Disarm

"Disarm"
"Heart" cover
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
Album Lyrics Tabs Video Spotify
B-side	"Siamese Dream" "Soothe" "Blew Away" "Landslide" "Dancing in the Moonlight"
Released	March 22, 1994
Format	Vinyl record (7", 12") and CD
Studio sessions	November 1992 – Broadway Rehearsal Studios December 1992-March 1993 – Triclops Sound June 30, 1993 – VPRO Radio September 12, 1993 – BBC Radio One
Genre	Alternative rock, acoustic rock, art pop, chamber pop
Length	3:17
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Butch Vig, Billy Corgan
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"Today" (1993) "Disarm" (1994) "Rocket" (1994)
Alternative Version Cover
"Smile" cover
Siamese Dream Cherub Rock Quiet Today Hummer Rocket Disarm Soma Geek U.S.A. Mayonaise Spaceboy Silverfuck Sweet Sweet Luna

"Disarm" was the third single from The Smashing Pumpkins' second album, Siamese Dream (1993), and became a top-twenty hit in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, despite being banned in the latter country due to the song's lyrical content.

Background

Billy Corgan has stated that the song reflects the shaky relationship he had with his parents while growing up. He told Rage magazine in 1993: "I didn’t have the guts to kill my parents, so I thought I'd get back at them through song. And rather than have an angry, angry, angry violent song I'd thought I'd write something beautiful and make them realize what tender feelings I have in my heart, and make them feel really bad for treating me like shit."

Corgan has said that the song is his "suicidal anthem" about an attempt to take his own life, and that it was written in the same 48 hours as "Today". Both songs were the first time Corgan truly opened up about his childhood as a songwriter. He credits Courtney Love for inspiring him to open, after she asked him once why the lyrics on Gish don't sound like the person she talks to (Corgan) on the phone. Corgan wrote the lyrics in a stream of consciousness: "It was like opening a door that had been shut for many, many years, and letting whoever was inside of there come out and say whatever he had to say."

Regardless of the meaning, the lyrical content brought controversy upon release. The BBC banned "Disarm" from Top of the Pops, because of the lyric "cut that little child", and it received little radio airplay in the United Kingdom. The BCC thought it drew comparison to the murder of James Bulger which happened a year prior. That lyric along with lyrics like "what I choose is my choice" and "the killer in me is the killer in you" also were met with some controversy, as some read it as a reference to abortion. Corgan later explained:

“ I got plenty of yelled at behind the scenes because I refused to change the lyrics … If you wanna see why this song was banned by the BBC, please look it up ‘cause it’s a horrific thing that happened and - but I refused, “I’m not changing my lyrics, this song is about me...and no one’s gonna change it.” After everything I’d been through, there was gonna be no compromise, because this song was my testament to what I’d survived as a child and little could I imagine some 27 years later that people would routinely write me and talk about this song and other songs that kept them from doing the same stupid thing that I almost did. ” — Billy Corgan, June 19, 2019 banter

Despite the negative misinterpretations, the song went on to be a hit in the UK and beyond, and is one of the most most-performed songs in the band's tour history.

Music video

The music video, directed by Jake Scott, is mainly in 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 early 1994 and was immediately placed into heavy rotation and spent a month as an MTV Exclusive video. Later that year 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.

Recording

Originally, "Disarm" was intended to be an electric song. Producer Butch Vig has said he was unsure how to approach it in the studio, and consequently he had the band record most of the other songs on the album first. Vig had the band track the song live, but in his own words, "it was a disaster." Eventually Corgan came into the control room and played the song on acoustic to show how he thought it should sound, and Vig obliged. Corgan had the part complete in just a few takes, using his Ovation acoustic, possibly miked with a tube 47 or an AKG 414 and with a 1176 or dbx160 compressor.

The string arrangements were written "on the fly", after Corgan used a cheap sampler keyboard to mock up the parts. Cellist Eric Remschneider (a friend of Corgan's back in Chicago) and violinist David Ragsdale were called in to the studio in Atlanta. Corgan and Vig however did not have the score prepared for them. Instead, Corgan sang to them what he wanted, and they helped write the score, with Corgan asking only for minor adjustments. Vig forced upwards of 12 hours of overdubs, using up to four reels to hold all of it on analog tape. Once complete, it took another 12 hours to mix it and re-record back onto the main reel. Vig said that in hindsight, he should have had Corgan first mock up the song on keys, write the score, then hire the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to play it.

Lyrics

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

Live arrangement

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 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.

