, I actually put that on a mix tape for my mom (and before the Oedipus jokes start, this was all due to her in the mid-nineties wondering why it is 'my generation' seemed to only like dark evil music, so I sought to correct her impression -- this is why she is now among other things an In the Nursery and Mojave 3 fan).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

if you listen to bullet w/ butterfly wings, 1979, today, tonight tonight and adore, you can BS your way through any entry-level smashing pumpkins conversation.

― Will M. (Will M.), Sunday, 19 June 2005 05:10 (twenty years ago)

joseph cotton's PO5 is really great and succinct.

― Richard K (Richard K), Sunday, 19 June 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

1979 and that batman song.

― cilly borgan, Sunday, 19 June 2005 05:43 (twenty years ago)

Slunk!
Drown!
Crush!

― leonard (tk), Sunday, 19 June 2005 06:14 (twenty years ago)

OPO: starla.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 19 June 2005 12:49 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

"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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

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

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 19 June 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 19 June 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

None of them, of course.

― Ismael, Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

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

― Stoner Guy, Sunday, 19 June 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

You two are fun little people.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 21:34 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

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

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 19 June 2005 22:20 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

Your last line is the product of demons.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 19 June 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― PB, Monday, 20 June 2005 02:53 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

It's a fine one...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 04:38 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― stevie (stevie), Monday, 29 August 2005 09:51 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― stevie (stevie), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:04 (twenty years ago)

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

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:40 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― eedd, Monday, 29 August 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

I think the production on Machina is perfect!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 29 August 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 August 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

"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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 03:16 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

Oh, for fucks sake...

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

― John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:07 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:25 (twenty years ago)

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

― John Justen (johnjusten), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:45 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

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 (twenty years ago)

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, any love for the acoustic version of Cherub Rock released on Viewphoria?

Just lovely fast strummy strummy rhythm guitar. Fun to play, too.

― Viz (Viz), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

my SP OPO is rocket, always and forever.

― petesmith (plsmith), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

POX

drown
mayonnaise
glynis
slunk
silverfuck
pissant
hello kitty kat
why am i so tired
to sheila
the mouths of babes

― 6335, Tuesday, 30 August 2005 18:21 (twenty years ago)

"Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, any love for the acoustic version of Cherub Rock released on Viewphoria?"

I've got a lot of love for that version. Always a good choice whenever someone hands you a guitar and says "Play".

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

why billy corgan is such a cool rock star (from way back in 2000):

Rock star Billy Corgan has broken his silence regarding the events that took place last Saturday at the ECW television taping in Peoria, IL. The following is a transcript of his comments on the incident, which was recently covered on MTV, and will air, in its entirety, this Friday during ECW on TNN.

"Let me start by saying that this incident with "Lou E. Imitation" is a complete outrage. For weeks I had been looking forward to singing the national anthem in front of the good people of Peoria, Illinois, an honor bestowed on me by Paul Heyman himself, who had personally invited me to open the show last Saturday night. ECW is my favorite promotion in the world, and never having sung our national anthem in public before, it was an opportunity I just couldn’t say no to.

It started out to be a great night, getting the chance before the show to talk to some of my favorite wrestlers, great guys like Jerry Lynn, Rob Van Dam, The Sandman and Justin Credible. I was nervous about doing a great rendition of the anthem, but looked forward to sitting back after I sang to watch the show. So after the warm reception I received from the crowd when I was announced as a surprise guest, what followed was like a bucket of cold water. Before I could play a note I was attacked by Lou “I used to be the Sign Guy but the Dudley’s left me behind” Dangerously and his band of reckless thugs, Steve Corino, Scotty Anton, and Jack Victory.

It was, needless to say, a unwarranted intrusion upon my performance, and an insult that won’t be easily forgotten. Lou may be the greatest manager in sports entertainment, but he is a no class individual who should be ashamed to call himself an American. Hopefully the fans will get the chance to judge this entire situation for themselves F
riday night on TNN"

― ballz mahoney, Wednesday, 31 August 2005 05:33 (twenty years ago)

SP OPX playlist I made a couple of months back:

Bury Me
Plume
La Dolly Vita
1979
Galapogos
Ava Adore
Tristessa
Never Let Me Down
Hummer
Obscured

If I made the list today it'd probably be different, but I'd say 1979, La Dolly Vita, Never Let Me Down are certs. Obscured is the first one in the list every time.

― Laney, Wednesday, 31 August 2005 12:33 (twenty years ago)

Oh man, too many. Don't have my records here but here's a go:

The End is the Beginning is the End
Bury Me
Soothe
1979
Appels & Oranjes
Soma
Snail
Where Boys Fear To Tread
Bullet With Butterfly Wings

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't Sharon Osbourne on about what a prat he was a while ago?
I don't know.I've never met Billy but I know people who have and he was really nice to them and got them backstage passes to a show on The Machina Tour...I don't think that his voice is unbearable...it's unique. I suppose if your not used to it it may be a little whiny...I like it. I've always liked the Pumpkins because you cannot put them into a category....

