Rocket by Smashing Pumpkins

Album: Siamese Dream (1993)

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"Rocket" was the first song Billy Corgan wrote for the second Smashing Pumpkins album, Siamese Dream. Months after the band released their debut album, Gish, in 1991, Nirvana released Nevermind, and the Pumpkins found themselves constantly compared. In "Rocket," Corgan makes it clear that he's chart his own course and reaching for the stars.
Billy Corgan wrote in the album's liner notes: "There's this line from the song 'Rocket': 'Bleed in your own light.' I wanna f---in' bleed in my own light, not in Kurt Cobain's, not in Perry Farrell's. I wanna go down in my own f---in' ship. That's what I'm about."
The band developed this song through live performances. They started playing it in the summer of 1991, so by the time they recorded it for their 1993 album Siamese Dream, it was refined.

The song was released as the fourth single from the album, following "Cherub Rock," "Today" and "Disarm."
The music video, which proves that Billy Corgan once had hair, is pretty clever. It follows a group of Stranger Things-like kids who get a transmission from the band, who are on another planet. They build a rocket ship and travel to the Pumpkins' planet, only to discover the band is now really old.

The video was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who also did the video for "Tonight, Tonight."

Comments: 11

Mdblasis from FloridaLook up Corgans childhood. To me this song is about family abuse. Hes a kid in the video who is trying to build a rocket to his future self that hes kind of stalking on that tv.. He has an abusive family situation and the drama is tearing him apart. He cant reach his full potential in a situation filled with so much pain. "Consume my love, devour my hate, only powers my escape. He's using the drama as fuel to gtfo. Lol. Hence the Rocket anaology. Nothing will het you further and faster..

Like I said look up his childhood and you'll see he suffered from abuse from his stepmother that had all sorts of family drama. Scary thing is I knew the meaning of this song just by reading the lyrics and watching the video. When I looked it up on Wikipedia I got chills. I also suffer from stepmother abuse
Ripu from North Shore, New ZealandI allways thought he was saying 'i shall be brave' instead of 'i shall be free'
Matt from Houston, TxThe lyrics make a lot of sense.It's like no one will ever be completely head on, but as long as it's like that the world will be okay.
Tiffany from Lake Forest, CaI have always loved this song, just today finding out the lyrics make me that much more in lust to hear this song everyday. If I would have know the lyrics way back when (12 years ago) I would have been free from those voices inside me and I wouldnt be here. But knowing that I can look back on the hard times I wonder if I should really be that stoked to live due to even harder situations now. But, then again, why not? Life is a blast good times and bad. I love it. Thank you Billy, you made my night worth living.
Adam from Kalispell, MtThis is my favorite song of all time, even though the pumpkins are not the highest group up there. I remember hearing this song when I was in 8th grade (4 years ago) and it has been my favorite ever since. It reminds me of all the times I had in early childhood of the bright sun and being carefree about everything there was to exist. I think that is just because the first time I heard it I saw the video, and I don't usually pay much attention to the actual lyrics. I dunno. Have a good day now.
Ryan from Mobile, AlIn the video, James Iha can be seen playing a circa 1968 Teisco K-3L (without the tremelo bar). Teisco was a Japanese company that sold guitars to places like Sears who sold them under such names as "Silvertone."
David from Birmingham, Aldude, how can you possibly say siamese dream isn't depressing... at all..
E from Vancouver, CanadaSiamese Dream was the Pumpkins' best album. The psychadelic guitar is great, and unlike Melon Collie and Gish, it was not at all depressing. Rocket itself is a pretty good song. Not the best on the album, but its up there.
Elliot from Toronto, CanadaFirst of all this song is highly underrated. When people speak of Siamese Dream (which itself is underrated) they usually don't speak of this song. 'Rocket' is in fact one of the best songs I've ever heard. The lyrics are mysterious and its just a great song. There are lots of parts i the Lyrics that could either refer to suicide or leaving to everything you know to go on an adventure.
Dodo from Dallas, TxIt's been over 10 years since I've considered this song one of the best I've ever heard. I don't see how anyone who listens to the lyrics can't think it's about suicide. That was my intial thought at age 15, and nothing had changed since.
Susan from Scarsdale, NyIt's a song about leaving everything you know to move on with something new and unheard of. The feeling of leaving a fimilar place and heading for what is unknown.

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