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Album: Siamese Dream
Avg rating:
7.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3898









Released: 1995
Length: 3:14
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Disarm you with a smile
And cut you like you want me to
Cut that little child
Inside of me and such a part of you
Ooh, the years burn

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my choice
What's a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you

Disarm you with a smile
And leave you like they left me here
To wither in denial
The bitterness of one who's left alone
Ooh, the years burn
Ooh, the years burn, burn, burn

I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my voice
What's a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you

The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
Comments (399)add comment
 Fishman wrote:

22 when this album came out. So many good bands kickin off around that time. Feel so lucky to have had my twenties in the nineties. Bookended by Nevermind in 91 and Ok Computer in 97 



24 for me, and everything else exactly the same thoughts!
And this is something like a thread around our generation worldwide. I live in Germany...
 Fishman wrote:

22 when this album came out. So many good bands kickin off around that time. Feel so lucky to have had my twenties in the nineties. Bookended by Nevermind in 91 and Ok Computer in 97 



i was 25. i feel the same.
22 when this album came out. So many good bands kickin off around that time. Feel so lucky to have had my twenties in the nineties. Bookended by Nevermind in 91 and Ok Computer in 97 
Early Pumpkins is the soundtrack to a horde of happy memories, but Billy Corgan got to be too pompous and tedious, not as bad as Bono but not far off.
 rdo wrote:
What does "over-produced" mean even?   I really have no idea what that means.   {#Foot-in-mouth} {#Ask}

For music, it typically means additional layers of singers and instrumentation that detract from the song.  

Imagine the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" with a full choir and 25-piece symphonic background.   Or drums and searing guitar solos on a James Taylor ballad. 
This was the first song by the Smashing Pumpkins I remember hearing, and it blew my little teenage/preteen mind. I became obsessed with them for years. I always felt I understood completely what Billy Corgan was on about. He made perfect sense to me then. The Smashing Pumpkins sounded like they were giving a voice to exactly what was in my angsty teenage heart. I never felt alone when I had them. 

As the decade progressed they were the soundtrack to so many of the big events of my life then. They are so inextricably wrapped up in my experience of the 90s and my teenage years, and will always have a place in my heart. I have evolved, like my taste in music, but being able to listen to their music from that time is like being able to glimpse the nascent version of me from back then again.  And you know, the music holds up. They were real.

 TimeWaster wrote:

Still love hearing this after nearly 30 years. I was barely a teenager when this came out.



OMG! Didn't think about how old this song, and consequently I am.
 idiot_wind wrote:
It's  not politically correct to state the obvious  about this band: the vocals are atrocious. 

Sure, but Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Geddy Lee's vocals are hilariously bad too, and it didn't stop them/their bands from greatness. Billy Corgan, despite being a horrendous bandmate, has the perfect voice for the pre-emo/goth vibe of Smashing Pumpkins. 
Still love hearing this after nearly 30 years. I was barely a teenager when this came out.
never a fan of Corgan's voice but these lyrics are interesting
You haven't heard painful, nails-on-a-chalkboard screeching until you've heard William Corgan "sing" live. Oooooffahh! 


Your post really resonated with me.

My husband was homeless as a child. I often listen to his stories and am so proud of him for what he has accomplished despite the cards he was dealt.  Now we are finally homeowners, living in an Alaskan paradise, complete with badass glassblowing studio.  

Best wishes to you.



 TrevorWGoodchild wrote:
Love this song. The director of the homeless shelter I stayed in as a teen gave me a cassette tape of Smashing Pumpkins and that's how I was introduced to them. Listening to Smashing Pumpkins brings me back to that day and how much I've accomplished since then. The nostalgia of the 90s, the indescribable feeling of having experienced something that won't happen again but is somehow still with us.
 

 justin4kick wrote:
The music is great but with the lyrics I just don't know.It's like kicking in open doors, if you know what I mean

I used to be a little boy 
...
And what I choose is my choice 
 
I like the analogy "kicking in open doors" but think you may not be seeing the bigger picture of the lyrics in your examples. "I used to be a little boy" doesn't work on it's own very well, but when followed by the rest of his thought "...so old in my shoes" it's just setting the stage in the storytelling. Same for your second example "What I choose is my choice" doesn't work well alone, but later in the song it evolves to "what I choose is my voice" which is rather clever. There are countless songs with mediocre lyrics, but for me this is a far cry from those. 
this song reminds me my teenage - such a thrill!! 
Love this song. The director of the homeless shelter I stayed in as a teen gave me a cassette tape of Smashing Pumpkins and that's how I was introduced to them. Listening to Smashing Pumpkins brings me back to that day and how much I've accomplished since then. The nostalgia of the 90s, the indescribable feeling of having experienced something that won't happen again but is somehow still with us.
 Azrica wrote:
Regardless of how much I try like this song, there is always that tightening knot feeling in my belly,
and my youth memories of war back home just starts flooding over…  

 


 


Wah . . . . put it to music.
Wait, somebody has.



 jp33442 wrote:
What a whiny song NEXT

It really is awful isn't it.
What a whiny song NEXT
 testpilot wrote:

Children of divorced parents are prone to divorcing themselves, so - no union!
 
