Soma (song)

"Soma", originally called "Coma",^[2] is a track on the album Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins. The song-writing credits list James Iha and Billy Corgan as co-authors, but Corgan claims that Iha only wrote the chord structure for the beginning of the song, and that Corgan himself wrote the rest.^[3] One of the longest songs to appear on a Smashing Pumpkins album, it is said to have included up to 40 guitar tracks over the course of the song.^[4] Corgan says the song "is based on the idea that a love relationship is almost the same as opium: it slowly puts you to sleep, it soothes you, and gives you the illusion of sureness and security."^[5] It was also acknowledged that song was inspired by Corgan's break-up with his ex-wife, Chris Fabian.^[6][7] The song also contains references to a hallucinogenic drug which was featured in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World^[8] and features a prominent piano figure by Mike Mills of R.E.M.^[9][10]

The song received positive reviews. Ned Raggett of Allmusic especially praised the song's guitar solo, while spotting elements from gothic rock and psychedelic rock.^[9] The song was also likened to Prince's "The Beautiful Ones".^[9][11] The critically acclaimed guitar solo was rated as the 24th in Rolling Stone's "The 25 Coolest Guitar Solos" list.^[12] The guitar solo was placed as 41st in NME's "50 Greatest Guitar Solos" list.^[13]

Florida band Poison the Well covered the song for Reignition Records' 2005 compilation The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins.

References

Sources

• Dimery, Robert and Michael Lydon (2010). 1001 albums you must hear before you die. Universe. ISBN 0789320746. 
• Hanson, Amy (2004). Smashing Pumpkins: Tales of a Scorched Earth. Helter Skelter Pub. ISBN 1900924684. 
• Lett, Jr., Donald G. (2008). Phoenix Rising: The Rise and Fall of the American Republic. Phoenix Rising. ISBN 1434364119. 
• Reisfeld, Randi (1996). This Is the Sound: The Best of Alternative Rock. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0689806701. 
• Starkie, Zachary J. (2008). Cool Kids Never Have the Time: The Music of the Smashing Pumpkins and Youth of the 1990s. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. School of Music. Proquest. ISBN 0549559930. 

External links

• Allmusic song review