Smashing Pumpkins "The Celestials"

[Absolute]

I heard this song on the radio this afternoon. It was described as “new music”, part of an album released by the Smashing Pumpkins this June (Oceania).

Here are the lyrics.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-celestials-lyrics-smashing-pumpkins.html

I swear I have heard this song before, years and years ago. When I heard it on the radio, I actually thought “Wow this is an old one.” But Google does not turn up any previous songs with the same lyrics.

Am I nuts?

[pulykamell]

I dont recognize the lyrics as being anything familiar, and the Wikipedia page on the song (and allmusic.com) lists Billy Corgan as sole songwriter. Having just now heard it for the first time, the song itself is somewhat reminiscent of “Disarm,” but that’s all I’ve got.

[Maserschmidt]

Does this have anything to do with eastern Asia?

[ZipperJJ]

@pulykamell

I dont recognize the lyrics as being anything familiar, and the Wikipedia page on the song (and allmusic.com) lists Billy Corgan as sole songwriter. Having just now heard it for the first time, the song itself is somewhat reminiscent of “Disarm,” but that’s all I’ve got.

Yeah I thought it was like “Disarm” too. And “1979.” And “Tonight, Tonight.” A nice sappy Pumpkins song.

[voltaire]

Not to be a contrarian, but it doesn’t sound at all like any of those songs, and doesn’t sound particularly like any other Pumpkin’s song to me. Which is a good thing, because it’s kind of shitty IMO, and those other songs mentioned are awesome.

Here’s the song, for anyone curious.

[pulykamell]

@voltaire

Not to be a contrarian, but it doesn’t sound at all like any of those songs.

Well, I did say “somewhat reminiscent,” and it certainly evokes some of “Disarm” with the strings and minor chord progression. I’m just trying to help the OP out with what song it might be reminding him of, because I can’t think of anything else. Looking at the Wikipedia page, it seems several critics agree with me:

RedEye favorably compared it to one of the band’s biggest songs, “Disarm”, from their album Siamese Dream, calling it a "…nod to the Pumpkins’ past. Its acoustic guitar and orchestration make it, if not a sibling, then a distant cousin to the classic “Disarm”.

Or Loudwire:

Beginning with an orchestral part reminiscent of the Pumpkins classic ‘Disarm,’ the band’s new track ‘The Celestials’ is certain to hit Smashing Pumpkins fans at their very core.

Or The Austin Chronicle

“The Celestials” recalls “Disarm” in instrumentation and pace, yet takes a happy tone in the refrain

I don’t quite hear “1979” in it, but I can very vaguely see “Tonight Tonight,” or more a general kind of a Mellon Collie feel, in the parts where it starts to rock out,

I’m intrigued by this song and new album. I don’t particularly love this new song, but I don’t hate it, and I’ve hated almost everything I’ve heard since (and including) Machina. The new kid on drums is pretty damned good. I thought Jimmy Chamberlain could never be replaced, but the kid does an admirable job of filling such big shoes with a sound similar to Jimmy’s, but still his own.

[Ike_Witt]

@Maserschmidt

Does this have anything to do with eastern Asia?

We’ve always been at war with them.

[Absolute]

I heard it again on the radio this afternoon. I swear I’ve heard this song like 10 years ago.

Clearly, I’m nuts.