"Ugly" is a song from the The Smashing Pumpkins' box set, The Aeroplane Flies High and on the original "1979" single released in January 1996. During the sessions that made up Billy's Gravity Demos I, it was called "Beautiful One". The demo version differs significantly, having a much heavier sound and no vocals.
| "Ugly" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Smashing Pumpkins | |
| Released | January 23, 1996 |
| Studio sessions | |
| Length | 2:52 |
| Songwriter(s) | Billy Corgan |
| “ | Started as an album song until the very last moment, when Mellon Collies was cut from 31 to 28 songs, this is an interesting interpretation of what had essentially been an acoustic song. Flood and I tried about four different versions before settling on this one [see Queen's Hot Space album]. One version that I liked was just me and a distorted guitar. But in the end this version won, only to be mixed into eternal obscurity as a B-side. | ” |
| — Billy Corgan, Guitar World, January 1997 | ||
Videos
Lyrics
I don't look in the mirror
I don't like what I see staring back at me
Everything is clearer
I'll never see what you see
It's not me
So beautiful and free
I'll never be what you need
I can't help it at all
I was born so beautiful
But now I'm ugly
And I rot in my skin
As a piece of me dies everyday
I know I'm nothing
I know there's nothing I can say
To change
The judgement in their ways
I'll never be what you need
I can't help it at all
My love was so beautiful
But now I'm ugly
Yeah...
I'm good enough, but I don't care
I'm good enough, but I'm not there
I'm good enough, but I don't care
The sun is out, but I'm not there
(I can go anywhere) I'm good enough, but I don't care (...somewhere)
(I can go anywhere) The sun is out, but I'm not there (...somewhere)
(I can go anywhere) I'm good enough (...somewhere)
(I can go anywhere) I'm good enough (...somewhere)
I don't look in the mirror
I don't like what I see staring back at me
Everything is clearer
I'll never see what you see
And I rot in my skin
As a piece of me dies everyday
I know I'm nothing
Because I'm ugly
Availability
| Title | Notes | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Tapes and Unreleased Demos | Bootleg | |
| Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness | 2012 Reissue bonus CD 1: Morning Tea | Studio |
| MCIS Demos I | Bootleg | |
| 1979 | UK/US CD single/UK 12" | Single |
| The Aeroplane Flies High Sampler | US Virgin promo CD (full release) | Promotional |
| The Aeroplane Flies High | "1979" | Box set |
| Billy's Gravity Demos I | Bootleg | |
| Rarities and B-Sides | Compilation |
Tour stats
- Total plays: 39 plays, 13 acoustic, 1 piano, 2 artists
- First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1995-02-20 at Double Door, Chicago, IL, US
- Last performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 2022-09-22 at Irving Plaza, New York, NY, US