Whir
| "Whir" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Smashing Pumpkins | |
| Released | 1994 |
| Studio sessions | |
| Length | 4:10 |
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan |
"Whir" is a song from The Smashing Pumpkins' 1994 compilation album, Pisces Iscariot.
| “ | another recorded in an hour type thingers that has been in the box. part of the glynis lineage-sweet and sadness i've wasted all my years. i must have written that line a zillion times, it just ended up here. sometimes when i listen to this i hear who we really are. frail and gentle- it is what is. rock powerx100.. note scary ending we would play that part for 15 minutes dum-de-dum-de dum. | ” |
| — Billy Corgan, Pisces Iscariot liner notes | ||
Background[edit | edit source]
While The Smashing Pumpkins are well known for their quality B-side material, "Whir" was recorded specifically as a B-side. As Billy Corgan recalled in the 16th episode of the Thirty-Three with William Patrick Corgan podcast, the band received a cold call from management about releasing a single in the UK (which single is unclear), but the label wanted a backing B-side. He hastily finished off writing "Whir" and the band recorded it over the span of about 72 hours at Smart Studios with Butch Vig.[1] Corgan may or may not have misremembered which studio was used, as other B-sides from this era are believed to have been recorded at Triclops Sound Studios.
The song itself was written during the Siamese Dream sessions. Corgan said "Whir" benefits from the afterglow of the success of Siamese Dream, capturing the "dying embers of the original version of the band".[1]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
i wasted all my years
been chasin' all my fears
for another brighter than you
i gave in long ago
to make it to the show
but it's not easy
when you're alone
all your prayers
in my ears
don't you care
worry yourself around
just to fall back down
worry yourself around
my honey little girl
c'mon lets go for a whirl
it's still early
the sun is sleeping
she says she wants to marry me
she says she wants a baby
it's not easy
when you're scared
worry yourself around
just to fall back down
worry yourself around
all your prayers
in my ears
don't you care
Availability
| Title | Notes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet and Other Songs | Demo • Bootleg | |
| Pisces Iscariot | Main release | Compilation |
| Pisces Iscariot + Friends |
Tour stats
- Total plays: 28 plays
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2016-03-22 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR, US
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2016-05-01 at Au-Rene Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL, US
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Corgan, Billy. "Night Waves (with William Patrick Corgan)". Thirty-Three (Podcast). Retrieved January 25, 2023.