The Smashing Pumpkins are far and away my favorite band. Maybe I can turn a few people on to SP with this....maybe not. Either way from Gish to the reformation of the band I LOVE SP!I plan on going over each album....high points, low points, favorite tracks.....and will include a list of 25 of my all time favorite SP songs. Also included will be the video from The End is the Beginning is the End, which is one of my favorites. So.....be ready to rock, download, and be blown away! 

Gish is the debut effort from the Pumpkins, released in 1991. Includes radio songs Rhinoceros and Siva, with videos for both. I would describe Gish as a college/guitar rock CD, laden with heavy riffs and guitar solos. My favorite song on the record is I Am One which is the opening track.

High Points: Tristessa, Bury Me, and the secret track that plays shortly after Daydream.

Low Points: NONE. Ha they are all going to say this.

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin

The sophomore effort released in 1993. Includes Cherub Rock which can arguably be described as the Pumpkins breakout song. Other radio hits include: Today, Rocket, Disarm, Mayonaise, and Hummer. Completely oblivious to the "sophomore slump" Siamese Dream, I',m sure is A LOT of SP fans favorite record. Not mine. This disc does include Silverfuck which is a sight to see live. Videos were made for Cherub Rock, Today, Rocket, and Disarm. If nothing else this record  sets the tone for what is yet to come for this band, with heavy and angry songs, mixed very well with melodic and laid back songs.Mayonaise is my favorite song and it appears at track 9. 

High Points: Geek USA, Quiet, and Luna.

Low Points: NONE. Told You.

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin 

Pisces is a collection of rarities, b-sides, and Gish/Siamese Dream outtakes released in 1994. Radio songs include Frail and Bedazzled, Plume, and a cover of Fleetwood Mac's Landslide. No videos were released at this time. I had no idea this CD existed until my grandmother brought it back from England and gave it to me for Christmas. Awesome. This disc has definitely spent some time as my favorite by SP. Pissant is my favorite song and shows up at track 6.

High Points: Soothe, Whir, and Hello Kitty Kat

Low Points: NONE

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin 

Mellon Collie is the goliath of Smashing Pumpkins records. Most people learned of them at this point. Released in 1995 as a monumental, if not ambitious, double record. Radio hits include, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979, Zero, Tonight,Tonight, 33, and Muzzle. Videos were made for all but Muzzle and Tonight, Tonight even won MTV's Video of the Year in 1996. The Smashing Pumpkins had become a household name. My favorite song is Galapogos which is track number 11 on Dawn to Dusk (Disc 1).

High Points: Here is no Why, Where Boys Fear to Tread, Farewell and Goodnight

Low Points: This one does have one. Having to put in the second disc. If only there was a way to have all of it on one disc.

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin

After the release of Mellon Collie the band suffered some setbacks. While on tour their touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin died of a heroin overdose an drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was arrested.  

Written and recorded amidst tumultuos times for the band and Billy in particular. As mentioned before Jonathan Melvoin died on tour, Chamberlin was in jail, Martha Corgan passed as did INXS front man Michael Hutchence (Corgan's mother and a good friend). Dark, dreary, and depressing. Adore was ripped to shreds by the mainstream media and the fans who hopped on during Mellon Collie. Adore is my second favorite CD. Radio songs were  Ava Adore and Perfect which each had videos made. My favorite song is Behold! The Nightmare which is track 13.

High Points: To Sheila, For Martha, Tear

Low Points: None

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Matt Walker (touring drummer) 

Machina marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin to the band and was released in 2000. There was major buzz surrounding this record and it's first single The Everlasting Gaze. I recall it getting a lot of airplay on the radio and the video being in regular circulation on MTV and even making it's way onto TRL. (Which unfortunately was important to survive as a band in those days) Not very long afterward the critics and cynics came crawling out again saying Corgan was trying too hard. (What does that even mean?) Radio songs included The Everlasting Gaze, Stand Inside Your Love, Try,Try,Try, and I of the Mourning. All of which had videos made except I of the Mourning. My favorite song is The Age of Innocence which closes the CD out.

