Commenting a song

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS - TONIGHT, TONIGHT

I have selected a song from the 1995 Smashing Pumpkins' album "Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness". It was released as the second single and, although the album is said to have a conceptual framework, the song breaks the rules if we compare it to the sound and style of the rest of the playlist. 

The song starts with a very impressive rhythm that mixes bass and drums, but the number of instruments grows as the song develops. What is more striking is that the band counted with a full orchesta to give the song a richer variety of sounds, and they definitely achieved this. I must admit that sometimes the mixture of guitars, drums and orchesta, especially if we focus on the wind section, may be a bit over-the-top, however, for me the final product has something haunting that makes me want to listen to it over and over again.

To talk about the lyrics, first, I must make reference to Billy Corgan's voice, which reminds me of a mixture between a chainsaw and a cat's meow. Although it may seem something negative, this is not a bad aspect, as it gives a personal footprint that makes the lyrics sound more thought provoking than they actually are. This song encourages us to believe in ourselves, to follow what we believe in, to forget about the hypocrisies of life and to take a step forward to fulfill our dreams. I know it all may sound a bit clichéd, but trust me, by the time you hear Billy Corgan pronouncing "believe in me, as I believe in you..." at the end of the song, you will feel that you are capable of doing all that.

I have chosen to comment "Tonight, Tonight" because I first listened to it on the radio when I was 13 years old, a time when I was fascinated about discovering music coming from The U.S.A. Eventually, one day I saw on MTV the videoclip, that is based on George Meliès' "A trip to the Moon", a film I had never heard about before, but whose looks match perfectly with the dreamy environment that the song creates. I recorded the videoclip on VHS and from that moment on, it became part of my life.

Here are the lyrics, just in case you want to follow them as you listen to the song:

                                                       "Tonight, Tonight"

Time is never time at all
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth
And our lives are forever changed
We will never be the same
The more you change the less you feel

Believe, believe in me, believe
That life can change, that you're not stuck in vain
We're not the same, we're different tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight

And you know you're never sure

But you're sure you could be right
If you held yourself up to the light
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake
The place where you were born

Believe, believe in me, believe
In the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe there's not a chance tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight

We'll crucify the insincere tonight
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight