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The Smashing Pumpkins — To Sheila
Album: Adore
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1550









Released: 1998
Length: 4:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Twilight fades through blistered avalon
The sky's cruel torch on aching autobahn
Into the uncertain divine
We scream into the last divide

You make me real
You make me real
Strong as I feel
You make me real

Sheila rides on crashing nightingale
Intake eyes leave passing vapor trails
With blushing brilliance alive
Because it's time to arrive

You make me real
You make me real
Strong as I feel
You make me real

Lately I just can't seem to believe
Discard my friends to change the scenery
It meant the world to hold a bruising faith
But now it's just a matter of grace

A summer storm graces all of me
Highway warm sing silent poetry
I could bring you the light
And take you home into the night

(You make me real) Lately i just can't seem to believe
(You make me real) Discard my friends to change the scenery
(Strong as I feel) It meant the world to hold a bruising faith
(You make me real) But now it's just a matter of grace
Comments (151)add comment
This song is amazing ... like the whole album!
For Dawn, I miss you.
Uh oh.  I think  Corgin lost to Haystack Calhoun in a wrestling match. 

He didn't sing any songs while he was in the ring.  Bummer. 
Really nice. I've never been a big Smashing Pumpkin fan, but this is really nice.
Love Adore, a beautiful album from beginning to end...

LLRP my darlings
Isn't he wrestling  Haystack Calhoun tonight on pay per view? 

What's next? He becomes a host for TV game show?   


I'm just glad that the music means so much to him!
The whole album is one to Adore for shore (yes I misspelled that on porpoise).
Image result for smashing pumpkins once upon a time
 fungus6507 wrote:
Bill - love the fact this song is still in rotation after adding it 14 years ago from my submission {#Notworthy}

 
I like the fact that I'm just now discovering B.C. and rating it a 10.  Grazie Mille!
Bill - love the fact this song is still in rotation after adding it 14 years ago from my submission {#Notworthy}
his voice works in odd ways (for the willing), the seductress portrait brings this music to new levels every time I see it (Her)
One of the greatest voices in modern music!!! I love SPs and wouldn't want them any other way!!
9 to 10 , Thursday looking at Friday , and another 18 inches of snow coming for my town.  
 Kaisersosay wrote:
Love Adore, great album,

 
YES !!!!!
Love Adore, great album,
 FrankDebbieCote wrote:
Sorry fans, I hate his voice. So wimpy, so affected, drives me crazy. 
 
Fully agree! Such a whining voice. Please make it stop! The music itself is ok.
Sorry fans, I hate his voice. So wimpy, so affected, drives me crazy. 
Wonderful song. Opener to an album that has a lot of meaning to me.  
This is an absolutely awesome CD.  One of  my favs that I keep going back to, over and over
:-)
please tell me everything you know about the smashing pumpkins
I'm captured by a Corgan song, how cool, it's subtle and worthwhile  ... when I first saw my Sheila, about 17 years ago, we both knew it,
our eyes kind of locked, but also seemed to swim around each other, looking and assessing each other, almost silently agreeing "yes, it's you"

cover photo is terrific 
I knew a shiela once.... *sigh*
 lily34 wrote:
never was a fan of the pumpkins. but omg. this is a tough one not to love and not to have hit you right in the gut.
 
Feel the exact same way.
 cosmiclint wrote:

Me too. This song is a great opener to an even greater album.
 

I agree...  seems like just a few years ago...  sigh...
 
 rockpommel16 wrote:

....agree....{#Yes}
 
ditto
 lily34 wrote:
never was a fan of the pumpkins. but omg. this is a tough one not to love and not to have hit you right in the gut.
 
....agree....{#Yes}
{#Stop} !!!!!

I saw Billy play guitar with his dad on stage in Chicago. I saw were he got some of his chops. What a talented singer/song writer.
This song reminds me of the best of Gomez .. especially with the banjo... who copied who?
 romeotuma wrote:


Everybody in my hotel room loves this song...

 
 
Me too. This song is a great opener to an even greater album.
Suburb album, this song will play at my memorial.............
This album was such a diversion away from the typical sonic wall that was the pumpkins signature sound, a fabulous and IMHO some what underrated album from the pumpkin fan base always looking for more of their earlier notes. From Lull to Adore.... what an amazing journey of growth and talent! 
never was a fan of the pumpkins. but omg. this is a tough one not to love and not to have hit you right in the gut.
Was a massive Pumpkins Fan and saw them in Bris-vegas, Australia on their Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Tour - Amazing.  Kind of lost touch with them by this album but this song is great.
amazing!!
It's been years since I 've heard it, thanks Bill! 
 StoneyG wrote:


Indeed!

