200-101: Every Smashing Pumpkins Song Ranked
Here we go again! |
| 100 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
200. The Sacred and Profane:
With its winding riffs and purposeful vocal melodies, this track sounds like a long-lost cousin of a Mellon Collie b-side. However, like many would-be great Machina tracks, it overstays its welcome and has too few ideas to adequately fill its runtime. That being said, it’s a really good if forgettable track in the Pumpkins’ repertoire. |
| 99 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
The End Is the Beginning Is the End
199. The Guns of Love Disastrous:
A repetitive but effectively atmospheric instrumental exploration of the electronic side of their “The End Is the Beginning Is the End” single. Not one that warrants multiple listens, but it’s actually quite enjoyable as a mood piece. Especially if you’re into more synthy and ambient works, I’d give this one a recommendation. |
| 98 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
198. Daughter:
A gentle and slowburn ballad built around those familiar Gish-era chiming guitars and a monotonous yet pleasant riff. There really isn’t that much going on here, and yet it’s just really damn nice. Oh, and fun fact, this is the only track D’arcy ever got a writing credit for. |
| 97 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
197. Age of Innocence:
Another buoyant glimmer from Machina, it acts as a far more genuine sister-track to the confused happiness of “With Every Light.” While it’s curious to end such a dark and at times extremely abrasive album on such an upbeat note, Corgan and Co. somehow make it work surprisingly well thanks to some wonderfully poppy melodies a creepy bridge that darkly surges into and is quickly overcome by the bright chorus in a true Good VS Evil fashion. |
| 96 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream
196. Rocket:
I’mma be honest, I don’t really get the appeal of this song (at least compared to other fans). I mean yeah, it’s a pretty solid jam, but that riff is much too repetitive for my liking and the vocals are too ineffectual compared to the power in the guitars. I don’t know, it’s a good song, but definitely the weakest off of Siamese for me. |
| 95 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
195. Here Is No Why:
I’ve heard many people confess their love for this song over the years, and yet I remain confounded by this. For me, it’s a perfectly fine song, with an incredible chorus and a solid vocal performance from Billy, but overall it just doesn’t really capture my attention in one way or another. Maybe it’s that asinine opening riff that carries no forward momentum and uninspired vocal melody in the verses that goes along with it. Yeah, that might be it actually. |
| 94 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
194. Soul Power:
SO POW dadanana SO POW gottahavit SO POW rellaneeda SO POW. Nah but seriously this one is a jam, even if it’s easy to make fun of thanks to the distorted vocals. The guitars are savage, Jimmy’s having fun behind the drums, so as unintentionally funny as it might be, it’s still intentionally badass. |
| 93 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
193. FOL:
Ridiculously repetitive to a point of annoyance, but it does accurately a sound of the older Pumpkins far better than most of what the New Pumpkins had released up until that point, and the verses carry a lot of power to them. But when the song feels like one giant chorus, it doesn’t exactly help too much.
(Non-album single post-Zeitgeist) |
| 92 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
192. Speed Kills:
Ironically this is the slowest song of the second EP on the Machina II release, moving with a purposeful pace and some solid instrumentation. I’m having trouble really explaining what makes this song work for me. It might be the unique guitars, moving chords, synth/strings in the outro, but something about it I just enjoy. It also almost sounds like a cheesy 80s rock song. Almost. |
| 91 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
191. Zeitgeist:
Completely at odds with everything else released during the Zeitgeist era (aside from the American Gothic EP), it’s easy to see why it was left off the album. While it could have served as a pretty acoustic closer, it’s just too damn simple and nice for it to work well. Still, on it’s own its a good little track, even if it doesn’t add much to the surprisingly large number of Corgan-and-his-guitar tracks in their discography.
