I Am One
Encyclopedia
"I Am One" is the debut single
by American alternative rock
band 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.
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. "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. A video for the song was also filmed, 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
, the long version of the music video was released on the Greatest Hits Video Collection
.
With only 1500 copies pressed, the release is highly sought after by collectors. There are apparently three test pressings also in existence, two owned by Billy Corgan and one by Limited Potential owner, Mike Potential.
"I Am One" features a doubled guitar solo
- a technique later used on Pumpkins songs like "Ava Adore
", "Tarantula
", and "Bring the Light".
) 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". These rants were criticized, sometimes even by the other band members, due to their abrasive nature. Jimmy Chamberlin considered these rants to be "art-breakdown". 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
. 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.
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
").
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by American alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
. 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
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
and James Iha
James Iha
James Yoshinobu Iha b. March 26, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is a Japanese American rock musician. He is best known as having been a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and for his eclectic musical projects of recent years, most notably being a permanent...
. It charted on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at a peak position of number 73.
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. "I Am One" was re-recorded for Gish
Gish
Gish is the debut album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released in May 1991 through Caroline Records. Frontman Billy Corgan described Gish as a "very spiritual album"...
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. A video for the song was also filmed, 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
Vieuphoria
Vieuphoria is a long form music video by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, originally released on VHS on October 4, 1994 and DVD on November 26, 2002...
, the long version of the music video was released on the Greatest Hits Video Collection
Greatest Hits Video Collection
The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits Video Collection is a video album containing nearly all of The Smashing Pumpkins music videos released prior to the band's breakup in late 2000...
.
With only 1500 copies pressed, the release is highly sought after by collectors. There are apparently three test pressings also in existence, two owned by Billy Corgan and one by Limited Potential owner, Mike Potential.
"I Am One" features a doubled guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
- a technique later used on Pumpkins songs like "Ava Adore
Ava Adore
"Ava Adore" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the first single from their fourth album, Adore, and exhibited a new sound from the band which integrated traditional instruments with loops and electronic music. "Ava Adore" and the B-sides were written by Billy...
", "Tarantula
Tarantula (The Smashing Pumpkins song)
"Tarantula" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the first single from their seventh album, Zeitgeist, and their first release since their 2006 revival.-Song info:...
", and "Bring the Light".
Performance
In live performance (starting around the release of Siamese DreamSiamese Dream
Siamese Dream is the second album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993 on Virgin Records. The album fused diverse influences such as shoegazing, dream pop, grunge, classic rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock.Despite recording sessions fraught...
) Corgan would often improvise a speech during the extended bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
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". These rants were criticized, sometimes even by the other band members, due to their abrasive nature. Jimmy Chamberlin considered these rants to be "art-breakdown". 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
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is the third album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released October 24, 1995 on Virgin Records. Produced by frontman Billy Corgan with Flood and Alan Moulder, the twenty-eight-track album was released as a two-disc CD and triple LP...
. Some of the rants contained lyrics for future songs, most notably "Zero
Zero (song)
"Zero" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and was a return to the familiar angsty rock of the first single, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings". This style of their music was called...
". The recording of "I Am One" on Vieuphoria
Vieuphoria
Vieuphoria is a long form music video by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, originally released on VHS on October 4, 1994 and DVD on November 26, 2002...
/ Earphoria
Earphoria
Earphoria is a live album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the soundtrack of the band's Vieuphoria video. While the video has been widely available since its initial release, the CD was only released in a limited number of promo CD copies in 1994, and was subsequently...
features one such rant.
When the band released their greatest hits compilation, Rotten Apples
Rotten Apples
Rotten Apples is a greatest hits compilation album by alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. In the US, it was released in 2001 along with a bonus disc titled Judas O. The album's concluding track, "Untitled", was the Pumpkins' final recording before their breakup...
, in 2001, "I Am One" was one of the few singles that did not make the cut (the others were "Tristessa
Tristessa (song)
"Tristessa" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The single was the Pumpkins' second ever release, and their first, and only, release on Sub Pop. Sub Pop released it as their "Single of the Month". It was written by Billy Corgan and later re-recorded for their debut...
", "Rocket", "Thirty-Three
Thirty-Three (song)
"Thirty-Three" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the fifth and final single from their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. It was also the first single released after the firing of Jimmy Chamberlin and death of Jonathan Melvoin...
", "The End is the Beginning is the End
The End Is the Beginning Is the End
"The End Is the Beginning Is the End" is a Grammy Award-winning song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the first full-band song released as a single by the Smashing Pumpkins in the aftermath of their 1995 album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness...
", and on American copies of the album, "Try, Try, Try
Try, Try, Try
"Try, Try, Try" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the third and final single from their fifth album, Machina/The Machines of God...
").
Formats and track listing
The Smashing Pumpkins
- Billy CorganBilly CorganWilliam Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - James IhaJames IhaJames Yoshinobu Iha b. March 26, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is a Japanese American rock musician. He is best known as having been a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins and for his eclectic musical projects of recent years, most notably being a permanent...
(as "James" on Limited Potential) – guitar, photography (Gish version) - D'arcy WretzkyD'arcy WretzkyD'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky is an American musician. She is best known for her work as the original bass player of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jimmy ChamberlinJimmy ChamberlinJimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Technical personnel
- Kerry BrownKerry Brown (musician)Kerry Brown is a record producer, movie soundtrack producer and a musician. He was the drummer in Chicago alternative rock band Catherine in the 1990s. He was married to D'arcy Wretzky of The Smashing Pumpkins at that time, and is now married to Stacey Sher...
– production, CD single b-sides - Butch VigButch VigButch Vig is an American musician and record producer, best known internationally as the drummer of the Madison, Wisconsin-based alternative rock band Garbage and the producer of multi-platinum selling album Nevermind by Nirvana....
– production, Gish version - Lynne Fischer – design, photography (Limited Potential)