The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

Soot and Stars

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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
whether it was your favorite album from The Smashing Pumpkins has to be respected as their pinnacle and most epic work! I remember I finally caught up with my friends and got my first c.d. player around the time the Bullet With Butterfly Wings video debuted on MTV. As a huge fan of Siamese Dream I was anticipating seeing this and I was floored, mouth agape at the result. While I loved the music of Siamese Dream this was a completely different experience. I felt like SP had hit the pulse of something huge.

The video and song was dirty, grimy and dark but at the same time it was stylish, glamorous and Billy definitely seemed like he was claiming rock royalty as he sat in his dark throne! No longer was SP a dreamy, fuzzy, spacy rock band! They had woken up to rock every angsty teen by with style and capture that essence like never before! After I didn't get MCatIS for christmas (and instead got *cough* Mariah Carey *cough*) I did what any young guy had to do and scrounge every dollar and piece of change they could to finally purchase what they anticipated in a fashion that only a youth understands.

When I finally got this c.d. I WORSHIPPED it like nothing before or since. Like an Indian with a buffalo I used every part without waste! When I wasn't listening to the music I would just look at the lyric book

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and read them like they were passages from a poetry collection. I loved everything down to the little drawings corresponding with each lyric! I even loved the way the text looked. I gawked at all the bizarre drawings which I have a cool interview with the artist, Frank Olinsky, right here at this link:

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I remember how cool these guys looked! Billy in his silver pants and best band shirt to ever be marketed IMO, the Zero shirt! James with his glossy whatever look! The bright colored flying jimmy! D' Arcy with the WTF carrot picture! To me they were my icons of cool!

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I have paint spots still on that booklet from bringing that booklet to Art class and painting from it. The case is busted, the pages worn and so many light scratchs on each disc that I call that album old faithful since it still plays without a skip. That c.d. represents a time, a feeling and just an overall feeling for me. It also shows how whether it be a c.d., a cassette or record the experience is such a part of the enjoyment that Mp3s will never give you!

Now I've barely even touched on the music itself which is next! :grinthumb
 
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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Dawn to Dusk
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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
I get so lost in this song and it takes every bit of tension I have away when I hear it. Just beautiful! It's the perfect introduction before Tonight, Tonight comes and sweeps the listener away. If their is one piano piece I want to learn to play it's always been this one!


Tonight, Tonight
How can someone not be uplifted by this song! It's perfect! When I here this song I get swept away by the orchestration! I get caught up in Billys sincerity about capturing life because like me I know it's a rare moment of escaping cynicism. The video is genius as SP never made a dull video.

Favorite lyrics:
And you know you're never sure
But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light



Jelly Belly
This song ironically follows with a sludgy driving groove and comes through with song really cool phrasing by Billy Corgan. I love when he growls "Down in the belly of the beeeeeaaasst!" Jimmys drumming is a highlight on this track!
Favorite Lyrics:
There's nothing left to do
There's nothing left to feel
Doesn't matter what you want, so
To make yourself feel better



Zero
Such a dark, gloomy song but I love the attitude behind it. It's really something you can get into when you feel alienated and you just feel like saying **** the world. Great spacy guitars and Billy is a snarling beast on vocals! The "Emptiness is loneliness...." verse is classic! The video is eccentric and ugly!
Favorite Lyrics:
Emptiness is loneliness, and loneliness is cleanliness
And cleanliness is godliness, and god is empty just like me



Here Is No Why
A great anthemic song that you just can't help but move your head with Jimmys drumming and following the guitar groove until it goes all out at 2:25! Just a fun song that's darker lyrically than it sounds!
Favorite lyrics:
and if you're giving in, then you're giving up
cause in your sad machines
you'll forever stay



Bullet With Butterfly Wings
This is the song that really needs little explanation! This song reached even the non pumpkin fans in my school because it's a flawless single. The band really kicked in everything here with an attitude that was needed. Billy's cold monotone delivery building up into rage. The tempo of the drums until the guitars coming blasting in! The perfect single for introducing the world to MCatIS!
Favorite lyrics:
And what do you want?
I want to change
And what have you got, when you feel the same?



To Forgive
Such a slow depressing song but it sounds like it comes from such a personal place that you really feel it! I love the intimacy of this one!
Favorite lyrics:
Holding back the fool again
Holding back the fool pretends
I forget to forget nothing is important

 

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

**** You (An Ode to No One)
Such a snotty song with such a chugging riff and fast drums! I love this song for this part alone!

