Atum (song): Difference between revisions
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== Background == | == Background == | ||
With the [[Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (song)|"Mellon Collie" theme]], [[Billy Corgan]] tried to set a sentimental mood on the listener, and listening years later can bring you back into that same mood. For ''[[Machina/The Machines of God]]'', Corgan felt the need for a more pronounced theme. That was "[[Le Deux Machina]]", which was used as a transition between the initial electric songs and an acoustic set during the U.S. leg of [[The Sacred and Profane tour|''The Sacred and Profane'' tour]], and frequently interpolated by [[Mike Garson]] during "[[Glass and the Ghost Children]]" on the later European leg. The song ultimately appeared on ''[[Machina II]]'', though not as the intended intro song.<ref name=": | With the [[Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (song)|"Mellon Collie" theme]], [[Billy Corgan]] tried to set a sentimental mood on the listener, and listening years later can bring you back into that same mood. For ''[[Machina/The Machines of God]]'', Corgan felt the need for a more pronounced theme. That was "[[Le Deux Machina]]", which was used as a transition between the initial electric songs and an acoustic set during the U.S. leg of [[The Sacred and Profane tour|''The Sacred and Profane'' tour]], and frequently interpolated by [[Mike Garson]] during "[[Glass and the Ghost Children]]" on the later European leg. The song ultimately appeared on ''[[Machina II]]'', though not as the intended intro song.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-thirty-three-with-william-101982283/episode/atum-with-mike-garson-102196054/|first=Billy|last=Corgan|title=ATUM (with Mike Garson)|access-date=September 21, 2022|website=iHeartPodcasts}}</ref> | ||
"Atum" is the opening track of the first act of the opera. As Corgan explained, it sets the scene for the whole 'movie': "It's both ominous and hopeful. It's churlish and it's got a bit of a wink to it, but that's The Smashing Pumpkins."<ref name=": | "Atum" is the opening track of the first act of the opera. As Corgan explained, it sets the scene for the whole 'movie': "It's both ominous and hopeful. It's churlish and it's got a bit of a wink to it, but that's The Smashing Pumpkins."<ref name=":02" /> | ||
== Synopsis == | == Synopsis == | ||
Latest revision as of 22:18, 21 June 2023
"Atum" is an instrumental song and debut track off of The Smashing Pumpkins' twelfth studio album, ATUM. As the opening theme to a three act musical opera, "Atum" is intended to set the mood and setting of the story that the rest of album will convey.
| “ | It's both ominous and hopeful. It's churlish and it's got a bit of a wink to it, but that's The Smashing Pumpkins. | ” |
| — Billy Corgan, Thirty-Three with William Patrick Corgan podcast | ||
It is believed by some to feature piano from Mike Garson,[1] however the official personnel credits released in the liner notes do not mention any contributions from Garson.
Background[edit | edit source]
With the "Mellon Collie" theme, Billy Corgan tried to set a sentimental mood on the listener, and listening years later can bring you back into that same mood. For Machina/The Machines of God, Corgan felt the need for a more pronounced theme. That was "Le Deux Machina", which was used as a transition between the initial electric songs and an acoustic set during the U.S. leg of The Sacred and Profane tour, and frequently interpolated by Mike Garson during "Glass and the Ghost Children" on the later European leg. The song ultimately appeared on Machina II, though not as the intended intro song.[2]
"Atum" is the opening track of the first act of the opera. As Corgan explained, it sets the scene for the whole 'movie': "It's both ominous and hopeful. It's churlish and it's got a bit of a wink to it, but that's The Smashing Pumpkins."[2]
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
(intro)
As this song has no lyrics, it merely sets the mood for the ATUM story. As Corgan describes it, the image is that we (the listener/viewer) see a small, yet beautifully designed spaceship floating in space above Earth. At this point you don't know what it is. The scene then cuts back down to Earth, where we discover it is full of mayhem, mass riots, "descent and unhappiness, and a lot of strife."[2] Next we float back to space, zooming past the spacecraft we saw earlier and on to the "dark side of the moon" (an intentional Pink Floyd reference), where we see pyramids and crystal towers. At this point we are riddled with the sense that the world and everything we know about it isn't as real as we have been led to believe. We then float past Mars and we see the face on Mars as well as more pyramids. Finally, we float toward the Sun and realize it's not the sun we thought it was.[2] This lays the ground for the rest of the story that is to follow.
Availability
| Title | Notes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| ATUM | Act I | Studio |
Tour stats
- Total plays: 0 plays (0 full, 118 prerecorded)
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2022-10-02 at American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX, US (prerecorded)
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2024-09-28 at Petco Park, San Diego, CA, US (prerecorded)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Collar, Matt. "The Smashing Pumpkins – ATUM review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Corgan, Billy. "ATUM (with Mike Garson)". iHeartPodcasts. Retrieved September 21, 2022.