This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2007) |
"I Am One" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by the Smashing Pumpkins | ||||
from the album Gish | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released |
| |||
Genre | Alternative rock [2] | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
| |||
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Gish version | ||||
![]() 10-inch vinyl and CD cover |
"I Am One" is the debut single by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was the band's first ever release and remains the only single issued by the band with co-writing credits to both Billy Corgan and James Iha. It charted on the UK Singles Chart at a peak position of number 73. [3]
Two recordings of the song were released. One was recorded in 1990 and was the Pumpkins' first release and first on Limited Potential. This recording was financed with the money from Corgan's college tuition fund left by his grandmother. [4] "I Am One" was re-recorded for Gish and a new single was released on Caroline Records and Hut Recordings. Corgan later stated his regret with not re-working the song for Gish, as the two versions are nearly identical.[ citation needed ] A video for the song was also filmed, but never released (until 2001) due to the band being unhappy with the result. Footage from the video was instead used on the long form video, Vieuphoria . The long version of the music video was released on the Greatest Hits Video Collection . [5]
With only 1500 copies pressed, the release is highly sought after by collectors. [6] There are apparently three test pressings also in existence, two owned by Billy Corgan and one was formally owned by Limited Potential owner, Mike Potential. [7]
"I Am One" features a doubled guitar solo – a technique later used on Pumpkins songs like "Ava Adore", "Tarantula", and "Bring the Light". [7]
The music video features a live performance by the band.
In live performances (starting around the release of Siamese Dream ), Corgan would often improvise a speech during the extended bass break; as a result the song could extend to 8–10 minutes in length. The speech section is known among fans as "the I Am One rant". These rants were criticized, sometimes even by the other band members, due to their abrasive nature. [5] [ better source needed ] Jimmy Chamberlin considered these rants to be "art-breakdown". [8] The rants were apparently based around the erosion of the belief structure in America's youth, and Corgan has stated they were the gestation for many ideas he later explored on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness . [9] Some of the rants contained lyrics for future songs, most notably "Zero". The recording of "I Am One" on Vieuphoria / Earphoria features one such rant. When the band released their greatest hits compilation, Rotten Apples , in 2001, "I Am One" was one of the few singles that did not make the cut (the others were "Tristessa", "Rocket", "Thirty-Three", "The End Is the Beginning Is the End", and on American copies of the album, "Try, Try, Try"). [10]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 4:16 |
2. | "Not Worth Asking" | Billy Corgan | 4:00 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 4:07 |
2. | "Plume" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 3:37 |
3. | "Starla" | Billy Corgan | 11:01 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James iha | 4:07 |
2. | "Terrapin" | Syd Barrett | 2:55 |
3. | "Bullet Train to Osaka" | Billy Corgan | 4:16 |
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, the band has undergone several line-up changes since their reunion in 2006, with Corgan being the sole constant member since its inception. The current lineup features Corgan, Chamberlin, and Iha.
William Patrick Corgan Jr. is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only constant member of alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Corgan himself is credited with helping popularize the genre. He has also been the owner and promoter of the National Wrestling Alliance since 2017.
James Yoshinobu Iha is an American rock musician. He is best known as the secondary guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He was a member until the band's initial breakup in 2000 and rejoined in 2018.
Gish is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on May 28, 1991 through Caroline Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan, with the latter describing Gish as a "very spiritual album" and "an album about spiritual ascension".
Pisces Iscariot is a compilation album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1994 through Virgin Records, consisting of B-sides and outtakes. Reaching number 4 in the US upon its 1994 release, Pisces Iscariot was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 23, 1994. The album was initially to be called Neptulius.
Lull is an EP by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1991.
Siamese Dream is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993, on Virgin Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan. Despite its recording sessions being fraught with difficulties and tensions, Siamese Dream debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, and was eventually certified 4× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the album selling over six million copies worldwide, catapulting the Smashing Pumpkins to mainstream success and cementing them as a significant group in alternative music.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third studio album and first double album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on October 23, 1995, in the United Kingdom and on October 24 in the United States by Virgin Records. It was produced by vocalist and guitarist Billy Corgan, alongside producers Flood and Alan Moulder. The lengthy 28-track album was released as a two-disc CD and a triple LP. The album features a wide array of musical styles, including art rock, grunge, alternative pop, and heavy metal.