(Zeitgeist B-Side) |
| 90 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Judas O
190. Here’s to the Atom Bomb (Judas Ø):
Not quite as good as the “1979”-esque version that blessed Machina II, this one simply doesn’t work as well thanks to Corgan’s constant sneer in the vocals. The more guitar and rock-based sound is pretty interesting regardless, and is definitely worth checking for fans of the original, even if the lyrics and meaning is dulled a bit this time around. |
| 89 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
189. That’s the Way (My Love Is):
The final proof that Corgan is, in fact, a massive cheeseball, and it’s actually a really listenable and heartfelt song. The chromatic chiming guitars and downright gorgeous chorus, the surging bridge and triumphant guitar solo, I can totally see why someone might not enjoy this song, but I can’t help but feel convinced by the unabashed earnestness of the vocals here. It’s a jam. |
| 88 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
188. Not Worth Asking:
Some playful guitar work and generally upbeat tone make this sound closer in style to one of their earlier demos than a Gish b-side, but the quality of the production is of course unmistakable. Overall it’s a pretty forgettable but enjoyable track that should definitely be brought to the attention of any Pumpkins completionists. Great early vocal performance here from Billy too, the whole band comes together really well here. |
| 87 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
187. This Time:
If there’s anything this song has going for it, it’s that it happens to be sandwiched between the two unquestionably worst tracks on the album. This makes the pleasant melodies and clean chiming guitars all the more enjoyable given the desperate ugliness surrounding it. On its own it’s one of the weaker tracks, but it’s an undeniably likable and upbeat experience. |
| 86 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Moon (Demo)
186. Psychodelic:
Kind of just a massive, formless early jam from the Pumpkins. It’s honestly great fun, even if it goes on a far bit too long for it’s own good. The drums, guitars, bass, everything sounds very clear production wise, and the early vocal-based section early on just kinda break so that everything can start going on. I feel like this song was actually supposed to be longer but just cut off because people were like, “yeah, we get the point here.” |
| 85 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
185. Blank:
From a series of lovely acoustic tracks the “Tonight, Tonight” EP, the fact that this is the weakest is a testament to the strength of that collection. It’s the simplest and least unique which dooms it as the worst, but it’s livened by the somber and self-deprecating lyrics and Billy’s mournful voice. |
| 84 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
184. You’re All I’ve Got Tonight:
A surprisingly straightforward and poppy cover of the classic 80s tune of course is still graced with heaps of guitars and strange atmospheric effects that actually better the song more than anything, making this both a genuinely good and straightforward remake that I’m glad we all were able to witness. |
| 83 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
183. Last Song:
A dreamy and suitably exasperated song that seems obsessed with finality. This bleeds into the very nature of the song, which seems convinced that it needs to cross the finish line rather than wanting to. This can make for an unengaging listen, but at the same time it’s blissfully original and the music ain’t bad either. It’s got acoustic guitars, unenthused vocals, and those trademark Pumpkins’ canned strings. The last couple minutes are just lovely too. |
| 82 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream
182. Sweet Sweet:
Yes it’s a bit of a 180 compared to the rest of the songs on the album, but it’s an appropriately Pumpkins way to play with audience expectations, and it’s good foreshadowing to the playfulness in their sound that would come later in Mellon Collie. It’s pretty and nice, but definitely not a standout. |
| 81 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
181. Hello Kitty Kat:
This is a pretty bouncy and fun track despite all the choking distortion and fuzz. The drums and vocals seem to have a lively dynamic against each other creating a somewhat unique if not totally captivating sound on this cut. It’s also a little bit long tbh, I feel like it would be better if it cut out sometime around the 3 minute mark, that guitar solo is a bit unnecessary. That outro is solid as fuck though damn. |
| 80 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Judas O
180. Soot and Stars:
A steady and smooth ballad with charming lyrics to boot, “Soot and Stars” is a nice enough song, but did it really have to be nearly seven minutes long? The length makes it a bit much to bear at times, but its inoffensiveness saves it from being truly skippable. Still, it’s no wonder it was left off of Adore, is it? |
| 79 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
179. Death from Above:
This Zeitgeist b-side successfully creates a blissful atmosphere thanks to its propulsive tempo and shimmering guitars gliding overhead just like its ironic title indicates. Pair that with some nice vocals from Corgan and you’ve got a perfectly serviceable addition to the album if you were lucky enough to grab the deluxe set, even if some of those vocal overdubs get in the way more often than not. |
| 78 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
178. Apathy’s Last Kiss
Even with the wonky guitar sound in the verses, this one wouldn’t sound out of place as a b-side on Mellon Collie, even if its Siamese roots aren’t too surprising. With a pissed-off sounding performance from Billy meshing with some otherwise lovely backing instrumentation, it’s a purposefully disjointed yet fully-realized song that exudes a variety of sounds and feelings with ease. |
