"Eye"
Single by The Smashing Pumpkins
from the album Lost Highway Soundtrack
Released1997
Recorded1997
Genre
Length4:51
LabelNothing/Interscope
Songwriter(s)Billy Corgan
Producer(s)Billy Corgan
The Smashing Pumpkins singles chronology
"Thirty-Three"
(1996) 		"Eye"
(1997) 		"The End Is the Beginning Is the End"
(1997)

"Eye" is a song by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1997 on the soundtrack to the David Lynch film Lost Highway. Along with the song "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" from Batman & Robin and "Christmastime" from A Very Special Christmas 3, "Eye" represented a period of work on compilations done by the Pumpkins in between the release of the two albums Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Adore. It also appeared on their greatest hits collection Rotten Apples.

It was the band's first song released after the firing of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin the previous summer.

Song history

In the aftermath of the quadruple-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Smashing Pumpkins’ lead singer Billy Corgan’s music publisher suggested he collaborate with basketball superstar and rapper Shaquille O'Neal, who had begun work on You Can't Stop the Reign.[3][4] Corgan began work on a programmed backing track loosely inspired by Dr. Dre, but the collaboration fell through.[4][5] Meanwhile, Lynch and Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor were assembling the soundtrack to Lynch's new film, Lost Highway. Lynch, who later would call Corgan a "magical musician",[6] rejected Corgan's submission, "Tear", which would eventually be included on Adore.[4] Corgan quickly finished off "Eye" and Lynch loved it, using it in a nightclub scene in the film.[4]

An acoustic version of the song was performed in 1997 at the Bridge School Benefit concert. The performance featured Twiggy Ramirez and Marilyn Manson.[7]

So far, "Eye" has been performed live by the band on their 1997, 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2016 tours, opting for a guitar-driven sound with live drums (by Matt Walker, Jimmy Chamberlin, and Mike Byrne, respectively) in lieu of a drum machine.[8] It has also been played in their 2018 and 2019 tour with Jimmy Chamberlin.

Reception

The song reached number eight on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1997.[9] Corgan later said the surprise success of "Eye" as a single inspired the band to continue with the new electronica-tinged direction as they began work on Adore.[10]

Charts

References

  1. ^ Staff (February 26, 1998). "Album review". The Daily Aztec. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  2. ^ Brian Galindo, Alex Naidus & Ryan Creed (November 5, 2023). "37 Alt Rock Songs You Haven't Thought About Since The Late '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  3. ^ Thomas, Richard. "Signal to Noise: The Sonic Diary of the Smashing Pumpkins Archived 2011-09-29 at the Wayback Machine. EQ Magazine. October 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d Justin Coloma (director), Amy Kettenburg (producer/interviewer) (2009-11-04). DLF.TV Visits Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins (FLV). David Lynch Foundation. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  5. ^ "Lost Highway put David Lynch onto America's car stereos".
  6. ^ Turner, Gustavo. ""Billy Corgan is a Magical Musician" Declares David Lynch Archived 2009-11-08 at the Wayback Machine". LA Weekly Blogs. 2009-11-04.
  7. ^ Manno, Lizzie (October 18, 2018). "Watch The Smashing Pumpkins Rock San Francisco on This Day in 1997". Paste. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  8. ^ spfc.org - Tour History - Eye.
  9. ^ Billboard Chart History - Smashing Pumpkins
  10. ^ Corgan, Billy. "Coming Down the Mountain Archived 2009-10-07 at the Wayback Machine". The Confessions of Billy Corgan.
  11. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (17.4. '97 – 23.4. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). April 18, 1997. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  12. ^ "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  13. ^ "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1998. p. 25. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
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