Recorded 1992 (1992) Label Virgin | Length 3:17 Writer(s) Billy Corgan | |
Released March 22, 1994 (1994-03-22) Format Vinyl record (7", 12") and CD | ||
"Disarm" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single from their second album, Siamese Dream. "Disarm" was written by Billy Corgan.
Contents
History
The BBC banned the song from appearing on Top of the Pops, because of the lyric "cut that little child", and it received little radio airplay in the United Kingdom. That lyric along with lyrics like "what I choose is my choice" and "the killer in me is the killer in you" has also led to some controversy, as some read it as a reference to abortion. Corgan has stated that the song reflects the shaky relationship he had with his parents while growing up. However, even with the ban and the limited radio time, it still peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., the song failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100 but it peaked number forty-eight on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, it also peaked at number five on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number eight on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
While the Pumpkins often produced softer, acoustic versions of many of their louder, more aggressive songs, the band performed a heavy, electric version of "Disarm" on a British television appearance, as featured on Vieuphoria, and also on live U.S. TV at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. The electric version changes the tone of the song from that of a ballad to a more angst-driven rock song.
Two different versions of the single were produced. Each version (Heart and Smile) featured different artwork and different B-sides.
The B-sides to the Heart version were both covers of classic rock songs from the 1970s. "Landslide" was later included on the compilation album Pisces Iscariot, after which it received significant airplay on U.S. Modern Rock stations, peaking at #3 on that chart. "Dancing in the Moonlight" performed well in Australia, where it charted at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1994, while "Disarm" did not chart.
The UK 7" purple vinyl single features an exclusive b-side "Siamese Dream" which does not appear on any other physical release. In 2005, the track was released as a digital download as part of the Rarities and B-sides compilation.
The song was featured in the episode "Of Mice and Lem", the penultimate episode of the 5th season of The Shield, in 2006.
The Civil Wars covered the song on their self-titled album in 2013.
Music video
The music video, directed by Jake Scott, is black and white and shows the members of the band floating over images of a house, an old man walking through an underpass while home movie-esque, color footage shows a young boy (Sean Adams, now known as Amber Adams) playing outside. Billy Corgan has said that he didn't want the old man in the video, but Scott insisted. The video premiered on MTV in late 1993 and was immediately placed into heavy rotation. In 1994, it was nominated for Best Alternative Video and Best Editing in a Video (Editor: Pat Sheffield) at the MTV Video Music Awards, the Pumpkins' first MTV Video Music Awards nominations.
Track listing
All songs were written by Billy Corgan, except where noted.
UK 7" vinyl single (7243 8 92309 7 0, HUT 43)
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Siamese Dream" – 2:38
UK CD single 1
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Soothe (Demo)" - 2:35
- "Blew Away" (James Iha) – 3:31
UK CD single 2
- "Disarm" – 3:17
- "Landslide" (Stevie Nicks) – 3:10
- "Dancing in the Moonlight" (Phil Lynott) – 4:21