| 77 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zero
177. Mouths of Babes:
Just as aggressive, angry, and empty as the majority of the Zero EP, “Mouths of Babes” is still an invigorating listen due to some great instrumental interplay and passionate vocals from Billy that make this track stand out just enough compared to the others on there. |
| 76 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rotten Apples
176. Untitled:
Made simply to prove to fans that he could’ve made an original Pumpkins sound whenever he felt like it, he just didn’t want to. In his own words, "The song was our way of saying ‘fuck you’ to all those people who thought we’d somehow lost our minds and weren’t able to return home.” It’s still a solid song regardless of these child-like reasons for existing. It definitely captures some familiar sounds from the past, even if a lot of the drumming sound familiarly Machina-like, and it lacks the creative spark that made those tracks work so well. Still, things are kept interesting enough to stand well enough against the majority of the Pumpkins B-tier material. |
| 75 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
175. Pissant:
Featuring a suitably pissed-off Billy Corgan belting out angrily over hyper-speed riffs and frantic drumming, this is almost a thrash song. It’s damnably enjoyable, and even if it doesn’t add too much to their established sound it’s just kinda really cool. |
| 74 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Nothing Ever Changes (Demo)
174. Nothing and Everything:
The vocals here are much more bearable than The Vigil, and the guitar prances around lightly in an almost 80s-metal fashion spinning out great riffs non-stop and tie in wonderfully with the vocal melodies. The drums also shine here with some solid fills and tempo changes. This song is actually a whole lot more fun than I remember, fans should definitely give this one a listen. As can be expected, the production is a bit flat which drags the power the song could potentially have had way down, but overall it’s a forgotten gem of their older years. |
| 73 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Nothing Ever Changes (Demo)
173. Where Boys Fear to Tread:
Okay, I know this is gonna tick some people off, but when I put in Disc 2 of Mellon Collie, I usually jam the intro — the amazing stutter of the guitars and warm-up of the drums, how they perfectly line up with a crushing riff and pounding precision — and then skip the track before the verse comes in. Idk, I guess something about the rest of it just isn’t arresting enough for me compared to the opening, or maybe it’s because it just repeats itself over and over from then on. But that intro IS godly. And the way it cuts off at the end is great too. |
| 72 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
172. Glissandra:
Oceania is cursed with the same fate as Adore, featuring a huge number of great songs that nevertheless don’t really manage to stand out in the memory of the listener compared to the better highlights surrounding them. Even though these songs rule, they’re often forgotten sue to just how good the highlights are. And thus, here we are with Glissandra. Despite that arresting guitar riff and that good-ass chorus, it’s a pretty forgettable track regardless of everything it’s got going for it. |
| 71 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Monuments to an Elegy
171. Drum + Fife:
This easily could have been a track on one of the Teargarden EPs, flexing its Eastern influences earnestly, creating a predictably but comfortingly bright atmosphere that works far better than it should considering we’ve heard it all before. But hey, if it works it works, and track is infectious. |
| 70 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Judas O
170. Waiting:
A familiar sounding song to any fans of the Adore era, what it lacks in originality it makes up for in gentle likability. It’s not doing anything we haven’t heard before, but the subtle synths and drumbeat that’s been tried and true works just as well here. It’s hard to find anything bad to say about this song, so I’ll just leave it here and be done. |
| 69 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
169. White Spyder:
Abrasive and disturbing, White Spyder acts as an aggressive counter-point to Glass and the Ghost Children from the previous Machina both lyrically and sonically. As hard as it might be to listen to, one can’t accuse this one as sounding carelessly lo-fi as with other tracks; this production is absolutely purposeful, and it’s as endearing as it is aggravating. And once you get used to it, it’s pretty goddamn fun to boot. |
| 68 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 2
168. Cottonwood Symphony:
A gentle acoustic track that stands out from other folk-based Pumpkins songs thanks to its deceptively simple strum pattern and a surprisingly engaging vocal performance featuring Corgan at his least whiny in perhaps forever. |
| 67 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
167. Crestfallen:
Brandishing Adore’s electroacoustic tendencies for a far more catchy and direct route than usually, we get some genuinely lovely synths and straightforward but poetic lyrics that really hit home a lot of the album’s themes—loss, shame, and dejection. It’s a bit repetitive and very clearly not an album highlight, but once you hear it you won’t be able to get it out of your head all day, and you can’t really complain too much about it. |
| 66 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 2
166. The Fellowship:
With some colossal sounding choruses and twittering loops, “The Fellowship” is a fun song that suffers from a lack of substance like many of the Teargarden tracks. This is probably why a lot of them have diminished in my eyes since first listen. The mixing is also a bit weird, with more irritating musical elements taking precedent over the vocals, but overall there’s some great enjoyment to be had in the sheer size of the track. |