Also want to throw in my two cents about this album too... I still really like it.  One of my Pumpkin favourites.
 
This song set the mood for the entire album. Their best for sure
 Jamunca wrote:
Parrothead... wow.

I've heard Billy Corgan called lots of things, but talentless? The man could play guitar in circles around most of today's rock scene. Dismiss his singing, harp on his lyrics, go on and on about his singing (wait, we've covered the voice...) but for the love of Pete, don't dare say a thing about his guitar playing.

 

Indeed!

Also want to throw in my two cents about this album too... I still really like it.  One of my Pumpkin favourites.
I bumped this to 10, but I keep coming back to it and loving it more. It makes me breathe and smile easier. I don't ask for much more from a song than that, these days.
bonus points for a nicely done recording
 sirdroseph wrote:


That's a fair assessment, the only problem is he keeps singing; why does he sing???{#Stop}
 
I don't have enough musical talent or knowledge to judge Corgan's guitar playing, but his singing works for me in only a few types of songs—"Disarm" and "Soma" from Siamese Dream come to mind. Haven't really followed them since they re-grouped, though. 
Okay, not bad, but little to sleepy for me!
 Cynaera wrote:
Once again - I was in the middle of a very deep response to someone's e-mail, and this song just made my fingers freeze on the keys. Very hypnotic and soothing.  I love it.
 
Worlds away from the usual Pumpkin-smashing.  "Hypnotic and soothing" is exactly right.

Wow.  Okay, I wasn't in the middle of a deep response to someone else's comment or e-mail, but this goes to 10. SO moody and ethereal...  Calming and soothing... Not what I'd expect from the harsh Billy Corgan vocals - and banjo? Just wow. I really sorta love this song. {#Meditate}
ahhhhh, Smashing Pumpkins, how I've missed you!
{#Whistle}{#Meditate}
Once again - I was in the middle of a very deep response to someone's e-mail, and this song just made my fingers freeze on the keys. Very hypnotic and soothing.  I love it.
the voice fits the music; the music and lyrics are sometimes different and complex, but there's enuff of it worth listening to....so, as I said, the voice fits....
blea....not doing it for me, this one....

{#No}
I like it!
 Jamunca wrote:
Parrothead... wow.

I've heard Billy Corgan called lots of things, but talentless? The man could play guitar in circles around most of today's rock scene. Dismiss his singing, harp on his lyrics, go on and on about hsi singing (wait, we've covered the voice...) but for the love of Pete, don't dare say a thing about his guitar playing.
 

That's a fair assessment, the only problem is he keeps singing; why does he sing???{#Stop}
Yeeesh!!{#Puke}
too much woe
 BKardon wrote:
Better album than Melon Collie, but that's subjective.  Siamese Dream is better than either, that's not subjective.
 
:)

Parrothead... wow.

I've heard Billy Corgan called lots of things, but talentless? The man could play guitar in circles around most of today's rock scene. Dismiss his singing, harp on his lyrics, go on and on about his singing (wait, we've covered the voice...) but for the love of Pete, don't dare say a thing about his guitar playing.

Nice chord progressions...........
 FlatCat wrote:
Ooo. SP gets tender. Like hearing Ave Maria on kazoos. 
  i love this comment! {#Lol}


These guys made some good music but I had never heard anything worthwhile off of Adore until now.

Nice.


 crockydile wrote:
Some of the music behind Corgan's voice is good, but THAT voice. It touches something very primal inside me. A bit like one of my children crying. It becomes imperative for me to work to make it stop. Diaper change? Feed? Lonely? What does Billy need? The solution is usually to turn it off. {#Cool}
 

Fully agree!! Damn boring and annoying, this song!

Some of the music behind Corgan's voice is good, but THAT voice. It touches something very primal inside me. A bit like one of my children crying. It becomes imperative for me to work to make it stop. Diaper change? Feed? Lonely? What does Billy need? The solution is usually to turn it off. {#Cool}
 parrothead wrote:


Sorry Gish05 but dexev has it right, IMO, which what this forum is all about, Billy Corgan got lucky. I sum him up in one sentence. Very little talent and so much success. Don't get me wrong, I don't support gun violence, Cobain had his musical limitations as well. I must add that since my daughter is into the Jonas Bros. I've seen and heard there stuff, they are very limited instrumentally and vocally,that's why they have a 12 piece band playing the music and a line of back up singers. Two years from now no one will know who the are unless they fall into the Beverly Hills or NYC party gang.

 

Kurt Cobain is the one who got lucky - he had Dave Grohl on drums.  Dave Grohl ended up being one of the true talents to come out of the 90's rock scene.
 BKardon wrote:
Better album than Melon Collie, but that's subjective.  Siamese Dream is better than either, that's not subjective.
 