High Points: Heavy Metal Machine, With Every Light, and Wound

Low Points: None

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin 

After the release of the record Corgan announced that after touring the record the band will disband and be no more. D'Arcy left the band prior to the tour and was replaced by former Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Mar. Also during this time the band literally gave away Machina II: the Friends and Enemies of Modern Music over the internet.It was a double disc collection of outtakes from the Machina sessions. Machina II had no singles and no videos. My favorite song appears on both discs with two different versions, Cash Car Star.

High Points: Go, Glass' Theme, Dross

Low Points: Not released commercially and therefore had to be bootlegged.

Lineup: Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy, Jimmy Chamberlin 

After sometime away from the name Smashing Pumpkins touring and writing music for Zwan, a Corgan solo album, and the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex it was announced that SP would be reunited! They began writing music for another record slated for release in 2007. To some people it was a reunion in name only as both Iha and D'Arcy declined the offer and apologies made by Corgan. I would like to state that I am NOT included in the ones who think they aren't the Smashing Pumpkins. To my knowledge there were three singles from Zeitgeist: Tarantula, Doomsday Clock and That's The Way (My Love Is). All had videos made, I believe. The critics seemed to be silent with this other than trying to say that they weren't really the Pumpkins. My favorite song is That's The Way (My Love Is)

High Points: 7 Shades of Black, Neverlost, For God and Country

Low Points: Listening to A-holes say this wasn't an SP record.

Lineup: Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, Ginger Reyes, Jeff Scroeder, Lisa Harriton 