| 65 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
165. Appels + Oranjes:
This playful track displays many strengths of its parent album—driving electronic beats, charming synths, insightful lyrics based in repetition and questions. It’s extremely redundant almost to the point of frustration, but it’s hard to deny that there isn’t something damnably interesting about the whole affair. What it is I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s there regardless, and it’s enjoyable as fuck. |
| 64 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
164. Panopticon:
If there’s one thing Oceania did well it was capturing a massive, massive sound. Not one apocalyptic and threatening as Zeitgeist’s was, but rather something hopeful and shimmering brightly. The song’s lyrics match this newfound optimism, and Corgan’s vocals soar about it like an eagle, far more comfortable here than before. |
| 63 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
163. Blue:
“Blue” acts as a generic leftover from the Gish era until it comes to a halt near the end and reluctantly lowers its guard to deliver a sweet acoustic outro that gives the cut the additional flavor it needs to stand out amongst the pack. |
| 62 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
162. Pale Horse:
Pale Horse has the unfortunate task of starting off the lackluster closing procession of Oceania. There’s nothing particularly wrong about it other than all the highlights and truly memorable tracks are done, and all that’s left are a handful of solid but a bit samey-sounding tracks all in a row. Anyway, this is definitely one of the better ones thanks to those ringing guitars and pounding timpanis. It’s a unique sound, and probably could have worked pretty well as a closer. |
| 61 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
161. Lily (My One and Only):
Everything about this song, from the distant piano, canned strings, and children’s-show style melody just proves that this song just shouldn’t work. And yet somehow it does. Very very well, too. |
| 60 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
160. Spaced:
A weird, appropriately spacey outro to Pieces Iscariot that is as really damn cool as it is kinda pointless. Winding through uncharted sonic territory for the Pumpkins, its just a neat little experiment that also happens to be sonically pleasing, so who can complain here? |
| 59 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Moon (Demo)
159. Daydream (demo):
Utilizing it’s acoustic guitar to a startlingly different (almost abrasive) effect than the original, it still maintains that dreamy and pleasant atmosphere throughout, even if it’s rendered a bit inert by the recording quality and lackluster depth compared to the main release. |
| 58 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
158. Wildflower:
Probably the closest Oceania comes to the tinny, music-box theatricality of its Teargarden EP cousins, Wildflower reigns triumphant over them due to the deep production and wailing guitar solo that should sound really out of place, but doesn’t. Also, the length seems to help this song rather than weigh it down, allowing it to close the album with amiable grace. |
| 57 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 1
157. A Stitch in Time:
A fine example of the bouncy musical experimentation that Corgan featured in his Teargarden EPs, this one benefits from the twinkly synths and soothing acoustics that would be more prominent in the Oceania LP. While the track might be a bit tinny and ineffectual, its a fun and soothing tune that I can’t imagine ever disliking. |
| 56 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
156. Doomsday Clock:
Forgive me for saying this, but the opening to this song gets me absolutely pumped and serves as a main reason as to why this album is so endlessly listenable to me despite its lesser quality. The main detraction to this song are the countless mini-Corgan overdubs and backing vocals. Aside from them, his vocals would be commanding and fittingly apocalyptic, but they’re diluted by a chorus of himselves, which is just plain frustrating. But yeah, instrumentally this song is badass as shit. |
| 55 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
Innosence:
A glistening guitar-based tune that fits snugly between two other ballads on II, it’s clean, bright production still marks a clear contrast between it and the majority of the murky and distorted cuts on the album it calls home. Still, this break from the carnage might actually do it some favors as a nice change of pace, and a lovely one at that. |
| 54 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
My Blue Heaven:
A strangely classically inspired Pumpkins song that feels strange and ghostly despite all of its seemingly playful music pointing in the other direction. Maybe it’s the novelty of the Pumpkins making such a “nice” song, or maybe it was just brilliantly and subtly intentional on Billy’s part. Regardless, it makes for an great listen, and compared to the rest of their discog, there’s nothing else quite like it. |
| 53 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
My Love Is Winter:
There’s certainly something about the blue-green hues on that gorgeous cover that inspires nostalgia for the colder seasons, and this song fittingly marries with that visual with chiming guitars and playful synths. It’s not a desperate sound so much as passionate, which is enough to deliver a great track, even if it’s not quite an album highlight. |
| 52 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
Solara:
A triumphant and massive rejuvenation of the Pumpkins sound. While at first it seemed like little more than a polished recreation of the guitar heavy and nasally Zeitgeist-stylings, further listens revealed a more muscular and progressive leaning. While it’s impossible to say whether it’ll carry over into their future releases, for now I can get by on that bad-ass bridge and breakdown.