To runaround kids in get-go cars
With vaseline afterbirths and neon coughs
Galaxies full of nobodies
Giving us the farewell runarounds
I took a virgin mary axe to his sweet baby jane,
lost my innocence to a no good girl, scratch my
face with anvil hands, and coil my tongue around a bumblebee mouth



Love
I love the fuzzy sound with the distorted vocals of Billy! It sounds like this song was made in another galaxy with space ships and blaster guns! Love it at 2:43!
Favorite lyrics:
it's what you wanted to see, it's who you wanted to be
for what you needed to need, she'll make it up



Cupid De Locke
If I had to pick one song to eliminate it would be this one. That plucking strings vibe they are going for kind of sounds grating on this! Billys monologue is cool though!
And In The Land Of The Star Crossed Lovers
And Barren Heart Wanderers
Forever Lost In Forsaken Missives And Satan's Pull
We Seek The Unseekable And We Speak The Unspeakable
Our Hopes Dead Gathering Dust To Dust
In Faith, In Compassion, And In Love



Galapagos
My favorite track on the whole album! I LOVE the buildup on this, Billys soft soothing vocals and the payoff is so cathartic as he wails "Too late to turn back now...." My favorite lyrics from MCatIS are on this c.d.!
Favorite Lyrics:
too late to turn back now, i'm running out of sound
and i am changing, changing
and if we died right now, this fool you love somehow
is here with you
i won't deny the pain
i won't deny the change
and should i fall from grace here with you
would you leave me too?



Muzzle
Another anthemic song like Here Is No Why but I like this one so much better! A great song lyrically and Billy has such an inspirational delivery like he's a sage spreading his wisdom as if he's lived through it all!
Favorite lyrics:
As all things must surely have to end
And great loves will one day have to part
I know that I am meant for this world



Porecelina of the Oceans
Another great buildup! You really feel like you are sailing in a dream in this one! So many little touches were added to this song and it really goes in so many places that it'd take forever to break down! The lyrics are so vivid! An epic classic!
favorite lyrics:
As far as you take me, that's where I believe
The realm of soft delusions, floating on the leaves
On a distant shoreline, she waves her arms to me
As all the thought police, are closing in for sleep



Take Me Down
I love James Ihas voice! This lullaby vibe is perfect for him! A great closer for the first half!
Favorite lyrics:
I held you once, a love that once, and life had just begun
 
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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Twilight to Starlight

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Where Boys Fear to Tread
Love the guitars on this and the drums are played with such conviction! Just an instrumentally effective song!
Favorite lyrics:
(love the alliteration here)
A go-go-kids, a go-go-style
A suck suck kiss, a suck suck smile



Bodies
Love the song! This could only be sung with Billys nasally style and his screaming is amazing! Love the intro as well! Love the break at the 2 min. mark! Love this song period!
Favorite lyrics:
(just the chorus itself is so simple it's perfect!)
But no bodies ever knew
Nobodys
No bodies felt like you
Nobodys
Love is suicide



Thirty-Three
Great single! Great lyrics! Really feels like you are following someone through their walk of life!
Favorite lyrics:
I'll make the effort, love can last forever
Graceful swans of never topple to the earth



In The Arms of Sleep
A simple song that has a good quiet slightly marching likerhythm! Billys passionate vocals really add to the song!
Favorite lyrics:
I need someone to ease my mind
But sometimes a someone is so hard to find



1979
Nothing has ever captured the youth and energy that comes with it like this amazing single! This song makes even the most awkward gawky person want to move! The video also excellently captures the vibe perfectly! The Smashing Pumpkins definitely knew who they were making music for!
Favorite lyrics:
(every word but this one grabs me)
And we don't know
Just where our bones will rest
To dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below



Tales of a Scorched Earth
Just perfect loud pschotic fury! Billy sounds like a demon on this one! Seriously he is possessed!
Favorite Lyrics:
Why do the same old things keep on happening?
Because beyond my hopes there are no feelings



Thru The Eyes of Ruby
Like the twinkly little intro and the slow drum beat here until it builds into the heavier guitars!
Favorite lyrics:
If you spin your love around
The secrets of your dreams
You may find your love is gone
And is not quite what it seemed

 

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

Stumbleine
Really simple acoustic song but very vivid lyrics!
Favorite lyrics:
Jukebox ****up hanging round the drugstore
No matter what you say he'll be back for more
Mommy's in the manger with the little kids
She's got her reasons, got my forgets
Of tears and idle threats


X.Y.U.
And this song comes and beats the **** out of that song! Back to Billy demon and the psychotic fury! I love this one way better than Tales of a Scorched Earth! When Billy screams "In the eyes of a jackal I say Kaaaaaa-boooooom" I'm in heaven! Awesome!
Favorite lyrics:
Mary had a little lamb, her face was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went I was sure to go
Now Mary's got a problem, and Mary's not a stupid girl
Mary's got some deep ****, and Mary does not forget
And this is how Mary's garden grows, and this is how Mary has her ghosts


We Only Come Out At Night
This song is so odd and funny! You can't help but sing along to it!
Favorite lyrics:
(Just funny to chant along too)
We only come out at night, the days are much too bright


Beautiful
A silly sounding song but really has a lot of depth under the absurdity through the lyrics!
Favorite lyrics:
Wonderful, it's wonderful, to know that you're just like I
And I'm sure you know me well, as I'm sure you don't
But you just can't tell
Who'll you love and who you won't



Lily (My One and Only)
The sweetest song about a stalker ever! Love the Broadway style in which I think the song captures! There are other interpretations though! One about his cat! I prefer the stalker one! :lmao:
Favorite lyrics:
Silly, I know I'm silly
Cause I'm hanging in this tree
In the hopes that she will catch a glimpse of me



By Starlight
Love this one! Just like sinking into a dream! The drums sound awesome! Billy sings sweetly!
Favorite song:
and does she really know who I really am?
and does she really know me at last?