Here are my favourites...
Bodies
Mayonaise
Cherub Rock (man...that music video..)
Pissant
Saturnine
Pug

― Lisa farren, Saturday, 10 September 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

"Wasn't Sharon Osbourne on about what a prat he was a while ago?"

takes one to know one, i suppose!

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 10 September 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/photo/2001-06/236343.jpg

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 10 September 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

i never ever ever tire of posting that jpeg

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 10 September 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

(and yes i know it was posted upthread!)

my own POX (in no order):

bury me
thirty three
jellybelly
cherub rock
rocket
hummer
eye
here is no why
tristessa
mayonnaise

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 10 September 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

thank you latebloomer i don't think thirty three gets enough cred. it's great

― jared11, Saturday, 10 September 2005 13:03 (twenty years ago)

i would also like to mention thirty three, and state that it's my favorite SP video.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Saturday, 10 September 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

"Bozo, you hurt me deeply in my heart."

― PB, Saturday, 10 September 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

I can't really stand 33 anymore because of the christian imagery in the lyrics that in retrospect seems to be the beginnings of the "god speaks throught me" rock star concept album phase... i.e. when the pretensiousness got unbearable.

― Laney, Saturday, 10 September 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

I can't stand any Smashing Pumpkins lyrics from Mellon Collie on because THEY MAKE NO FUCKING SENSE

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 10 September 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

But I KNEW THE SADNESS OF THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOORLD!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 10 September 2005 22:39 (twenty years ago)

I remember some of the lyrics making sense to me when I was 15. A decade on they don't have the same potency. (Listening to the words full stop seems like a tremendous waste of time these days)

― Laney, Saturday, 10 September 2005 22:45 (twenty years ago)

thirty-three
1979
soma
luna
hello kitty kat
medellia of the gray skies
zero
pennies
disarm
whir

― fizzcaraldo (Justin M), Sunday, 11 September 2005 00:44 (twenty years ago)

three years pass...

DISARM still hits my sweet spot tbh

― ian, Thursday, 27 August 2009 22:50 (sixteen years ago)

would agree

heard rhinoceros for the first time in over a decade the other day, sounded awesome

― king boy pamito (electricsound), Thursday, 27 August 2009 22:55 (sixteen years ago)

that track, it gets so BIG. i still remember though it must be 5+ years since i've heard it

― jergins, Thursday, 27 August 2009 22:59 (sixteen years ago)

rhinoceros is an essential smashing pumpkins track

― sylvia plathter cathter (Curt1s Stephens), Friday, 28 August 2009 00:33 (sixteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d93Yvmz4vuQ

any songs recorded while billy still had long hair are pretty essential

― sylvia plathter cathter (Curt1s Stephens), Friday, 28 August 2009 00:35 (sixteen years ago)

gish & siamese dream are truly lovely albums. if BC hadn't been such a dickcheese this band would have been much more highly regarded now than they are.

http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/photo/2001-06/236343.jpg

― MIDIchlorian (latebloomer), Friday, 28 August 2009 01:16 (sixteen years ago)

ha, DID NOT MEAN TO POST THAT PIC WITH THAT POST, BUT LMAO ANYWAY

― MIDIchlorian (latebloomer), Friday, 28 August 2009 01:17 (sixteen years ago)

What about "Lucky 13" and "Slow Dawn"?

― claws of jungle red (Stevie D), Friday, 28 August 2009 02:34 (sixteen years ago)

six years pass...

rotten apples
luna
muzzle
if there is a god
jellybelly
for martha
porcelina of the vast oceans
thru the eyes of ruby
blank page
meladori magpie
snail
geek usa
siva
rocket
soma
where boys fear to tread
fuck you
set the ray to jerry
i of the mourning
thirty-three
vanity
speed kills
glass & the ghost children
valentine
wishing you were real
soot & stars
here is no why
mellon collie and the infinite sadness
autumn nocturne
pastichio medley
xyu
with every light
soothe
plume
hello kitty kat
appels + oranjes
i am one
home
blank
ugly
beautiful
so very sad about us

― flappy bird, Saturday, 3 October 2015 23:49 (ten years ago)

The thing I really liked was the kinda Hendrix styled riffs on the first album on like "I Am One", "Siva" and "Bury Me". They are all kind of plays off the same style but those were the tracks that caught me early on.

― earlnash, Sunday, 4 October 2015 01:23 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

"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 (ten years ago)

Let Me Give the World to You

― hhoffman, Sunday, 4 October 2015 09:13 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

2:20 to 2:40

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

― flappy bird, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:02 (ten years ago)

nice

― brimstead, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:10 (ten years ago)

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 (ten years ago)

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