(NEW SINGLE) |
| 51 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Lull
Slunk:
A great slice of what made the Gish era, well, great, “Slunk” is just a culmination of all the fun and badassery that came along with the times, nothing more and nothing less. |
| 50 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
adore
Once Upon a Time:
An open letter to his late mother, this track features Corgan at his most open-hearted and vulnerable. The instrumentation clashes directly with the downcast mood of the track, glitzy electronic melodies intertwine with Corgan’s pained vocals for an eerie but affecting match, even if everything doesn’t hit as hard as perhaps it could. |
| 49 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
SP (Demo)
East:
Maybe I’m insane, but a lot of these older cuts seem to exude an ethereal, almost eastern-inspired guitar sound that’s wholly unique to them and I really wish it were featured more often. The production here is far better than say, “Cross” from their first demo tape, and this track just further emphasizes that this tape should be checked by more fans. The pace is a bit slow, but there’s a lot of interesting musical cues, and any fan of Gish should find something to enjoy here. |
| 48 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
Try, Try, Try (Machina 2):
A much more straightforward version than is featured on the original Machina release, this one is almost just as endearing, for the same and different reasons. The cheesy synths only add to the upbeat vibe of the song, Billy’s warm vocals and fantastic (even better) lyrics create a unique style of optimistic storytelling for the band that made the original so enjoyable in the first place. While on the whole it might not be as good as the Machina version, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys that one, because there’s a good chance you’ll love this one too. |
| 47 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
Raindrops + Sunshowers:
Propulsive and appropriately thunderous, clearly taking inspiration of the sound of a rainstorm pattering above, this track takes full advantage of the return on drummer Jimmy Chamberlain with his incessantly heavy drumming. Yet there is plenty of room for the atmosphere and vocals to take hold, creating an impressive balance between constant sound and mellowness. It’s just damn nice. |
| 46 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
If There Is a God (Demo):
While this might technically be on the “b-side” half of Machina II, this sounds like a far more moving and purposeful version than the murky main cut. The gentle piano lends itself well to Corgan’s meaningful vocals, and the lyrics stand out far more here. This reminds me a lot of his new solo album actually, so if you like this track, check the album. And vice versa. |
| 45 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
Home:
Thanks to Corgan’s genuine vocal performance and some wonderfully glistening instrumentation that only occasionally betrays the darkness lurking directly under the surface, “Home” acts as a very successful ballad compared to other attempts throughout the Machina Era. This is likely because instead of directly turning against the darkness and ugliness established in these albums, “Home” actively embraces it and slowly turns it into something different. |
| 44 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
The Tale of Dusty and Pistol Pete:
Just a damn pretty song, acoustic plucking and lullaby vocals from Corgan cradle the listener during the verses before dropping them into a soaring chorus. It’s not quite a highlight, but I can’t recommend it enough to those who are really into the more chill side of the Pumpkins. The whole album, really. |
| 43 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Moon (Demo)
Honeyspider:
Abrasive guitar tones seem to create a song-length solo, tripping over themselves in an endearing way that could easily be annoying, but combined with the song’s purposeful pace and Corgan’s lovely vocals, this is yet another early cut that deserves more listens than it gets. |
| 42 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
Siamese Dream:
A psychedelic mind-trip of conflicting sounds and moods in the best way possible, I have to admit this song was way more interesting than I remembered. It may not really go anywhere in the end, but the sustained weirdness of the song successfully diverts and entertains the listener more than enough to fill up its short runtime. |
| 41 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Bodies:
This might be the one of the most forgettable tracks on Mellon Collie for me, which is shame because it’s a really good song actually. Propulsive guitar work and drumming help the song mostly overcome the very monotony that they cause in the first place. Even some great vocal melodies don’t really help to relieve the strain of listening to the repetitive instrumentation. That brief slow-down is pretty damn great though, honestly. It’s angsty as shit to be sure. |
| 40 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Take Me Down:
This lovely little closer to the first disc of Mellon Collie features the mellow whispers of James Iha and some catchy melodies, a beautiful combination of a folk ballad and something you’d hear in one of the old Muppet movies. And strangely enough, I mean that as a compliment. |
| 39 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
Bring the Light:
I used to like this song to the point where it was almost my favorite on the album, but it seems to grow off of me a bit on each listen. That isn’t to say I don’t love certain moments, the guitar crunching into the bridge, the succeeding solo, that dancey riff and poppy atmosphere, but now it just feels more forced than it used to. But I’ll still say it’s a really damn good song that easily serves as one of the better tracks here, I just wish I still liked it as much as I did. |
| 38 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
SP (Demo)
Spiteface:
Combining the strange, ethereal vibe of the other demos with some rapid drumming and rollicking vocals, this is the sound of a band having a really goddamn good time. And even if the song itself isn’t anything brilliant on its surface, the playfulness they exhibit throughout makes it a great cut from the band even to this day. |
| 37 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
Meladori Magpie:
An off-kilter acoustic ditty with some weird stuff going on instrumentally, which I can only describe as someone playing the steel guitar so that it sounds like a farm animal. However, Corgan plays it straight, and his vocal performance is what really makes the song not only listenable, but a damn unique and fine example that the Pumpkins can be just as interesting with their acoustic stuff as with their electric. |
