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I Am One
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "I Am One" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Single by The Smashing Pumpkins | ||
| from the album Gish | ||
| Released | May 1990 | |
| Format | Vinyl record (7") and CD | |
| Recorded | 1990 | |
| Genre | Alternative rock | |
| Length | Gish version 4:07, Sub Pop version 4:16 | |
| Label | Limited Potential | |
| Writer(s) | Billy Corgan and James Iha | |
| Producer(s) | Butch Vig | |
| Chart positions | ||
|
||
| The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology | ||
| N/A | "I Am One" (1900) |
"Tristessa" (1990) |
| Gish track listing | ||
| N/A | "I Am One" (1) |
"Siva" (2) |
- "I Am One" is also the name of a song by W.A.S.P. on the album The Crimson Idol.
"I Am One" is the first single by The Smashing Pumpkins (known at the time as simply Smashing Pumpkins). It was the band's first ever release and was written by Billy Corgan and James Iha.
Two recordings of the song were released. One was recorded in 1990 and was the Pumpkins' first release and first on Limited Potential. When Gish was recorded, "I Am One" was re-recorded 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.
Since the original single is the Pumpkins' first ever release, its value is extremely high, and extremely hard to find with only 1500 copies pressed. There are apparently 3 test pressings also in existence, 2 owned by Billy Corgan and one by Limited Potential owner, Mike Potential.
When played live (starting around the release of Siamese Dream) Corgan improvises a speech during the bass break, which extends the song to about the 10 minute (or much longer) mark. This 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. Some of the rants contained lyrics for future songs, most notably Zero. The recording of "I Am One" on Vieuphoria/Earphoria features the rant.
Contents |
- "I Am One" (Corgan/Iha) 4:16
- "Not Worth Asking" (Corgan) 4:00
- "I Am One" (Corgan/Iha) 4:16
- "Terrapin" (Syd Barrett) 2:54
- "Bullet Train to Osaka" (Corgan) (instrumental) 4:16
- The cover artwork was photographed by James Iha
- "I Am One" (Corgan/Iha) 4:07
- "Plume" (Corgan/Iha) 3:37
- "Starla" (Corgan) 11:00