I Am One
"I Am One" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins | ||||
B-side | ||||
Released | May 1990 (Limited Potential) August 24, 1992 (Gish version) | |||
Format | CD, 7" vinyl, 10" vinyl | |||
Studio sessions | ||||
Genre | Alternative rock[1] | |||
Length | 4:16 (Limited Potential) 4:07 (Gish version) | |||
Label | Limited Potential Caroline, Hut | |||
Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan, James Iha | |||
Producer(s) | Billy Corgan (Limited Potential) Billy Corgan, Butch Vig (Gish version) | |||
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Gish version | ||||
10" vinyl and CD cover. | ||||
"I Am One" is the debut single by The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the band's first ever release and remains the only single issued by the band with co-writing credits to both Billy Corgan and James Iha. It charted on the UK Singles Chart at a peak position of number 73.[2]
With only 1500 copies pressed, the Limited Potential release is highly sought after by collectors.[3] There are apparently three test pressings also in existence, two owned by Billy Corgan and one was formally owned by Limited Potential owner, Mike Potential.[4]
“ | If you go back and listen to "I Am One," and the drum balance on the toms, those are not geeked up; those are him hitting the drums. That's the concussiveness of the way he's playing coming through the room mics. Oftentimes when you hear drummers play, and then you see them live, they don't have the same power because they're aided by the studio balance. That is actually true to Jimmy's balance; what you hear is how Jimmy sounded in the room. | ” |
— Billy Corgan, Tape-Op interview, September/October 2016 |
Background[edit | edit source]
Two recordings of the song were released. One was recorded in 1990 and was the Pumpkins' first release and first on Limited Potential. This recording was financed with the money from Corgan's college tuition fund left by his grandmother.[5] "I Am One" was re-recorded for Gish and a new single was released on Caroline Records and Hut Recordings. Corgan later stated his regret with not re-working the song for Gish, as the two versions are nearly identical.[6]
Corgan wrote the intro drum riff, and the rest of the song was formed around it. He has said the riff might have been influenced by Stephen Perkins of Jane's Addiciton and Led Zeppelin.[7] Lyrically, "I Am One" is a take on religion, with "I am one as you are three" being a reference to the Father, Sun and Holy Ghost.[7] Some lyrics were adapted from an article he read on Bishop Desmond Tutu.[8]
In the Thirty-Three podcast, Corgan detailed how religion and LSD influenced the lyrics: "I Am One was my grappling with the idea that I've been told a bunch of stuff about religion, particularly in the Catholic church, that I knew in my heart wasn't true. That Jesus is a savior wasn't really saying the things they said he was saying, at least that was my interpretation. LSD in particular got me think beyond what I was told and realize, oh no, we're actually all connected. … [The song] isn't as much about me, as it is trying to figure who I was going to be."[9] He added that he was initially nervous that the lyric "I Am One" would come off as too egotistical. His actual intention was more of a 'rallying cry' that others can identify with.[9]
"I Am One" features a doubled guitar solo – a technique later used on Pumpkins songs like "Ava Adore", "Tarantula", and "Bring the Light".[4] Corgan has said this is his favorite part of the song.[9]
When the band released their greatest hits compilation, Rotten Apples, in 2001, "I Am One" was one of the few singles that did not make the cut (the others were "Tristessa", "Rocket", "Thirty-Three", "The End Is the Beginning Is the End", and on American copies of the album, "Try, Try, Try").[10]
Live performances[edit | edit source]
In live performances (starting around the release of Siamese Dream) Corgan would often improvise a speech during the extended bass break; as a result the song could extend to 8–10 minutes in length. The speech section is known among fans as the "I Am One rant", but is just one of many instances that the band considers "art breakdown", likely coined by drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. These rants were criticized, sometimes even by the other band members, due to their abrasive nature.[6] The rants were apparently based around the erosion of the belief structure in America's youth, and Corgan has stated they were the gestation for many ideas he later explored on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.[11] Some of the rants contained lyrics for future songs, most notably "Zero". The recording of "I Am One" on Vieuphoria / Earphoria features one such rant. The longest live performance took place at Lollapalooza on August 3, 1994 at just under 11 minutes in length.