| 36 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Oceania
136. One Diamond, One Heart:
I wonder if anyone would notice if I just didn’t write anything about one of these songs? I mean, it’s not like anyone’s gonna actually read all of these. I should’ve done this a little farther back but no one loves this song right? No one’s gonna click on this list being like “Oh, I wonder where neek put One Diamond, One Heart!” Idk, song’s great anyway, pretty memorable. |
| 35 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music
135. Blue Skies Bring Tears (Machina II):
A far more straightforward and rock-oriented piece than the thick, spacey cut that occupies Machina I, both tracks still share a massive atmosphere that bonds the two of them in a way better than one would expect. While the original version may be superior, it’s hard to complain about this one thanks to it’s pummeling, singular drive and boundless energy that lends the lyrics a very difference purpose this time around. |
| 34 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
134. Dreaming:
A rarity in that it features all three of the Pumpkins on vocals, starting with D’arcy’s ridiculously low moans and then shifting into Billy’s crooning. I have conflicting thoughts on this song as the original Blondie tune was a childhood favorite of mine, and the weird vocals and icy, monotonous beats don’t exactly do it justice. Still, it’s a pretty fascinating cover, and it’s very good in its own right, while also sounding absolutely singular compared to the rest of the Pumpkins’ discog. |
| 33 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
133. Tarantula:
I probably shouldn’t like this as much as I do, but the song is an absolute jam. A messed-up clash of several sounds and styles borrowed, re-hashed, and stolen from their past, “Tarantula” somehow manages to make a formidable Frankenstein’s monster out of these maligned pieces, vicious and pissed-off, and always way, way more fun than it deserves to be. |
| 32 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
132. The Bells:
Yet another pretty little James song that got swept under the rug by Billy and his never-ending torrent of songs. It’s understandable why so many of his songs didn’t make the cut however, since they seriously lack much of the variety that Billy’s compositions strive for. Still, this is a deceptively great track. It seems at first to just be content to be another man and his guitar track, but soon venomous strings creep in and James’ vocals become more pained. It’s a lovely and eerie experience. |
| 31 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
131. Behold! The Night Mare:
Equally beautiful and abrasive, Behold! messes with audience expectations with a bridge that turns it up to 11 after song after song of pleasant but inoffensive excursions into the quieter side of the Pumpkins. After that it goes straight back into it’s lovely soundscapes, but the moment is important in reminding us that they won’t let us get away with not being surprised for too long. Oh, and the song is approximately 10x better than its title. |
| 30 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Gish
130. Bury Me:
This song is an absolute jam, and it’s only a testament to the fact that Gish really is their most consistent album that this bona fide rocker is the weakest cut from it. With delicious riffs and some killer musical interplay, its only fault is that it doesn’t really stand out too much from the rest of the tracks, leaving it as more of an example of the overall sound from the record than it is a highlight. |
| 29 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
129. Let Me Give the World to You (Adore Version):
This track certainly has a bit of a story to it. Originally slated to end the album (and was apparently fully mastered and ready to go), Billy mercilessly hacked it off at the last minute in a mad attempt to stop the record company from releasing it as a lead single. It’s kinda frustrating that he did that considering how much better this is than the butchered version released on Machina II, but at the same time it doesn’t really match the vibe of the rest of Adore. Sonically yeah, it’s fucking gorgeous. The guitars, pianos, and of course the strings all lend an upbeat vibe that adds a new dimension to the song—but that’s just it, Adore never struck me as “upbeat,” so perhaps ending on a downer like “Blank Page” was just something that was supposed to happen, unintentional or not.
(Recorded for "Adore" sessions, only released recently) |
| 28 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
128. Muzzle:
This might just be the most Pumpkins Pumpkins song ever. With crunchy guitars, pounding percussion, soaring vocal melodies, a catchy chorus, heavy and soft sounds clashing at every moment in the best way possible. That being said, since it’s a combination of everything they commonly do, it’s also one of their most cliche-sounding tracks. Everything that makes it work so well also renders it incomplete compared to so many other amazing songs in their catalogue. |
| 27 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Still Becoming Apart
127. Hope:
This rarity plays along some simple riffs and ideas to create a layered guitar-based atmosphere similar to that of (the much better) The Ethers Tragic. Regardless, this sublime little tune should be a treat to die-hard fans, even if it has grown off on me in time. |
| 26 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
126. Starz:
One of the many mid-tempo teasers on Zeitgeist, “Starz” moves with a marching drumbeat and some purposeful guitar crunches, accentuated by some gentle sonic playfulness and a strong vocal performance by Corgan. It’s hard to say exactly what makes this song work for me other than listing cool instrumental stuff they do, so I guess I’ll just leave it at that. Oh, and the bridge rulez too. |
| 25 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Monuments to an Elegy
125. Dorian:
There’s something just lovely about this track that works so well. It’s possibly the best blend of this album’s synthpop leanings with the concentrated guitar attack from the band’s past, and the two blend together surprisingly well. Combined with some crooning and enjoyable vocal work from Corgan, and you can chalk this up as a win. |
| 24 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Judas O
124. Lucky 13:
A jazzy opening drumbeat doesn’t betray the muscular surge that implodes upon the riff bashing through, but once the two come together, you’ll understand why Billy considers Jimmy to be his “musical soulmate.” Sure, it’s not the most interesting or captivating Pumpkins song out there, but it’s definitely one-of-a-kind, and damn does it kick fuckin’ ass.
