Disarm (song)
| “Disarm” | |||||
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"Heart" cover
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| Single by The Smashing Pumpkins from the album Siamese Dream |
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| Released | March 22, 1994 (1994-03-22) | ||||
| Format | Vinyl record (7" & 12") and CD | ||||
| Recorded | 1993 (1993) | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length | 3:17 | ||||
| Label | Virgin | ||||
| Writer(s) | Billy Corgan | ||||
| Producer | Butch Vig & Billy Corgan | ||||
| The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | |||||
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| Alternate Version Cover | |||||
"Smile" cover
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| Siamese Dream track listing | |||||
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| Music sample | |||||
"Disarm" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single and their sixth track from their second album, Siamese Dream. "Disarm" was written by Billy Corgan and is one of the band’s most highly regarded songs. Corgan considers it the most personally important song on Siamese Dream.[1]
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History
The BBC banned the song from appearing on Top of the Pops, because of the lyric "cut that little child", and it received little radio airplay in the United Kingdom.[citation needed] That lyric along with lyrics like "what I choose is my choice" and "the killer in me is the killer in you" has also led to some controversy, as some read it as implying that abortion is murder. Corgan, however, has clearly asserted that the song is about the shaky relationship he had with his parents while growing up.[2] However, even with the ban and the limited radio time, it still peaked at #11 on the UK Singles Chart due to strong sales.
While the Pumpkins often produced softer, acoustic versions of many of their louder, more aggressive songs, the band performed a heavy, electric version of "Disarm" on a British television appearance, as featured on Vieuphoria, and also on live U.S. TV at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. The electric version changes the tone of the song from that of a ballad to a more angst-driven rock song.
Two different versions of the single were produced. Each version (Heart and Smile) featured different artwork and different B-sides.
The B-sides to the Heart version were both covers of classic rock songs from the 1970's. "Landslide" was later included on the compilation album Pisces Iscariot, after which it received significant airplay on U.S. Modern Rock stations, peaking at #3 on that chart. "Dancing in the Moonlight" performed well in Australia, where it charted at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1994, while "Disarm" did not chart.
The UK 7" purple vinyl single features an exclusive b-side "Siamese Dream" which does not appear on any other physical release. In 2005, the track was released as a digital download as part of the Rarities and B-sides compilation. [3]
Music video
The music video, directed by Jake Scott, is black and white and shows the members of the band floating over images of a house, an old man walking through an underpass while home movie-esque, color footage shows a young boy playing outside. Billy Corgan has said that he didn't want the old man in the video, but Scott insisted. The video premiered on MTV in late 1993 and was immediately placed into heavy rotation. In 1994, it was nominated for Best Alternative Video and Best Editing at the MTV Video Music Awards, the Pumpkins' first MTV Awards nominations.
References in popular culture
This song was used in the end of an episode of The Shield - 5x10 : Of Mice and Lem.
Track listing
All songs were written by Billy Corgan, except where noted.
UK 7" vinyl single (7243 8 92309 7 0, HUT 43)
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Siamese Dream" – 2:38
UK CD single 1
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Soothe (Demo)" - 2:35
- "Blew Away" (James Iha) – 3:31
UK CD single 2
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Landslide" (Stevie Nicks) – 3:10
- "Dancing in the Moonlight" (Thin Lizzy) – 4:21
Chart performance
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 16 |
| UK Singles Chart | 11 |
| US Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5 |
| US Modern Rock Tracks | 8 |
References
- ^ "Listessa Interviews Billy Corgan, 1998/05/29". Retrieved on June 8, 2007 (2007-06-08).
- ^ "Interview with Billy and Jimmy - 1993". Retrieved on April 28, 2007 (2007-04-28).
- ^ spfc.org : songlist : Siamese Dream
External links
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