Tonight, Tonight (The Smashing Pumpkins song)
"Tonight, Tonight" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, written by the band's frontman, Billy Corgan. It was the fourth single and second track on their third album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and was released in May 1996 in Europe. "Tonight, Tonight" was critically acclaimed and commercially well-received upon its release, reaching number one in Iceland, number two in New Zealand, number seven in the United Kingdom and number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The music video accompanying the song was also successful and won several awards.
"Tonight, Tonight"
- "Meladori Magpie"
- "Rotten Apples"
- "Jupiter's Lament"
- "Medellia of the Gray Skies"
- "Blank"
- "Tonite Reprise"
May 6, 1996
4:14
Flood, Alan Moulder, Billy Corgan
A shorter acoustic version of the song, "Tonite Reprise", was included as a B-side to the single and on the original triple LP version of Mellon Collie. This single also later appeared in an extended form on the box set The Aeroplane Flies High.[4] Additionally, the song appears on the band's greatest hits release, Rotten Apples.[5] Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) used the song in their closing montage for the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs and ITV used the song in their montage for the 2012 Euros.
Song history[edit]
Billy Corgan began writing for the follow-up to Siamese Dream after the tour in support of that album;[6] however, the recording of "Tonight, Tonight" first began while the Pumpkins were still on the Siamese Dream tour when Corgan booked the band into a local Chicago studio to record all of their song ideas on tape.[7]
On The Howard Stern Show, Corgan has said that the song pays homage to Cheap Trick, with its black humoresque lyrics and theme, and that the song is addressed to himself, who escaped from an abusive childhood against all odds, so as to keep him believing in himself.[8]
Composition and lyrics[edit]
"Tonight, Tonight" is written in the key of G, performed on instruments tuned down a half-step so the actual pitch is G♭/F #. In the original recording sessions, "Tonight, Tonight" was initially written in the key of C instead of G.[7] However, since Corgan was unable to sing the song in C, he wrote a version during the Mellon Collie recording sessions to suit his range.[7] The strings for the song were arranged by Billy Corgan and Audrey Riley, and recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.[9] Corgan said that recording with a 30-piece string-section for the song "was probably one of the most exciting recording experiences I have ever had."[7]
Lyrically, "Tonight, Tonight" hangs together with the rest of the Mellon Collie.[10] The lyrics of the song have been compared to Robert Herrick's poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time".[11]
Reception[edit]
"Tonight, Tonight" was met with critical acclaim. AllMusic reviewer Amy Hanson stated that the song "packs an emotional punch".[11] Jim Alexander of NME regarded the song as "swirling [and] grand".[12] Music Week rated it four out of five, adding, "A powerful vocals-led single with ferocious driving guitars. Their most commercial release to date which should gain a high chart placing."[13] Time's reviewer Christopher John Farley called the song "an expansive rock anthem, complete with soaring guitars and a 30-piece string section."[14] Entertainment Weekly's reviewer David Browne praised the use of strings in the song, saying that it was "whipped into a frenzy by hurricane-like strings".[15] On Mellon Collie's entry in Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, "Tonight, Tonight" was praised as "the Pumpkins at their finest".[16]
While "Tonight, Tonight" never approached the chart success of "1979", it was among the most successful singles from Mellon Collie. Its highest position on any national chart was a number two peak on the New Zealand Singles Chart. Its highest position in the United States was at number four on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks.[17] It also achieved number five on the Modern Rock Tracks and number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.[18] The song also charted at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 21 on the Australian Singles Chart on June 9, 1996.[19] It is the band's highest-charting song in New Zealand and the UK. It placed at 50th in a list of best rock songs of all time broadcast by Kerrang! TV.
The Tonight, Tonight single was released with two different versions containing different b-sides, one as a standard single and the other as a CD included in the singles box set, The Aeroplane Flies High. All songs written by Billy Corgan.
Cover versions[edit]
"Tonight, Tonight" has been covered by electropop band Passion Pit, whose version was featured on Levi's Pioneer Sessions 2010 Revival Recordings[59] and was also featured during the season 1, episode 3 of MTV's Teen Wolf (Pack Mentality.);[60] Their cover plays near the end of the movie 10 Years.[61] Panic! at the Disco, as a live recording, wherein they replaced the lyrics "The place where you were born" with "The place where Jon Walker [former Panic! at the Disco bassist] was born", and The Voice U.S contestant Katrina Parker, who covered this song on the show's first live round. Pop punk band Real Friends have also covered the song, releasing their version in 2021 as one of their first songs with singer Cody Muraro.