(Also released on Machina II, this version has better quality) |
| 23 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
123. Blew Away:
James Iha’s songs have always been noted for their mellower, more relaxed tone compared to the rest of the Smashing Pumpkins work, and this track is no exception. It’s got a sweet country twang and his endlessly likable murmured vocals, but also is very recognizably a Pumpkins’ work, implying that Billy might have had more a hand in this one than he usually does in James’ tracks. |
| 22 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
122. United States:
A massive, sprawling epic that may not reach the mammoth heights of “X.Y.U” pr “Starla” but it far outweighs the misguided “Glass and the Ghost Children” due it its impressive muscle and purposeful length. Sure it’s long, but I never get bored of it throughout all of its ten minutes, even if some moments might be a bit strange and immature (i.e. all those “la-la-la”s). And besides, tell me to my face that that outro isn’t badass. |
| 21 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
121. Once in a While:
This would have made a pleasant addition to the rest of Adore if it were left on, though I can’t argue against it being left off. Compared to the rest, it didn’t really add much to the table. Regardless, it’s just a damn lovely piano+guitar work, which grows naturally throughout in an endearing and gentle way. Who knows how it would sound paired with the rest, but I think it could easily have bested a few of the songs that ended up on the final listing. |
| 20 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Siamese Dream
120. Quiet:
Another weaker cut from Siamese in my eyes, “Quiet” definitely does benefit from a killer deep-sounding riff and the conversely mellow vocals from Billy that bounce off of it in an alternatively dreamy and ironic way. It doesn’t standout to me compared to the highlights surrounding it, but thanks to its unique sound it’s a pretty great track in its own right. |
| 19 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Monuments to an Elegy
119. Anaise!:
An oddity for how it incorporates some disco stylings into itself, its simple beat and synth loop make for a surprisingly effective tune when mixed with a prominent bass and Corgan giving it all. If it were ironic, it wouldn’t work. But when they’re trying this hard, it does. |
| 18 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
118. Destination Unknown:
A surreal track that accurately depicts what the Pumpkins would sound like if they were around during the 70s disco era, but with more than enough sonic tricks up their sleeve to keep things from getting boring. It’s repetitive without being monotonous, strange without being off-putting, and mostly just really damn fun. |
| 17 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rotten Apples
117. Drown:
One of the Pumpkins’ earliest hits also perhaps best represented the change from the jam-heavy vibe of Gish to the more meticulous rockers of Siamese Dream, bringing both together to form a seamless and unique addition to their catalogue. It may not belong to any one album in particular, but as evidenced by its inclusion in their greatest hits compilation, it’s an essential part of Pumpkins history. |
| 16 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Judas O
Saturnine (Judas Ø):
A glitchy, paranoid jam that acts as a more immediate and enjoyable counterpoint to its moody sister on Machina II. While I may prefer that version to this, the lyrics are compounded rather than clouded here, and there are plenty of reasons why this could be considered superior, but it just doesn’t become anything more than it is, unlike its sister. Oh well, it’s good as hell anyway. |
| 15 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
To Forgive:
A subdued and quietly anguished cut from Mellon Collie, this one displays the musical maturity that came into the band during this era, with haunting strings and chiming guitars, the song manages to be both relatively simple but emotionally complex at the same time. |
| 14 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
114. Bleeding the Orchid:
Basically just a perfect example of a Zeitgeist song using its full potential, “Bleeding the Orchid” uses classic Pumpkins hallmarks to its advantage before creating a full atmosphere and utilizing its abundance of backing vocals to a far better point than most tracks. It’s just a great song overall, and not even a guilty pleasure unlike many of the others on here. |
| 13 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
113. I of the Mourning:
A great no-frills rock track that’s blissfully straightforward compared to much of the sonic and tonal trickery present throughout much of the Machinas, yet still layered enough to warrant multiple listens. There’s something alluring about the melodies and vocals here that just bring a lot of heart to it despite it not really being about anything in particular. Definitely one of the better tracks on an otherwise misguided album. |
| 12 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
112. Sad Peter Pan:
A joint effort between the Smashing Pumpkins and their fellow Chicagoan alt-rock band Red Red Meat, this song is imbued with a fittingly disjointed atmosphere that adds to the aura of the song rather than taking away. Both vocal performances are affecting, and the simple but thick soundscape creates an atmosphere unlike any other Pumpkins track I can think of. It may not be the most memorable experience, but it’s yet another great track lost in the sands of time. |
