Pumpkinpaloosa!

Today did not start out very well, but I used music to help turn it around.  Aside from a little Childish Gambino, I listened to one of my all time favorite bands, The Smashing Pumpkins.  In celebration, I declared today Smashing Pumpkins day. 

I'd like to share some of my favorite Pumpkins songs with you.  To prevent this from being too huge, I'll try to keep it to one or two songs per album, though there will be a few tracks from non albums.  There will be some exceptions (I'm looking at you Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness), but I'll try and keep this relatively concise. 

People who haven't listened to them much can get a primer on the band, and fans can list some of their favorite tracks in the comments.

So without further ado, here we go!

1) There It Goes

I got ahold of this track when I downloaded the bootleg Mashed Potatoes Box Set.  An early track, I still enjoy it immensely.  A bit happy and a bit melancholy, it's simple and lovely at the same time. 

2) Siva

I dig the slightly rawer version from The Peel Sessions, but this is an excellent song from their first album Gish.

3) Bury Me

Not the best video, but I love Bury Me.  The layered riffs showed off early the multiple influences the Pumpkins guitar duo brought to the table.

4) Disarm

Siamese Dream was the follow up album to Gish, and launch the band to superstar status.  This was the third single off the album, and one of my favorite Pumpkins songs period.  The album is full of amazing songs, and many fans consider it the band's best work.   

5) Tonight, Tonight

Here's where a list gets difficult for me.  Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was a 2 disc release, and is high on my favorite albums of all time list.  The concept album that covers a day (the discs are titled Dawn to Dusk and Twilight to Starlight), and so it's coherent but varied.  Most double disc albums seem stuffed with filler, but I find there are few tracks here that could be labeled throwaway.  Aside from this track and one other, I'll leave off the singles from this album, since those are perhaps too obvious as choices.)

This song is fantastic, led into perfectly by the instrumental track Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. 

6) To Forgive

I love the use of the organ here, and the lyrics were just fantastic and meaningful to 16 year old me when I first heard this album.  A nice, down tempo song that could easily lull me to a restful sleep.

7) Where Boys Fear To Tread

Just listen to that intro, quiet muted strumming, the kick drum, the gradual adding of instruments, the muting comes off, and the riff begins and launches us in to disc two.  Listen to that perfect fade out in to the noise that begins....

8) Bodies

I love the grinding insistence of the guitars on this track!  I find it great to run to, the brief slowdown at the 2 minute mark and then the jump back to the steady guitar is fantastic.

9) Thirty-Three

I hate to do three songs in a row, but the second disc of MCatIS just has this trio of awesome.  Two heavier songs give way to this sedate little jam. 

10) Behold! The Night Mare

Adore was the title of the next Pumpkins album, and it marked a stark shift in tone.  More electronic and less alternative, it shocked a lot of people.  It was still a great album, and this is one of my favorite tracks from it. 

11) Perfect

I've made valiant efforts to not pick singles, but I love Perfect.  There's just something so right about this track.  It's hopeful insistence in the face of dissolution of a relationship mark a stark tonal difference from previous albums which felt rather bleak.

12) The End is the Beginning is The End

The only good thing to come from Batman Forever!

13) Try, Try, Try (Alternate Version)

There's a version on the album MACHINA: The Machines of God, but the alternate track on the Untitled Single or Machina II is far, far better.  Track it down!

15) Age of Innocence

The final track from MACHINA: The Machines of God.

16) Tarantula

Following MACHINA, the Pumpkins disbanded.  They stayed inactive for 7 years.  Billy Corgan did a decent solo album and also put out one disc with Zwan.  I personally love the Zwan CD, since it sounded like a happy Smashing Pumpkins.  However, in 2007 Billy got his original drummer and reformed the Pumpkins.  This single from the album certainly had me hyped, and the resulting album Zeitgeist was actually decent.

17) (Come On) Let's Go

Sorry for the meh quality.  Snag the song on iTunes and enjoy it.


So, there you have it.  For a band whose first release came out 20 years ago, whittling it down to 17 songs wasn't easy.


*NOTE: The current Pumpkins release is being given away on their website for free, but I haven't listened to any of the 6 released tracks so far to recommend any.