Farewell and Goodnight
Loved having all the voices on this! A great closing song!


The most important thing about this whole experience is how diverse and how many places this album takes you and you still feel it's the same beautiful piece of work! This is what happens when everything comes together full circle when you have a vision, sound, poetry and emotion that all go together cohesively! That is the Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness experience and it's one of the few modern classic albums to be made!
 

LG

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

That is one Stupendous album review Bry...:bow:

I have this album but have never listened to it...:bricks:

I'll read it thoroughly when I have more time and offer some "Intelligent" comments...:D
 
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Dave78

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

If this wasn't a band that was destined to implode I don't know if there ever was one, what with a guitarist and the bass player dating, a drummer who was hooked on smack, and a self-described tempermental eccentric of a songwriter for a leader. Too bad Jimmy Chamberlin couldn't get his act together. I always thought his frenzied drumming style was a perfect fit for their style of music.

At any rate, the band might have been at its peak commercially with "Mellon Collie...", but I still prefer Gish and Siamese Dream.

To me, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness suffers from "Exile on Main Street" symptom. A double album with too much filler, and the solid tunes get lost in the shuffle. There is enough good stuff on there for a great single album, but it's too spread out over the entire double album and it's hard to listen to. Love the songs "Zero", Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "Bodies" though!
 

0000

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

I'm in awe at this view, you should be a professional writer, let's get Rolling Stone back with this, you could save music magazines...

and I agree with you KMET to an extent, I can listen to the entire album and be happy if I'm doing something and its background, its a bit hard to just sit down and listen to the entire thing, I do love the bigger tracks though, 1979 just puts me in a trance every time, I like a lot of them because they're grungy, but they aren't grunge.... if that makes any sense, they seem to have a lot of the same feeling and attitude as a lot of grunge and alternative bands had at the time, but its so different, and Bullet With Butterfly Wings(which I've always called Rat in a Cage) is one of the first things I listen to if I'm pissed off
 

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

If this wasn't a band that was destined to implode I don't know if there ever was one, what with a guitarist and the bass player dating, a drummer who was hooked on smack, and a self-described tempermental eccentric of a songwriter for a leader. Too bad Jimmy Chamberlin couldn't get his act together. I always thought his frenzied drumming style was a perfect fit for their style of music.

At any rate, the band might have been at its peak commercially with "Mellon Collie...", but I still prefer Gish and Siamese Dream.

To me, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness suffers from "Exile on Main Street" symptom. A double album with too much filler, and the solid tunes get lost in the shuffle. There is enough good stuff on there for a great single album, but it's too spread out over the entire double album and it's hard to listen to. Love the songs "Zero", Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "Bodies" though!

I always thought it was that volatility that made them work. Mellon Collie wasn't my absolute favorite from them but it was a very time capsule moment for me with the experience I had with the c.d. Now I've heard overkill on albums and my personal listening has me disagree with your statement. I thought it flowed great even with all the styles and there was maybe one song I would've omitted. I plan on doing every Smashing Pumpkins album so I figured Mellon Collie woul;d be the perfect introduction plus because of the mass number of songs I wanted to get it out of the way. :D I enjoyed your thoughts though KMET! :grinthumb
 

Soot and Stars

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Re: The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

That is one Stupendous album review Bry...:bow:

I have this album but have never listened to it...:brick:

I'll read it thoroughly when I have more time and offer some "Intelligent" comments...:D

I'm in awe at this view, you should be a professional writer, let's get Rolling Stone back with this, you could save music magazines...

and I agree with you KMET to an extent, I can listen to the entire album and be happy if I'm doing something and its background, its a bit hard to just sit down and listen to the entire thing, I do love the bigger tracks though, 1979 just puts me in a trance every time, I like a lot of them because they're grungy, but they aren't grunge.... if that makes any sense, they seem to have a lot of the same feeling and attitude as a lot of grunge and alternative bands had at the time, but its so different, and Bullet With Butterfly Wings(which I've always called Rat in a Cage) is one of the first things I listen to if I'm pissed off

LG-Thanks LG but........LISTEN! Seriously, go listen now! Now! :lmao:
Just kidding but seriously, do it! :D

Eberg-Thanks a lot man! I'm humbled by that comparison. I'm a little bit too gushing fanboy for Rolling Stone perhaps but I'll accept the compliment! :grinthumb I agree with you about the grunge but non-grunge comment. Same time period roughly but way more eccentric, trippy and melodic than it's surroundings. Smashing Pumpkins can never be classified because they always evolved into something different. This made them love and hated by many different people!
 

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