The song has notably been played in the most arrangements of any song from the band's catalog, with at least 14 documented: full band acoustic, both with and without drums, and with and without backing track; full band electric; Corgan and Jeff Schroeder on acoustic guitars; Corgan on acoustic or electric guitar with Lisa Harriton on keyboard; Corgan without guitar and singing to a backing track; Corgan on acoustic guitar with or without backing track; Corgan alone on Mellotron (and joined by James Iha on EBow at 3 shows); and Corgan alone on piano.

Release

The song 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 at number 48 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, and also peaked at number five on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number eight on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Two versions of the single were produced. Each version (Heart and Smile) featured different artwork and different B-sides. Both covers were designed by Billy Corgan.

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 ranked at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1994.

The UK 7" purple vinyl single features an exclusive B-side "Siamese Dream". In 2005, the track was released as a download as part of the Rarities and B-sides compilation.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan, except where noted..

UK 7" single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Disarm"	3:17
2.	"Siamese Dream"	2:38

UK CD single 1 ("Smile" cover)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Disarm"		3:17
2.	"Soothe" (Demo)		2:35
3.	"Blew Away"	James Iha	3:31

UK CD single 2 ("Heart" cover)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Disarm"		3:17
2.	"Landslide"	Stevie Nicks	3:10
3.	"Dancing in the Moonlight"	Phil Lynott	4:21

Personnel

• Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass, production, mixing, artwork
• Jimmy Chamberlin – percussion
• Eric Remschneider – cello, string arrangement
• David Ragsdale – violin, string arrangement
• Butch Vig – production, mixing
• Alan Moulder – mixing

Release history

Released	Label	Catalog ID	Format	Country	External sites
February 28, 1994	Virgin • Hut Recordings	7243 8 92309 7 0 • HUT 43	7"	UK	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[1]
1994	Virgin • Hut Recordings	7243 8 92309 2 5 • HUTCD 43	CD 1	UK	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[2]
March 22, 1994	Virgin • Hut Recordings	7243 8 92310 2 1 • HUTDX 43	CD 2	UK	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[3]

More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	16
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	29
Poland (LP3)	16
UK Singles (OCC)	11
US Radio Songs (Billboard)	48
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	8
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)	5

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
Australia (ARIA)	88

Availability

Title	Notes	Type
Quiet and Other Songs		Demo • Bootleg
Siamese Dream (promo)	UK and France CD	Promotional
Siamese Dream	Original release	Studio
Sunshine of Your Love (album)		Bootleg
Acoustic Series		Bootleg
Unplugged: 100% Pure Acoustic Performances		Bootleg
Siamese Singles	Disarm	Box set
Mashed Potatoes		Bootleg
23 Minutes		Video • Promotional
3 Feet High		Bootleg • Live
Mayonaise Dream		Bootleg • Live
The Cutting Edge	June 30, 1993 – Hilversum, NL (studio / acoustic)	Bootleg
Disarm	UK 7" single	Single
Vieuphoria		Video
Live In Chicago		Live • Promotional
Live At The Riviera		Bootleg • Live
Pluggelectric	June 30, 1993 – Hilversum, NL (studio / acoustic)	Bootleg
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness	2012 reissue bonus DVD: 1–11 Live at Brixton Academy 1996-05-15; 12–15 Live at Rockpalast 1996-04-07	Studio
The Smashing Pumpkins 1991–1998	Promotional CD	Promotional • Compilation
The Videos		Video • Promotional
The Smashing Pumpkins (Machina promo)		Promotional
A Gothic–Industrial Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins		Tribute
Ghost Children: A Tribute To The Smashing Pumpkins		Tribute
Rotten Apples	North American version	Compilation
Greatest Hits Video Collection (1991–2000)		Video
Earphoria	Main release	Live
True Power. True Faith.		Promotional • Compilation
Rarities and B-Sides		Compilation
Celebrating *20* Years of Sadness		Live
Oceania: Live in NYC		Live • Video
Inside the Dream Machine		Bootleg • Live
Mayonaise Dream: Broadcast from Tower Records. July 1993		Bootleg • Live
Siamese Dream (Fruit Bats cover)		Tribute
Smashing Pumpkins 4/12/94		Live
London By Day		Live

Tour stats

• Total plays: 852 plays (847 full, 1 tease, 4 abandoned, 5 soundcheck), 441 acoustic, 17 piano, 2 artists
• First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1992-06-09 at Unicorn, Milwaukee, WI, US
• Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2024-09-28 at Petco Park, San Diego, CA, US

External links

• "Disarm" at SPFC
• "Disarm" at Discogs (list of releases)