Not thinkin one.  Parents divorced my age of one.

Married 40 years now.  Never separated.  Got another ten years in us.
Superb song,fantastic album🥳
 cavemanleong wrote:
Disarm was from Siamese Dreams and not Adore! 
 

Fixed.
Hey SurfDoc,

It's  not politically correct to state the obvious  about this band: the vocals are atrocious. 

But we must keep speaking truth to power!



 
SurfDoc wrote:
I wonder if others find his voice very whiney
 

 SurfDoc wrote:
I wonder if others find his voice very whiney
 

The whiney in me
Is the whiney in you
Shake Madam George and around 3 minutes will fall out.
the guitar on this album, at a time Milli Vannilli and Madonna were dominating the FM airwaves... *electrifying*
Disarm was from Siamese Dreams and not Adore! 
 SurfDoc wrote:
I wonder if others find his voice very whiney
 
After about thirty years of the Smashing Pumpkins making music, at least one or two people may have found Corgan's voice to be whiny.
 SurfDoc wrote:
I wonder if others find his voice very whiney
 
Raises hand...quickly.
I wonder if others find his voice very whiney
{#Cheesygrin}{#Stop}{#Hearteyes}{#Wave}
 Baby_M wrote:
Smashing Pumpkins feat. Mike Oldfield, "Disarm the Tubular Bells"

 

I say: Less cow bell, more tubular bells!
 Azrica wrote:

Regardless of how much I try like this song, there is always that tightening knot feeling in my belly,
and my youth memories of war back home just starts flooding over…  

 
Dang.

I was going to post that the song always reminds me of the time Billy forgot the words. 

Regardless of how much I try like this song, there is always that tightening knot feeling in my belly,
and my youth memories of war back home just starts flooding over…  

 


 hype.197812308 wrote:
Adore? 1995? and "Rotten Apples" cover! 
 
Yeah, something has gone seriously wrong in the RP song database here. Wrong album, wrong cover that isn't even from the wrong album, and wrong release date that again matches neither the wrong album nor the cover! This song was from ‘Siamese Dream’ from 1993.
The lyrics are not for the song 'DISARM"  — can this kindly be corrected?

 
More music ought to have bells in
Smashing Pumpkins feat. Mike Oldfield, "Disarm the Tubular Bells"
 dsd wrote:

Agreed

 
Exactly! 
The music is great but with the lyrics I just don't know.It's like kicking in open doors, if you know what I mean

I used to be a little boy 
...
And what I choose is my choice 
Adore? 1995? and "Rotten Apples" cover! 
 Baron77 wrote:

I wish RP had a "like" button. 

 
Or a PTA-button (Play This Again)
Annoying 
 ppopp wrote:
His voice is as bad as the singer from The Counting Crows.

 
I wish RP had a "like" button. 
i don't have a clue why i thought it
but i just thought 
this beats the hell out of Stairway To Heaven 
 Jannne wrote:
  Billy Corgan's vocals are an essential element of the Pumpkins brilliance

 
Agreed
 pumpkins3 wrote:
Deeply personal song for Corgan. Children of divorced parents unite!

 
Children of divorced parents are prone to divorcing themselves, so - no union!
 wgsu_1978 wrote:

You're not serious, are you?

 
I think the addition of the chimes is the masterstroke for this recording—hats off to whoever decided to give that a try.
This song is so good that I'm willing to tolerate Corgan strangling the cat for the entirety of it.
 Hannio wrote:

In general, any pop or rock song with an orchestral background is over-produced.

 
You're not serious, are you?
 Jannne wrote:
  Billy Corgan's vocals are an essential element of the Pumpkins brilliance

 
Let me just say that, in heartfelt measure, but general terms — I disagree.
 rdo wrote:
What does "over-produced" mean even?   I really have no idea what that means.   {#Foot-in-mouth} {#Ask}

 

In general, any pop or rock song with an orchestral background is over-produced.  Of course, that is just my personal opinion, which should go without saying but there are some who get all huffy when a song they like is criticized.


 Jannne wrote:
  Billy Corgan's vocals are an essential element of the Pumpkins brilliance

 

Ditto
  Billy Corgan's vocals are an essential element of the Pumpkins brilliance
 Lazarus wrote:

We be dancing...  love it...
 

