G.L.O.W.

"G.L.O.W."
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
Lyrics Tabs Video
B-side	"Superchrist"
Released	November 4, 2008
Format	Digital
Studio sessions	July 2008 – Ardent Studios
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:20
Label	Martha's Music
Songwriter(s)	Billy Corgan
Producer(s)	Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, Bjorn Thorsrud
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"That's the Way (My Love Is)" (2007) "G.L.O.W." (2008) "Freak" (2010)

"G.L.O.W." is a single by The Smashing Pumpkins that premiered on Chicago alternative rock station Q101 on September 29, 2008. This song was the last recorded Smashing Pumpkins song to feature drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who left the band in March 2009, and before he rejoined in 2018. The Mellon Collie-era demo song "Zoom" has a similar riff to "G.L.O.W." may have originated from it.

As for the title, Billy Corgan has said he simply wanted to call the song "Glow" but stylized it with full stops as part of an inside joke, possibly in reference to the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

Corgan has reflected back as "G.L.O.W." being an example of where the band was headed had Chamberlin not left.

Background

Sometime in early 2008, Guitar Hero approached The Smashing Pumpkins about including a new original song in their upcoming game, Guitar Hero World Tour. Corgan agreed and wrote and recorded "G.L.O.W." for the occasion. He later recalled that his bad posture is accurately captured in the video game, as he himself acted for the animated figure. Guitar Hero producers had promised him they would not use the footage of him wearing "the stupid suit with the little white balls", yet they did anyway. Possibly in retaliation, the band refrained from playing any major hits at the Guitar Hero World Tour release party on October 25, 2008.

Corgan on filming for Guitar Hero

In July 2008 it was announced on the band's official website that the recording of this song was complete. Bjorn Thorsrud was confirmed as a co-producer of the track, stating: "'G.L.O.W.' has me glowing all over". Later that month the band's website reported that the track had entered the mixing stage, with mixing by Chris Lord-Alge, and that it was still slated for a September release. The article also featured a photo of Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin among others at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee where "G.L.O.W." was recorded.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Billy Corgan stated that, with American Gothic and "G.L.O.W.", the band "finally turned the corner... where it’s starting to feel like our music again, and not theirs, whoever 'they' might be," referring to the band's choice to continue making music without a record label.

"G.L.O.W." was released as iTunes first "digital 45" on November 4, 2008. It was also released as a downloadable track for Guitar Hero World Tour on November 15, 2008, along with "1979" and "The Everlasting Gaze". The band worked on a music video with Justin Coloma for the song, which premiered on MySpace on December 2, 2008.

The cover art was created by artist Kateri Forbes.

Lyrics

i'm so alone
i'm so alone, i'm thinking
i'm so alone, i can't get old
i'm so alone
i'm so alone, i can't get off of you

fool, you love yourself
fool, you love yourself and no one else
the bitter root of self
come on, baby
no time for maybes
one last trip to hell

come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
low in you
slow in you
it's that glow in you

i'm so alone
i'm so alone, i'm sinking
i'm so alone, i can't get lost in you

fool, you love yourself
fool, you love yourself and no one else
the bitter root of self
come on, baby
drive me crazy
one last trip to hell

come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
low in you
slow in you
it's that glow in you

and it's not strange
that you're the same
from me
and it's not strange
that i'm so strange
to please

come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it?
come on, come on, come on, can you feel it glow?

Track listing

Promotional CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"G.L.O.W."	3:20

Digital 45

No.	Title	Length
1.	"G.L.O.W."	3:20
2.	"Superchrist"	7:05

Release history

Released	Label	Catalog ID	Format	Country	External sites
October 2008	Martha's Music		CD	US	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[1]
November 4, 2008	Martha's Music		Digital	US	Discogs	MusicBrainz	[2]

More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz

Chart positions

Chart (2008)	Peak Position
Canada (Hot 100)	80
Canada Digital songs (Billboard)	39
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)	8
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	11
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)	25
US Active Rock Songs (Billboard)	25

Availability

Title	Notes	Type
G.L.O.W.	Promotional CD	Single
Guitar Hero World Tour	Guitar Hero Download Package	Compilation
Celebrating *20* Years of Sadness		Live
Bonus EP		Live • EP

Tour stats

• Total plays: 67 plays (66 full, 1 abandoned, 5 soundcheck)
• First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2008-08-07 at Adler Theater, Davenport, IA, US (soundcheck) (abandoned)
• First full performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2008-08-08 at Adler Theater, Davenport, IA, US
• Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2019-08-31 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA, US

External links

• "G.L.O.W." at SPFC