"Being Beige" is the first single from

The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamb ...

' tenth album ''

Monuments to an Elegy ''Monuments to an Elegy'' is the ninth studio album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on December 9, 2014 on Martha's Music. Band leader Billy Corgan noted that—like the band's previous release, ''Oceania''—the ...

''. The track was released through

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on October 20, 2014.

Background and recording

The song was first mentioned on the Smashing Pumpkins' website under the working title "World's On Fire," and later under the title "Being Beige (World's On Fire)." Speaking of the song with ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'', band leader

Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band the ...

said "People always ask me to explain songs, and honestly I can't. But if there's honesty in this lyric, it's that there's something amiss in our cosmos. Yet still, we must love."

Music video

As early as November, Billy Corgan alluded to a new Smashing Pumpkins music video, posting several pictures from a shoot on the Smashing Pumpkins'

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account. On January 16, the Smashing Pumpkins announced via

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that the music video was made for "Being Beige" and that it would premiere on January 19. Directed by Brian and Brad Palmer the video magnifies the surreal, dreamlike space of lost love experienced through the moment of an embrace, as twin bodies merge into one. It explores transcendence of oneself - into a new, limitless body of existence.

Reception

The song has received fairly positive feedback.

said that though the song "has a simple title... its acoustic guitar and drum machine intro builds toward an urgent, memorable chorus."

Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...

said "Corgan seems remarkably placid on this new cut. It sounds like ''Monuments''... won't be a retread of the Pumpkins' "rat in a cage" days. Corgan's putting his rage behind him in favor of a slow, piano-accented build toward the heights of songs like " Perfect" or the more energetic selections from his early-aughts stint with Zwan." The 405 said "the track features some pretty acoustic guitar arpeggios over mist-like drum machine sounds in its quieter moments, livening up to a crashing wave kineticism with sweeps of distorted guitar and aching melodies, as the vocals paint a stumbling melody over these sounds, layering towards the end in a maintained crescendo."

Personnel

;The Smashing Pumpkins *

–

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

and

synthesizers A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...

Jeff Schroeder Jeffrey Kim Schroeder (born February 4, 1974, Los Angeles, California) is an American musician who plays guitar in the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins—initially replacing co-founder James Iha in 2007 and remaining in the band aft ...

– guitar ;Additional musicians *

Tommy Lee Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{authority control 2014 songs Songs written by Billy Corgan The Smashing Pumpkins songs Song recordings produced by Billy Corgan 2014 singles American pop rock songs BMG Rights Management singles