‘Disarm’: The Smashing Pumpkins song banned by the BBC
After forming in 1988, the Smashing Pumpkins became one of the most successful alternative rock bands of 1990s, receiving their breakthrough with the release of Siamese Dream in 1994. The band continued their winning streak with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, released the following year.
Although they found mainstream success, the group were not thought of particularly kindly by their peers, who were quick to criticise the band’s attitudes and authenticity. Moreover, their atypical and ‘uncool’ influences, such as heavy metal, were often ridiculed. In Kim Gordon’s memoir, Girl in a Band, she recalled when Courtney Love told her about her “secret affair” with lead vocalist Billy Corgan. “I thought, ewwww, at even the mention of Billy Corgan, whom nobody liked because he was such a crybaby, and Smashing Pumpkins took themselves way too seriously and were in no way punk rock.” Love later claimed that she hexed Corgan, resulting in his hair loss.
Similarly, the Smashing Pumpkins were mocked in the song ‘Range Life’ by Pavement and declared “insignificant” in a letter written by legendary producer and musician Steve Albini. It’s clear that The Smashing Pumpkins have always been slightly contentious, whether that be due to their attitudes as people or their output as musicians. Thus, when they released their breakthrough record, Siamese Dream, they still managed to attract controversy, despite their success, after the BBC banned their single ‘Disarm’.
The song was released as the album’s third single and charted at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, regardless of its banning order. Lyrically, the track sees Corgan explore themes of child abuse, using lines such as “cut that little child”, which led to its ban. ‘Disarm’ also includes lines such as, “And what I choose is my choice/ What’s a boy supposed to do?/ The killer in me is the killer in you, my love,” which led many critics to believe he was discussing abortion, generating some controversy.
However, during a 2019 performance, the singer revealed that the song refers to thoughts of suicide, which he experienced on the day he wrote it. Instead of succumbing to his intrusive thoughts, he penned both ‘Disarm’ and ‘Today’, the latter of which he referred to as his “suicidal anthem”.
In an interview with Rage, Corgan explained: “I didn’t have the guts to kill my parents, so I thought I’d get back at them through song. And rather than have an angry, angry, angry violent song I’d thought I’d write something beautiful and make them realise what tender feelings I have in my heart, and make them feel really bad for treating me like shit.”
Listen to the track below.