And Gish is the best of all.  {#Yes}
 Gish05 wrote:

Why? Becuase — particuarly throughout the 90's — Corgan proved to be a much more diverse and prolific songwriter (not to mention, a much better guitarist)? Billy's actions in the past year/year and a half have baffled me, but he's still a much better musician than Kurt Cobain could have ever dreamed of being. Yeah, I know Nirvana was insanely popular, but so are the Jonas Brothers. SP made a significant mark in the 90's rock scene regardless. I think Corgan's eclectic body of work will stand the test of time much better than a few Nirvana singles. As what we once called "radio" becomes more and more of a commercial entity with short-term memory, people who want to get into bands will find it much easier to compare not just singles, but entire discographies, thanks to the iTunes/torrent/online radio age.

And, really, even beyond the 90's, Corgan wrote a lot of impressive tunes that didn't reach enough people. He's finally starting to act a little off, though. Anyone would after writing so much amazing stuff. I still expect some good songs here and there, but not like before.

I've read some stuff about Cobain being apparently jealous of Corgan's talents; it would not surprise me if that were actually true.

 

Sorry Gish05 but dexev has it right, IMO, which what this forum is all about, Billy Corgan got lucky. I sum him up in one sentence. Very little talent and so much success. Don't get me wrong, I don't support gun violence, Cobain had his musical limitations as well. I must add that since my daughter is into the Jonas Bros. I've seen and heard there stuff, they are very limited instrumentally and vocally,that's why they have a 12 piece band playing the music and a line of back up singers. Two years from now no one will know who the are unless they fall into the Beverly Hills or NYC party gang.

Best song on this (understandably) overlooked album.
 dexev wrote:
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
 
Why? Becuase — particuarly throughout the 90's — Corgan proved to be a much more diverse and prolific songwriter (not to mention, a much better guitarist)? Billy's actions in the past year/year and a half have baffled me, but he's still a much better musician than Kurt Cobain could have ever dreamed of being. Yeah, I know Nirvana was insanely popular, but so are the Jonas Brothers. SP made a significant mark in the 90's rock scene regardless. I think Corgan's eclectic body of work will stand the test of time much better than a few Nirvana singles. As what we once called "radio" becomes more and more of a commercial entity with short-term memory, people who want to get into bands will find it much easier to compare not just singles, but entire discographies, thanks to the iTunes/torrent/online radio age.

And, really, even beyond the 90's, Corgan wrote a lot of impressive tunes that didn't reach enough people. He's finally starting to act a little off, though. Anyone would after writing so much amazing stuff. I still expect some good songs here and there, but not like before.

I've read some stuff about Cobain being apparently jealous of Corgan's talents; it would not surprise me if that were actually true.

Better album than Melon Collie, but that's subjective.  Siamese Dream is better than either, that's not subjective.
Great tune from an under-rated SP disc!
Nice work here from a band I usually find rather ho-hum on the RP scale of things.
oh Billy...go cry alone in your closet with your black makeup...boo hoo.

Ooo. SP gets tender. Like hearing Ave Maria on kazoos. 
Pretty good song, only slightly spoiled by the Corgan caterwaul.
 brewmonkey wrote:
this ages like milk 2

 
Maybe this will help you with your intolerance.

https://www.meyenberg.com/

 brewmonkey wrote:
this ages like milk 2

 
4000 years of cheesemaking skews your comment to a compliment.

Thank you, RP for some great music today. This is one my favorite Pumpkins songs of all time, and it's one of those you can put on repeat, ponder your truly sucky problems, and somehow find some comfort. Great playlist, in general. Rock on.
9:36 am - Smashing Pumpkins - Ava Adore