Music video[edit | edit source]
A video was filmed in 1991, but never released (until 2001) due to the band being unhappy with the result. Footage from the video was instead used on the long form video, Vieuphoria, and the long version of the music video was released on the Greatest Hits Video Collection. Both were directed by Kevin Kerslake, who would later do videos for "Cherub Rock", "Empires" and "Spellbinding". In a conversation with Corgan in 2023 following the release of the "Spellbinding" video, Kerslake recalled he was the only person involved in shooting the video, with a budget roughly of "four digits", including the costs of the plane flight and hotel rooms.[12]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
i am one as you are three
try to find a messiah in your trinity
your city to burn
your city to burn
try to look for something in your city to burn
you'll burn
am i as i seem?
i'm down
down, so down
time is right for a guiding light
try to turn to reasons in your bitter life
your city to burn
your city to burn
try to look for something
in your city to burn, you'll burn
see you, don't you just want to?
see you, i am one
see you, don't you just want to?
see you
see you, don't you just want to?
see you, i am one
see you, don't you just want to?
see you, i am one
Formats and track listing[edit | edit source]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 4:16 |
2. | "Not Worth Asking" | Billy Corgan | 4:00 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 4:07 |
2. | "Plume" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 3:37 |
3. | "Starla" | 11:01 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James Iha | 4:07 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Am One" | Billy Corgan, James iha | 4:07 |
2. | "Terrapin" | Syd Barrett | 2:55 |
3. | "Bullet Train to Osaka" | Billy Corgan | 4:16 |
UK flexi-disc sent by record label to promoters, radio stations, etc.
Release history[edit | edit source]
Released | Label | Catalog ID | Format | Country | External sites | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 1990 | Limited Potential | LimP 006 | 7" | US | MusicBrainz | [1] | |
1991 | Hut Recordings | Flexi-disc • 7" | UK | Discogs | [3] | ||
1991 | Hut Recordings | HUTEN 18 | 10" | UK & Europe | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [4] |
August 24, 1992 | Hut Recordings | HUTCD 18 | CD | UK | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [2] |
August 24, 1992 | Hut Recordings | HUTEN 18 | 10" | UK | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [2] |
August 24, 1992 | Hut Recordings | HUTT 18 | 12" | UK | Discogs | [2] |
Chart performance[edit | edit source]
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 73 |
Single personnel[edit | edit source]
The Smashing Pumpkins[edit | edit source]
- Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, production
- James Iha (as "James" on Limited Potential) – guitar, photography (Gish version)
- D'arcy Wretzky – bass guitar
- Jimmy Chamberlin – drums
Technical personnel[edit | edit source]
- Kerry Brown – production, CD single B-sides
- Butch Vig – production, Gish version
- Lynne Fischer – design, photography (Limited Potential)
- Mike Rubano – recording of "Terrapin"
Availability
Tour stats
- Total plays: 287 plays (243 full, 41 tease, 3 abandoned, 4 soundcheck), 5 acoustic, 3 artists
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1989-01-01 at Laughing Iguana, Des Moines, IA, US
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2022-11-11 at Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC, CA (tease)
- Last full performance: The 8G Band 2015-08-17 (featuring Jimmy Chamberlin) at NBC Studios (New York City), New York, NY, US
- Longest performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1994-08-03 at Lollapalooza 1994, North Kingstown, RI, US [10:57]
- Shortest performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1992-01-18 at Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL [3:35]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Hyden, Steve. Smashing Pumpkins - Gish/Siamese Dream review. The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 75". Official Charts. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
- ↑ "I Am One (Limited Potential single) by Smashing Pumpkins". Genius. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The Official Smashing Pumpkins". The Official Smashing Pumpkins. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ↑ Fricke, David. "Smashing Pumpkins Look Back in Wonder Archived September 9, 2009, at the w:Wayback Machine". Rolling Stone Magazine. December 20, 2000.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Smashing Pumpkins' Gish: 25 things you (probably) didn't know". WOW247. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Billy Corgan. "I Am One" GISH Deep Dive
- ↑ Gish 2011 reissue liner notes
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Corgan, Billy. "Ebracer (with YUNGBLUD)". iHeartPodcasts. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ↑ "Greatest Hits - The Smashing Pumpkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ↑ "RAYGUN". www.starla.org. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
- ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins' YouTube Premium Afterparty". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2023. ("Spellbinding" music video release after-party conversation with Corgan and Kerslake; available only to YouTube Premium members)
- ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
External links[edit | edit source]
- "I Am One" at SPFC
- "I Am One" at AllMusic