Rotten Apples is a greatest hits compilation album by alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. In the US, it was released on November 20, 2001, along with a bonus disc titled Judas O. The album's concluding track, "Untitled", was the Pumpkins' final recording before their breakup. Completed in the days leading up to the band's farewell concert at the Metro in Chicago, it was also released as a single. Another notable track is "Real Love"; while previously released on Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music, this was taken from the factory master tapes and, as a result, lacks the pops and clicks inherent in all copies of Machina II.
Machina/The Machines of God is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on February 29, 2000, by Virgin Records. A concept album, it marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and was intended to be the band's final official LP release prior to their initial break-up in 2000. A sequel album—Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music—was later released independently via the Internet, and in highly limited quantities for the physical version.
"Today" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, written by lead vocalist and guitarist Billy Corgan. The song, though seemingly upbeat, contains dark lyrics; Corgan wrote the song about a day in which he was having suicidal thoughts. The contrast between the grim subject matter of the song and the soft instrumental part during the verses, coupled with use of irony in the lyrics, left many listeners unaware of the song's tale of depression and desperation. The song alternates between quiet, dreamy verses and loud choruses with layered, distorted guitars.
"Cherub Rock" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It is the first single from their second album, Siamese Dream (1993) and is the opening track. It was written by lead vocalist and guitarist Billy Corgan. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.
"1979" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released in 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. "1979" was written by frontman Billy Corgan, and features loops and samples uncharacteristic of previous Smashing Pumpkins songs. The song gives something of a foreshadow of the synth-pop sound the band would embrace more openly on Adore and its tracks "Ava Adore" and "Perfect". The song was written as a nostalgic coming-of-age story by Corgan. In the year 1979, Corgan was twelve, and this is what he considered his transition into adolescence.
"The End Is the Beginning Is the End" is a song by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. Originally released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Batman & Robin (1997), it was their first release with drummer Matt Walker, who would go on to contribute percussion to several tracks of Adore and all of James Iha's Let It Come Down. The song reached the top 10 in eight countries and won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance.
Vieuphoria is a long form music video by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, originally released on VHS on October 4, 1994, and DVD on November 26, 2002. It was certified gold by the RIAA in late 1996.
The Smashing Pumpkins – Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000) is a DVD containing nearly all of The Smashing Pumpkins music videos released prior to the band's breakup in late 2000. Extras include an exclusive short film Try, a previously unreleased "I Am One" music video, behind-the-scenes and outtakes footage, two live videos, and commentary by Jimmy Chamberlin, Billy Corgan, James Iha, and the video directors.
"Mayonaise" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was first made available in 1993 on the band's second studio album Siamese Dream as the ninth track. It is subsequently released as the album's fifth single on November 20, 2023 through Capitol Records as part of the Siamese Dream 30th Anniversary celebrations and shows. The song was produced by Butch Vig and Billy Corgan.
"Solara" is a song by American rock band Smashing Pumpkins. It was the band's first song to be released after reforming three fourths of the band's original lineup in 2018, featuring Billy Corgan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin performing on a track together for the first time since 2000's Machina/The Machines of God album and subsequent non-album single "Untitled" prior to their original breakup. It was released as a single on June 8, 2018, as the first song from a set of two upcoming EPs that were set for release in 2018 before a full-length album titled Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. was announced in September. The song peaked at number 47 on the US Hot Rock Songs chart.
Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on November 16, 2018 through Napalm Records. Produced by Rick Rubin, it is the band's first album to feature founding members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin since Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music (2000) and Zeitgeist (2007), respectively.
Cyr is the eleventh studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on November 27, 2020, on Sumerian Records. Produced by band leader Billy Corgan, the album features a synth-pop sound and was preceded by the release of ten of its songs as singles, with Corgan actively seeking out a "contemporary" sound during the recording process.