this ages like milk 2
Please. A moment of silence for this song. It is gorgeous.
Beaker wrote:
Hey it's a Smashing Pumpkinfart tune I haven't blessed with a 1 yet. I've fixed dat now.
We're all sorry this isn't Elton Fuc*ing John. 10!
thx for Pumpkins !
radiobotts wrote:
mellow and profound
I couldn't have said it better myself.
jarviske wrote:
Great song from a great album!
I like this, the mellower side of the pumps
dexev wrote:
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
COLD
perfect for this gray, snowy day in Romania.
mellow and profound
I'd prefer some of the other tracks from this album made the cut...this was always just mediocre to me (and I'm a huge Pumpkin-head).
Nice light though, in the melancolic tunnel. acampos wrote:
Fantastic song!!!!! Deep, melancholic, sad, miserable, depressing , 100% Pumpkins!! not the crap that Corgan is doing today!!
<
Fantastic song!!!!! Deep, melancholic, sad, miserable, depressing , 100% Pumpkins!! not the crap that Corgan is doing today!!
one of the best from the pumkins
dexev wrote:
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
Wow, that's so not cool.
dexev wrote:
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
dexev wrote:
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
Holy cats, that cracked me up.
As I heard yesterday: Kurt Cobain should have shot Billy Corgan instead.
eastcoast wrote:
This is too early for a song this slow...I'm getting very very sleepy...
depending on where you are. It's highnoon on Friday now, and some tracks from the legendary 'Adore' are always fine to listen to.
I like it!
eastcoast wrote:
This is too early for a song this slow...I'm getting very very sleepy...
Yea ... makes me feel like:
This is too early for a song this slow...I'm getting very very sleepy...
Odyzzeuz wrote:
I used to Dj a million years ago, and I remember one time at the station alone on the weekend I had a splitting headache. My mom's house was like five minutes from the station, so I put Tull's Thick As A Brick and raced over to her house, raided the medicine cabinet, raced back and walked in with plenty of time to spare. Nobody complained. Sometimes all you have to do it hit play and walk away. Especially with Tull.
I used to do the same thing, put on a 10 minute epic track (and slip outside for a smoke!! *not that I smoke anymore...
darthblav wrote:
Awesome and under rated pumpkin album. It makes me sad b/c I wish the pumpkins were still around. Definitely one of my favorite bands. I feel it has been a few years now since gish, siamese dream, etc. and the music really is holding up. There is no band that comes close to replicating their sound and style.
Totally agree! I've heard a lot of criticisms of this Smashing Pumpkins album.. personally I really like it. In my opinion aside from this one it has great songs like "Ava Adore" or "Crestfallen". Pity it was so overlooked!
Abso-flappin-lovely!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm beautifull.
lunar1963 wrote:
I would call this Gothic...
the Goth country western, now there's something Tim Burton hasnt tried yet.
matt! wrote:
I love this album, it's essentially a "cowboy" or country album.
I bought this album for Perfect, because it was popular all over the Mtv. Then I got taste and realized I loved the entire album. So amazing from beginning to end.
Tengo un gato grande en mis pantalones.
SigmaBetaTooth wrote:
Ok, I understand doing the DJ thing takes a lot of work, but I can't help notice some repetitions in the playlist. I believe this is the third time I've heard the following set: Gorillaz - Demon Days, Porcupine Tree - Lazarus, Pink Floyd - Final Cut, and Smashing Pumpkins - To Sheila. Don't get me wrong. It's a sweet set, but I can't help feel that someone is just hitting play and walking away. :-k
We will all collectively forgive your ignorance....
matt! wrote:
I love this album, it's essentially a "cowboy" or country album.
I would call this Gothic...
the most beautiful song of the most underrated s.p.'s album!!! lovely
My theory that most bands have at least one song I can like still holds up.
I can't picture anything more opposite to "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" but they're both awesome-o! nf
What a beautiful song. This is the true Corgan. V.
suitable smiley for a relaxing tune of good ol' smashing pumpkins!
I love this album, it's essentially a "cowboy" or country album.
Filofox wrote:
Pleasant enough, although I could've sworn he was singing 'You make me ill', which didn't seem like a very nice thing to write a song about.
I thought so too!
Pleasant enough, although I could've sworn he was singing 'You make me ill', which didn't seem like a very nice thing to write a song about.
This song is perfect, even with Billy's whining, in my book. I have a lot of memories attached to this song, good and bad, but I've always enjoyed it.
Bill, "Lily" is in the songlist for SP but has yet to be played!
meghan89 wrote:
Do you think he loads CD's one after another 24 hours a day 7 days a week?
Way to inject a little reality. As for the song - very nice, but doesn't really jump out at me. Might resonate eventually once it has time to properly seep into my consciousness.
I'm an early SP fan, not familiar with newer stuff. but this song is solid and likeable
I used to Dj a million years ago, and I remember one time at the station alone on the weekend I had a splitting headache. My mom's house was like five minutes from the station, so I put Tull's Thick As A Brick and raced over to her house, raided the medicine cabinet, raced back and walked in with plenty of time to spare. Nobody complained. Sometimes all you have to do it hit play and walk away. Especially with Tull.
SigmaBetaTooth wrote:
Ok, I understand doing the DJ thing takes a lot of work, but I can't help notice some repetitions in the playlist. I believe this is the third time I've heard the following set: Gorillaz - Demon Days, Porcupine Tree - Lazarus, Pink Floyd - Final Cut, and Smashing Pumpkins - To Sheila. Don't get me wrong. It's a sweet set, but I can't help feel that someone is just hitting play and walking away. :-k
Do you think he loads CD's one after another 24 hours a day 7 days a week?