The BBC banned "Disarm" from Top of the Pops, because of the lyric "cut that little child", and it received little radio airplay in the United Kingdom. That lyric along with lyrics like "what I choose is my choice" and "the killer in me is the killer in you" has also led to some controversy, as some read it as a reference to abortion. The band's front manBilly Corgan has stated that the song reflects the shaky relationship he had with his parents while growing up. However Corgan revealed at a performance in 2019 that the song is actually about an attempt to take his own life and was written on the same day as “Today”, which he called his "Suicidal Anthem".
Release
The song peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. In the U.S., the song failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100 but it peaked number forty-eight on the Hot 100 Airplay chart, it also peaked at number five on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number eight on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. Two versions of the single were produced. Each version featured different artwork and different B-sides. The B-sides to the Heart version were both covers of classic rock songs from the 1970s. "Landslide" was later included on the compilation albumPisces Iscariot, after which it received significant airplay on U.S. Modern Rock stations, peaking at #3 on that chart. "Dancing in the Moonlight" performed well in Australia, where it charted at number 90 on the Triple J Hottest 100 in 1994, while "Disarm" did not chart. The UK 7" purple vinyl single features an exclusive B-side "Siamese Dream". In 2005, the track was released as a download as part of the Rarities and B-sides compilation.
Live arrangement
While the Pumpkins often produced softer, acoustic versions of many of their louder, more aggressive songs, the band performed a heavy, electric version of "Disarm" on a British television appearance, as featured on Vieuphoria, and also on live U.S. TV at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. The electric version changes the tone of the song from that of a ballad to a more angst-driven rock song.
Music video
The music video, directed by Jake Scott, is mainly in black and white and shows the members of the band floating over images of a house, an old man walking through an underpass while home movie-esque; color footage shows a young boy playing outside. Billy Corgan has said that he didn't want the old man in the video, but Scott insisted. The video premiered on MTV in early 1994 and was immediately placed into heavy rotation and spent a month as an MTV Exclusive video. Later that year it was nominated for Best Alternative Video and Best Editing in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, the Pumpkins' first MTV Video Music Awards nominations.
Track listing
All songs were written by Billy Corgan, except where noted. UK 7" vinyl single