Lightness In Age
by Gibbons Ruark

It means not having to muscle your bag
Onto the baggage rack for the flight to Dublin.
A girl your daughter's age will do that for you.
It means the boy distributes the groceries justly
In your carry-alls so you'll make the car without spillage.
Those lightnesses are not to be taken lightly,
But more than those it's the many-faceted lightness
Of the goldfinch feathering down at morning,
The chickadee's darting blur for the one seed
He spirits away and devours discreetly,
And it's the tenderness of a long-known kiss
Touching your mouth or eyelid or anywhere
With this new lightness, its flickering back-lit by the glow
Of that consuming first one fifty years ago.



 
Senor L there's hope yet.
 Hear4life wrote:



 

 ppopp wrote:
His voice is as bad as the singer from The Counting Crows.

 

His voice is as bad as the singer from The Counting Crows.
The Civil Wars have an interesting version of this on their last album.  But ya just can't beat the intensity and passion of this version!
Deeply personal song for Corgan. Children of divorced parents unite!
I love the jarring contrast of the snarling vocals with the elegant orchestral arrangements, and the raging dance that lurks beneath all...
It's a beautiful Xmas song for my generation!
What does "over-produced" mean even?   I really have no idea what that means.   {#Foot-in-mouth} {#Ask}
 subgyro wrote:

Yeah, I really hate crisp, clean production. Hearing individual instruments is awful. And elegantly-recorded string sections. Poo.{#Snooty}

At least it's followed by early recorded-in-the-garage-with-a-4-track Cure!

 
Hehe I have for sale to you a very early Walkman with some 20 yr old chrome audio cassettes with guaranteed drop outs, with the tracks recorded from a tinny transistor radio for the full, 70s and early 80s muffled sound experience and 'proper' production sound!

Oh wait - Neil Young 'Words' is playing and it sounds JUST like that!  :-)
Is this a particularly short track? it always seems to be over so quickly (not that I want to rush it, it's catchy and interesting).
 Hannio wrote:

I love Corgan's tortured-cat guitar playing.  I even don't mind his tortured-cat singing.  But I can't stand over-produced crap such as this.



 
Yeah, I really hate crisp, clean production. Hearing individual instruments is awful. And elegantly-recorded string sections. Poo.{#Snooty}

At least it's followed by early recorded-in-the-garage-with-a-4-track Cure!
 Hannio wrote:

I love Corgan's tortured-cat guitar playing.  I even don't mind his tortured-cat singing.  But I can't stand over-produced crap such as this. 

I'll second that.

I love Corgan's tortured-cat guitar playing.  I even don't mind his tortured-cat singing.  But I can't stand over-produced crap such as this.


Just as a side note: I don't think it's fair throwing Waits in with Dylan and Young if it's about the quality of their singing and sound of their voice. That said, they can definitely keep on singing, just maybe try and get that really tight nasal sound to their voice a bit straightened out. It's not like that's impossible.
 sirdroseph wrote:


That is pretty much how I see it too. Corgan's a great songwriter and a really cool dude, but should not sing imo.  However, it did not seem to hurt their success, a lot of people don't seem to mind his voice, I am not amongst them.{#Eek}

 
Why shouldn't great songwriters, with the vision and the cojones to put together a band and put themselves up front, not freaking sing.

This aint opera man, Freddy Mercuiry and Joan Baez aside, this is freaking rock and roll.

Lou, Dylan, Neil, Waits - what a horrible hole in the music there would be if they decided to just write some songs and hope for the best.
 Lauriea wrote:
I like the emoness of this song

 
What's "emoness"?
The very definition of great classic rock.
 Frater_Kork wrote:
Ho Hum. I used to like this one but after years of regular playing the feeling has worn off and all I hear is the grating voice.

 
how sad for you
I like the emoness of this song
Ho Hum. I used to like this one but after years of regular playing the feeling has worn off and all I hear is the grating voice.
Pure  genius!  inspired!
Siamese Dreams, still one of favorites.
 RichardArthur wrote:
I'm always impressed by the diametrically opposed views espoused by many on these forums!  {#Roflol}

 
I think a lot of it is generational. Most people really favor about one or two decades, no matter how open-minded. However, it does seem that some people here cast a dim view of almost anything that deviates too far from 1968.

That said, you have to be somewhat open-minded to listen to this station since they play a pretty wide variety of music from all modern eras. Perhaps there is a noticeable lack of up-tempo songs, but that seems to be by design. After all, it is Radio PARADISE. It's pretty chill.

 
More of this? 

Yes please. 
{#Biggrin} This is brilliant!
I'm always impressed by the diametrically opposed views espoused by many on these forums!  {#Roflol}
Because!  Never stop playing this!
Why? Please stop playing this!!!
Like fingernails on a chalkboard...
 Dinges,_the_Dude wrote:
a 3 just because of the annoying voice. A pity!