| 11 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist
111. For God and Country:
Based on an eerie piano riff and some dangerous vocal loops from Corgan, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this track exhibits some of the most experimental—or at least unique—sounds present on the entirety of Zeitgeist. The slow but relentless pace and the simple changes of the music throughout make this a standout cut, and just a great song on its own merits. |
| 10 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
110. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness:
Featuring a lovely piano part that serves as an engaging introduction to the album, it really doesn’t add much on repeated listens. The backing instrumentation to the piano has a very canned and artificial sound to it that stacks up strangely next to “Tonight, Tonight.” Regardless, the song is very pretty, and a great one. Just as an opener for one of the greatest rock albums of all time, it all feels a bit inessential. |
| 9 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot
109. La Dolly Vita:
A sprawling acoustic-based track that builds and shifts from tone to tone and sound to sound, ultimately lashing out into an electric rocker, “La Dolly Vita” is a multi-layered rocker that would’ve made a fine addition to Gish, adding some sounds and ideas not present in its current incarnation. |
| 8 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
108. Blank Page:
An appropriately mellow downer closes out Adore in a sort of antithesis to To Shelia, not so much lyrically as musically. Where that had a bit of hope and growth scattered throughout, this is almost entirely bleak with only a few glimmers of sunlight splashing through as it trudges on stuck in its ways. It doesn’t change much throughout its five minutes, but it’s a good thing. It wouldn’t quite work if it did. “Take a day/Plant some seeds/May they shade you/From me.” Oof. |
| 7 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Gish
107. Crush:
One of the more relaxed numbers from their debut, “Crush” is a likable and extremely polished effort compared to the abrasiveness of some of the others. I grapple with this song a lot because I really do think it’s just completely lovely, but that guitar tone is kind of annoying at times, like something you would hear in a children’s lullaby. Idk, other than that it’s just a great damn song. |
| 6 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Zero
106. Pennies:
One of the mellower picks from the Zero EP, it actually helps it stand out where it might’ve blended into the woodwork of another EP. It’s a pretty great Pumpkins track, balancing the rocking side of the band with their involuntary pop leanings, and it probably would’ve made a great single. For all we know, that could be why they left it off. |
| 5 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
Lightning Strikes:
Exploding off with a fitting thunderclap, “Lightning Strikes” is effortlessly listenable thanks to the playful interplay between its synths and guitars, instantly dated but weirdly modern. While its impossible to fully latch onto thanks to that same lack of substance (see: any other previous Teargarden track on this list), it’s still quite a jam should you chance upon on it.
(Off the scrapped Teargarden Vol. 3 release) |
| 4 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Gish
104. Tritessa:
Just like all the other songs on Gish, Tristessa works thanks to the dynamic instrumental interplay that was present on the early demos, but this time with an edge that makes everything stand and pop out far more effectively as a unique sound. To be fair, it doesn’t quite stand out as much compared to the rest of the album, but it’s a great song regardless. |
| 3 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Rarities & B-Sides
103. Ma Belle:
Frustratingly better than the majority of the album it was left off of, “Ma Belle” starts as a loving ballad with that familiar metallic Zeitgeist sheen, albeit in a far warmer style this time around, before ascending into an engaging climax.
(Zeitgeist B-Side) |
| 2 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Machina/The Machines of God
102. The Crying Tree of Mercury:
Containing many of the sonic qualities of (the superior) “Blue Skies Bring Tears,” this track is built off of an ethereal loop and steady repetition that builds with a distorted but powerful lead guitar. It grows more abrasive and cluttered as it goes, somehow becoming more interesting and endearing at the same time. If it had stuck the landing and perhaps was mixed a bit better (were those strings popping up at the end? I sure wish I could actually hear them…), it could easily have been an classic Pumpkins track. Regardless, it’s a puzzle box that grows on the listener each time it’s chanced upon, and has been crawling up this list for some time now. |
| 1 | | The Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
101. To Sheila:
This gentle and dreamy opener to Adore certainly spelled trouble for fans of the heavier, don’t-give-no-fucks Pumpkins, but given the slow dissolution of his band and the death of his mother, Billy thought that a change of sound was in order. And who could argue with him after hearing this beautiful, stunningly crafted work of art. It may seem a bit empty at times and it’s not catchy in the slightest, but would it make sense if it were the opposite? |
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