| "Tarantula" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Smashing Pumpkins | ||||
| from the album Zeitgeist | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | May 21, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | 2007 | |||
| Genre | Stoner rock [1] | |||
| Length | 3:51 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan | |||
| Producer(s) | Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin | |||
| The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 iTunes release | ||||
"Tarantula" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the first single from their seventh album, Zeitgeist , and their first release since their 2006 reunion.
Billy Corgan mentioned during a concert of June 5 in Berlin that "Tarantula" was titled in honor of the German rock band Scorpions, with whom Corgan had recently collaborated on the Scorpions song "The Cross". The intro and the outro of the song are inspired by the song "Dark Lady" of Scorpions, while Corgan stated that he wrote the solo of the song thinking how Uli Jon Roth could have played it. Corgan and Chamberlin believe the song is a culmination of music they've been listening to all their lives, specifically the Scorpions and UFO. [2]
A 30-second clip of the song was released on May 14, 2007. [3] On May 21, 2007, the single was released on iTunes for the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada on May 22. On this date, "Tarantula" was played for the first time live in Paris at the Pumpkins' first show in seven years. The song was also played on the Late Show with David Letterman on July 9, 2007.
On July 2, a single was released on CD and 7-inch in the UK, both containing the B-side "Death from Above". Both covers have a black-and-white photo of Paris Hilton holding a BlackBerry with the Zeitgeist album cover on the screen, and a low-resolution image of a mushroom cloud in the background. A separate 7-inch was released in a clear plastic sleeve on white vinyl. Hilton talked to Stereogum about the cover art, saying: "Billy [Corgan] and I were friends, and he called me one day and was like, 'I want to do this photo shoot with you and Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. I have this whole idea; will you come and meet me?' [Editor's note: Spears and Lohan didn't end up making it to the shoot.] We went to some studio or something, and we shot it together. It was really awesome. I love him. He's so talented and such a nice person. It was just so cool to be on an album cover for one of my favorite bands growing up." [4]
On July 15, "Tarantula" entered the UK Rock Singles Chart at number one.
Upon release, "Tarantula" received mixed reviews. Drowned in Sound commented that Corgan's vocals "are trying too hard to sound like Pumpkins vocals, clumsily washed in reverb" and "is too much like a cobbled together montage of Smashing Pumpkins sounds to be exciting." [5]
Alana King of website Roomthirteen called "Tarantula" a "promising track and is proof that the Smashing Pumpkins are as strong and resilient as ever." [6] Rob Taylor of website Clickmusic.com called the single "a slick and professional effort worthy of anyone's ear." [7]
The music video debuted on July 2, 2007 on Spinner.com. [8] It features the band (dressed primarily in the white outfits of the 2007 tour) playing with multiple extra people, in front of a psychedelic visual collage, and is partially shot in 3D. The video was directed by P.R. Brown. [9]
In July 2007, it was announced via the Smashing Pumpkins' official website that the green screen files for the video would be released online. Fans with video editing skills will be allowed to make their own version of the Tarantula video and enter it into a contest via the website.
Two winners were announced in August 2007. 1st place was awarded to Levi Ahmu and 2nd place was awarded to Mason Williams. Both videos consisted of vast amounts of visual effects. Honorable mention was made for Ryan Webber for his live action take on the music video. [10]
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA) [11] | 46 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [12] | 50 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [13] | 14 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [14] | 30 |
| Canada Rock ( Billboard ) [15] | 8 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten) [16] | 14 |
| Ireland (IRMA) [17] | 44 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [18] | 59 |
| UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [19] | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [20] | 54 |
| US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [21] | 2 |
| US Pop 100 ( Billboard ) [22] | 50 |
The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, the band has undergone several line-up changes since their reunion in 2006, with Corgan being the primary songwriter and sole constant member since its inception. The current lineup consists of Corgan, Chamberlin, and Iha. The band has a diverse, densely layered sound, which evolved throughout their career and has contained elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, grunge, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegaze, dream pop, and electronica.
"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.
"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.
"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 foreshadows 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.
"Tonight, Tonight" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, written by the band's frontman, Billy Corgan. It was the fourth single and second track on their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and was released in May 1996 in Europe. "Tonight, Tonight" was critically acclaimed and commercially well-received upon its release, reaching number one in Iceland, number two in New Zealand, number seven in the United Kingdom and number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The music video accompanying the song was also successful and won several awards.
"Thirty-Three" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was the fifth and final single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), in November 1996. It was the first single released after the firing of Jimmy Chamberlin and death of Jonathan Melvoin. The song peaked at 39 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's fourth and final top-40 hit there, number seven in New Zealand and the top 30 in Canada and the United Kingdom. In Canada, it coincidentally finished at number 33 on the RPM Alternative 30 year-end chart for 1997.
"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.
"Stand Inside Your Love" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was the second single and the lead international single released from their fifth album, Machina/The Machines of God (2000). The song was written by Billy Corgan.
The discography of the Smashing Pumpkins, an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago, Illinois, consists of thirteen studio albums, four live albums, one digital live album series, seven compilation albums, five extended plays, 55 singles, four video albums, 37 music videos, and contributions to five soundtrack albums. This list does not include material recorded by the Smashing Pumpkins members with other side projects.
Zeitgeist is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 10, 2007 on Martha's Music and Reprise Records. Recorded solely by returning band members Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin, the album was the band's first since reuniting in 2006, and was produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Terry Date, alongside Corgan and Chamberlin themselves.
"Doomsday Clock" is a song by the American alternative rock group the Smashing Pumpkins, and is the opening track on their album Zeitgeist. Although not released as a single, the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Pop 100, due to digital sales.
"That's the Way (My Love Is)" is a song written by Billy Corgan and performed by The Smashing Pumpkins on their album Zeitgeist.
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope is a music project by alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins that was started in late 2009 by frontman Billy Corgan following the second departure of original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The project initially was conceived as a 44-song concept album loosely inspired by the Tarot, with each song being released individually as a free download. By August 2018, after 34 tracks had been released, Corgan announced via Instagram that the project had been abandoned.
Oceania is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on June 19, 2012 through Martha's Music. The album was produced by Billy Corgan and Bjorn Thorsrud, and forms part of the band's 34-track music project Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. It was their first studio album to feature guitarist Jeff Schroeder, and their only album to contain contributions from bassist Nicole Fiorentino and drummer Mike Byrne, who replaced original drummer Jimmy Chamberlin.
"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.
Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts is the twelfth studio album by American rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released in three separate installments of 11 songs—Atum: Act One was released on November 15, 2022, Atum: Act Two was released on January 31, 2023, and Atum: Act Three was released on May 5, 2023. A physical box set consisting of all 33 songs, along with a group of 10 additional exclusive songs, under the title "Zodeon at Crystal Hall" was released in early May 2023.
"Beguiled" is a song by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released as the first single from their twelfth studio album, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts on September 20, 2022. The song debuted with a live music video premiering on TikTok directed by Linda Strawberry. The single was released digitally to streaming services the following day.
Songs like "Doomsday Clock" and "Tarantula" wave the flag of stoner rock like Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult without embarrassment, and could likely pass for Queens of the Stone Age if it wasn't for that characteristic Corgan whine.
| Studio albums | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extended plays | |||||||
| Live albums | |||||||
| Compilation albums | |||||||
| Box sets | |||||||
| Singles |
| ||||||
| Promotional singles | |||||||
| Other songs | |||||||
| Promotional releases | |||||||
| Videos | |||||||
| Tours | |||||||
| Touring personnel | |||||||
| Related articles |
| ||||||