 

That is pretty much how I see it too. Corgan's a great songwriter and a really cool dude, but should not sing imo.  However, it did not seem to hurt their success, a lot of people don't seem to mind his voice, I am not amongst them.{#Eek}
a 3 just because of the annoying voice. A pity!
 CDeVoe wrote:
The best song they've mustered up. I feel like the latest stuff wouldn't have gone past the local bar level if it didn't have The Smashing Pumpkins' name associated with it.

 
The only other song I can think of that I enjoy as much as this one: 1979
one of my favorite videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1acEVmnVhI 

We be dancing...  love it...
 

Lightness In Age
by Gibbons Ruark

It means not having to muscle your bag
Onto the baggage rack for the flight to Dublin.
A girl your daughter's age will do that for you.
It means the boy distributes the groceries justly
In your carry-alls so you'll make the car without spillage.
Those lightnesses are not to be taken lightly,
But more than those it's the many-faceted lightness
Of the goldfinch feathering down at morning,
The chickadee's darting blur for the one seed
He spirits away and devours discreetly,
And it's the tenderness of a long-known kiss
Touching your mouth or eyelid or anywhere
With this new lightness, its flickering back-lit by the glow
Of that consuming first one fifty years ago.



Time flies when we're having fun...  love this song...
 
The best song they've mustered up. I feel like the latest stuff wouldn't have gone past the local bar level if it didn't have The Smashing Pumpkins' name associated with it.
I also wasn't a big Smashing Pumpkins fan when they were in their pomp, but this song stands the test of time for sure.
 stevendejong wrote:
Twenty years later Billy Corgan still sounds as if he is singing while constipated on a public toilet.
 
Is that a positive or negative criticism of his vocal style?
Twenty years later Billy Corgan still sounds as if he is singing while constipated on a public toilet.

Here is one more band that I had no use for when they were in their prime (saw them live back then and was not impressed at all).  How did I miss how good this song is?  Something has happened to my ears.  I love it when that happens.   
....not a great pumpkins fan but this is great.....
Was way overplayed on the radio back then.  That kinda wrecked it for me.  It is pretty good.  I hate when the radio station wreck a song by over playing it like that.
Definitely their best work
Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

" I used to be a little boy............................"
What a perfect voice! I wouldn't want the Pump{#Music}kins any other way!
Thanks! Was wanting to hear SP now after last song!!! Perfect. Happy Friday.
This is what I call music,pumpkin haters,take a ride.
 onelittlemoose wrote:
I can't explain it, the lead singer's voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I keep trying to like SP, but it's just painful. Mute, everytime.
 
+2
The whining on top of the dirge,  ugghhh.  Mute or find another source to play.  Can't stand his vocal style. 
On the comments below about the voice, I have never been bothered by strange lead voices but have always seemed to 'get around' them by the level of emotion they bring to the song. I demonstrated this to my father once when he brought up a voice he couldnt stand in some modern rock song. Might have been Curt Cobain. I asked him What about Joe Cocker? Then I played him some J.C. from his day and mentioned the feeling he was conveying over the pureness of his tone, and I think it made the point. I never want my favorite vocalists to all be going for something that would win American Idol.
 onelittlemoose wrote:
I can't explain it, the lead singer's voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I keep trying to like SP, but it's just painful. Mute, everytime.
 
You are so right!
I can't explain it, the lead singer's voice is like nails on a chalkboard. I keep trying to like SP, but it's just painful. Mute, everytime.
What a transition...

Frida Snell - Bullet With Butterfly Wings ==> Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm

Masterpiece!
Yay!  The only SP song that I really like! 9!
{#Puke}{#Puke}{#Puke}
Sorry, can't stand that voice.

Hmmmm....where's Romeo? His song's on. Maybe he's in the tub....



 sirdroseph wrote:


Yea his voice is shockingly horrible and not in a Bob Dylan kinda way, in a really, really bad all the way around way. Simply horrible and is the main reason this bands legacy will fade into the wind as the few holders on that still like them die off leaving only fresh ears to hear that the emperor indeed has no clothes.
 
Nevuh happen

Wow..... you sure are playing a lot of Smashing Pumpkins! Not that there is anything wrong with that. 
 dreadpixie wrote:
I'm with Romeo.  In opinion.  not his hotel room.
 
I'm with dreadpixie;  Vegas is not that great
I'm with Romeo.  In opinion.  not his hotel room.
i like his voice. a lot lot.
 sirdroseph wrote:


Yea his voice is shockingly horrible and not in a Bob Dylan kinda way, in a really, really bad all the way around way. Simply horrible and is the main reason this bands legacy will fade into the wind as the few holders on that still like them die off leaving only fresh ears to hear that the emperor indeed has no clothes.
 

NO ONES voice is as shockingly horrible as Dylan...
This song just screams "90s!!"  I love it.  And I don't like a lot of 90s music.
Loved this song from the time it came out, always will.