1. Set the Ray to Jerry- from The Aeroplane Flies High Box Set (1979 Single). At the very tail end of this cd is where you'll find this gem. This is the greatest and best song ever written by man in my opinion. A groovin bass line and kickin/ jungle drums. A chilling guitar riff takes us to the lyrics. Masterful poetry in motion as it were. Sometimes simple is the best way to go. "I want you and I need you" can say a lot if you say it the right way. The song is flawless an flows effortlessly through to a sudden stop that gives way to Jimmy's drums again and eventually the playful chorus riff again and before you know it the song is over and you've already hit repeat.  
2. Behold! the Nightmare- from Adore. Adore was such a good record but it's very dark. Behold! finds us at track 13 the lucky track. It comes in smoothly with some acoustic guitar, piano, and electric drums. This song has made me weep on several occasions. "Pulled down the heavens just to please you, appease you" "I can't go on diggin roses from your grave" Somewhere at 1:20 the drums drop out for a second an the first chorus hits and then you're in no matter what. At 2:10 we're left with a beautiful acoustic riff and a harmonied part. just about three minutes the song kicks back in with a guitar solo. The song is brilliant, beautiful, wonderful, sad........
3. Drown- from the Singles soundtrack If you haven't heard this version then you haven't heard the song. Go back and start from scratch. This riff is invasive and the way the guitar parts play off of each other is genius. Unlike most Pumpkins songs I think that lyrics are secondary in this song. "No matter where you are I can still hear you when you drown." Good stuff but it's hard to worry abou anything he says when there is so much musical beauty around it.
4. Mayonaise- from Siamese Dream. I just realized that this is the only song from Siamese Dream on the list. Not really an oversight because Siamese is more abnout the enitre record as a whole. Mayonaise is such a great track. It opens with Billy picking out a few chords and progresse to Iha laying down some sickly tuned almost playful riff....and from there..it's on as they say. We get distorted and hear beautifully haunting lyrics and dissonence. Another riff that has a lazy feel to it but makes you rock out just the same.  
5. Galapogos- from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Dawn to Dusk). The mighty track 11. It swoops in right behind Cupid De Locke and right in front of Muzzle and if you don't hold tight you'll miss it's beauty. This song is just that...beautiful. A lot of the lyrics ring true in me and in my life and have gotten me  through depressing times, good times, bad times, ya muddah times. "Tell me I am still, the man I'm supposed to be" "And if we died right now, this fool you love somehow...is here with you" A piece of trivia....when we were on the way to the hospital for Isabelle's birth, this song was the first to play.
6. The Age of Innocence- from Machina: the Machines of God. I once described this song to Hickey as one of the best Pumpkins songs no one has ever heard. "Desolation, yes. Hesitation, no" This song creeps in at the very end of the cd and if you never gave Machina the time of day...tsk,tsk. Shame on you.
7. I Am One- from Gish. The only song from Gish on my list. Not that Gish is a bad record but I don't think it's a true sample of what the Pumpkins are about. Guitar-laden and solo heavy. Great track and arguably one of the best first tracks on a cd ever. I've also always said that if i was ever a wrestler this would be my entrance music.
8. Frail and Bedazzled- from Pisces Iscariot.  I debated over this and Plume for so long that I just put them back to back. I think honestly in the end this won out because it comes first on the cd. (track 2 to Plume's track 3) I love the opening riff and the way the song gives way to Billy's vocals a couple of times. At one point this was a radio mainstay... I seem to remember Mike P playing it a lot.  
9. Plume- from Pisces Iscariot. Nick Papa G said it best once after playing this.... "If that song doesn't make you wanna just pick up a guitar and play....nothing will." One of two songs from Pisces you can hear on the radio. The riff is kinda lazy and lulls you into an automatic rocking motion. "My boredom has outshined the sun".
10. XYU- from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Twilight to Starlight) This is a friggin epic. Chugs along for awhile. slaps you around a bit. kicks you in the groin. apologizes. does it again. punches you in the face. spits at you. Billy is so angry in this song. Every change is so precise that it leaves you feeling tense...all this after you relaxed with Stumbleine. Hmm.
11. Try,try,try- from Machina: the Machines of God. I like this version much better than the version on Machina II. Not sure if that's a piano or just a strange guitar effect but it's kinda haunting kinda inviting.
12. Pug- from Adore. The riff from this song is so friggin cool. If you haven' heard this song you need to.
13. Marquis In Spades- from The Aeroplane Flies High Box Set (Zero Single) This guitar riff is so awesome...but mostly I like the lyrics. "That hint of ignorance that money can afford". "We know who you are and where you live".
14. That's the Way (My Love Is)- from Zeitgeist. This is the first Pumpkins song I've connected to my wife and hadn't really had to read deep into it. The title says it all. Plus Billy hits me spot on with "Of Course I love you baby...I'm alive"
15. Slunk- from Lull EP. Right on mother fucker you talk shit like a punk. I mostly like this song for the live version on Vieuphoria. That Japanese dudes face haunts me sometimes though. (not Iha)
16. Tonite Reprise- from The Aeroplane Flies High Box Set (Tonight,Tonight Single) I like this more than the single. So much more somber and the acoustic fits it much better.
17. Muzzle- from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Dawn to Dusk) I always feel like this song climbs twice for me and it never really stops. It also helps that Talbert and I figured out how to play it on the trumpet in high school. Ah nostalgia.
18. Pissant- from Pisces Iscariot. More loud rock guitars! How can you no like a song that opens with "Got me a ray gun, got me an altitude can't help feeling something's wrong with every one of you."??????
19. Cash Car Star- from Machina II: Friends and Enemies of Modern Music. There are two versions of this song and I can't really decide if I like one more than the other or not. "Everybodies business is everybody's business". We all will be stars one day.
20. Neverlost- from Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist is a great record but for the most part there aren't any real standout songs. Neverlost is a real chill song with xylophone as it's main instrument. Very calming.
21. Hello Kitty Kat- from Pisces Iscariot. I can't remember if this was a B-side from another song or just an outtake. The guitars are so thick and brutal. I never want it to end.
22. Bodies- from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Twilight to Starlight). How can you not like this song? This is an everything you could hope for in a song and some.
23. Lucky 13- from Judas O. (best of 2nd cd) and I believe Machina II: Friends and Enemies of Modern Music. The song is just really well put together. I'm a sucker for weird things and it's cool how you can hear Jimmy say: "i'm all jungle drummed out".
24. The Imploding Voice- from Machina: The Machines of God. The guitars are so punchy. I love the way it all comes together.
25. The End is the Beginning is the End- from the Batman and Robin soundtrack. Some of the best work they did minus Jimmy. Nice and loud. I've always liked the line "the sewers belched me out. the heavens spit me out."