Introduction to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
In 1995, the Smashing Pumpkins were one of the biggest names in the thriving alternative rock scene. Their previous albums Gish (1991) and Siamese Dream (1993) had already cemented them as critical and commercial successes. However, it was their sprawling double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness that truly solidified their status as icons of the era.
Clocking in at over 2 hours with 28 tracks across 2 CDs (or 4 LPs on vinyl), Mellon Collie was an extraordinarily ambitious undertaking. The Pumpkins and frontman Billy Corgan sought to create an epic emotional journey exploring themes of love, loss, anger, and disillusionment. Upon release, the album was met with tremendous commercial success, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and eventually going diamond for over 10 million albums sold.
Critically, Mellon Collie was immediately recognized as the Pumpkins’ magnum opus and one of the seminal albums of 90s alternative rock. Hit singles like "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" and "1979" dominated radio, while deeper album cuts revealed additional complexity. Corgan’s personal, introspective songwriting connected with legions of fans. Mellon Collie earned the band seven Grammy nominations and is widely considered their creative peak. It remains an essential cornerstone of 90s alt-rock.
The Emotional Journey of Mellon Collie
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness takes listeners on a profound emotional journey across its 28 tracks and 2 hours of music. Frontman Billy Corgan poured his heart into the deeply personal lyrics, exploring themes of love, loss, anger, sadness, and disillusionment. This was a marked shift towards more introspective songwriting compared to the Pumpkins’ earlier guitar-heavy alt-rock material.
The album opens with the gentle, dreamy tones of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" – a piano-led instrumental that sets the wistful mood. This transitions into one of the band’s biggest hits – "Tonight, Tonight" – a soaring song full of youthful romanticism and hope. The lyrics poetically depict love as an adventure to embark upon: "Time is never time at all…we can never be so sure until the day we die."
Tracks like "1979", "Thirty-Three", and "Lily (My One and Only)" continue exploring love and relationships with nostalgic tenderness. Meanwhile, "Here Is No Why" encapsulates heartbreak and loss with lines like "The sadness still remains…the sweet afternoons still retain the name of the one who was leaving."
The album’s middle section turns to themes of disillusionment and anger at the world. "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" seethes with rage as Corgan sings "The world is a vampire, sent to drain." "Bodies" and "Tales of a Scorched Earth" overflow with vitriol towards authority and society’s ills. Even softer tracks like "Stumbleine" and "Thru the Eyes of Ruby" exude a depressed weariness and sadness at the state of things.
By the closing stretch, the songs turn increasingly introspective and mournful. "Thirty-Three" looks back wistfully on innocence lost, while the epic piano ballad "Farewell and Goodnight" feels like a farewell lullaby. As Corgan sings "In fields where nothing grew but weeds, I found a flower at my feet," the album comes full circle to end at the same melancholy place it began.
The Mellon Collie 4LP Deluxe Box Set
The Mellon Collie 4LP deluxe box set is the definitive way for fans to experience this iconic album. The set contains four 180-gram vinyl LPs with the audio newly remastered from the original analog tapes. This provides the best possible sound quality, allowing listeners to fully appreciate the dynamics and intricacies of the Pumpkins’ widescreen production and arrangements.
The vinyl discs come housed in a luxe black-on-black foil box, with a soft-touch lamination that perfectly complements the dark tones of the album art. Each disc comes in a custom black inner sleeve featuring unique cover art. The set also includes an 80-page booklet containing unreleased photos, lyrics, and new liner notes by David Fricke.
For Smashing Pumpkins collectors, the box set has some enticing extras. It contains reproductions of three original lithographs from the era, as well as a vintage replica backstage pass and ticket stub. The box itself stands out as a beautiful collectible object for any fan to proudly display.
Overall, with the 4LP deluxe treatment, Mellon Collie shines like never before. This is a must-own edition for both die-hard Pumpkins fans and any music lover that wants to experience the album as it was originally intended – as an immersive double album journey. The superior fidelity of the 180g vinyl paired with the lavish packaging makes this the definitive way to connect with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.
The Infinite Sadness: Track by Track
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is an ambitious double album spanning 28 tracks and over 2 hours of music. The tracklist journeys through a wide range of sounds and emotions.
The album opens with the piano-driven "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness", setting the melancholy tone. This leads into the raging rocker "Zero", with its iconic fuzzed-out guitar riff. The pumping energy of "Zero" then gives way to the beautiful strings and uplifting melodies of "Tonight, Tonight", one of the album’s most instantly recognizable hits.
Other standout singles include the hooky alt-rock blast "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" and the wistful nostalgia of "1979", evoking youthful innocence. "1979" especially showcases Billy Corgan’s ability to pair infectious pop melodies with emotionally heavy lyrics.
Beyond the hits, Mellon Collie rewards deep listens with hidden gems. The dreamy trip-hop textures of "Take Me Down" provide a sublime chillout moment. "Thru the Eyes of Ruby" is an underrated epic at over 7 minutes, with swirling psychedelic guitar work. Meanwhile, "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans" is a piano ballad that builds into thunderous rock catharsis.
The album’s closing duo of "Farewell and Goodnight" and "Beautiful" provide a bittersweet but hopeful conclusion to the journey. Corgan’s lullaby-like vocals on "Farewell and Goodnight" give way to soaring strings on "Beautiful" that elevate the listener.
With 28 tracks covering styles like orchestral pop, fuzzed-out alt rock, dreamy psychedelia, and heart-on-sleeve balladry, Mellon Collie offers an infinitely deep well of musical discovery. Repeated listens continue to reveal new favorite tracks and hidden layers.
Mellon Collie’s Legacy and Influence
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness cemented the Smashing Pumpkins as one of the definitive alternative rock bands of the 1990s. Coming off the success of 1993’s Siamese Dream, the Smashing Pumpkins took a bold creative risk with the sprawling double album, and it paid off tremendously. Mellon Collie shot to #1 on the charts, spawned several hit singles, and went on to sell over 10 million copies. This commercial and critical triumph solidified Billy Corgan as a generational rock icon and the Smashing Pumpkins as leaders of the 90s alt scene.
The ambition and artistry of Mellon Collie had a major influence on many alternative and indie rock bands that followed later in the 90s and 2000s. You can hear echoes of Mellon Collie in albums like Radiohead’s OK Computer, The Flaming Lips’ The Soft Bulletin, and Neutral Milk Hotel’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. The Pumpkins proved just how creative, emotional, and boundary-pushing alt-rock could be in the post-grunge era. Mellon Collie expanded the possibilities for experimentation and grand conceptual rock narratives.
From today’s vantage point, it’s clear just how special Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was and still is. The album has proven to be massively influential, deeply relatable, and full of brilliant songwriting. It stands out as one of the decade’s most important artistic achievements in any genre. Over 25 years later, Mellon Collie retains its raw emotional power and dazzling musical heights. For both longtime fans and new listeners, it remains a rewarding, moving, and utterly essential alt-rock listening experience.
Collectibility of Mellon Collie Vinyl and Memorabilia
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness holds an important place in any diehard Smashing Pumpkins fan’s vinyl collection. As one of the band’s most critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums, the original double LP release and subsequent reissues over the years have become highly collectible items.
The original 1995 vinyl pressing featured unique artwork with die-cut openings in the gatefold jacket, as well as an additional lyric booklet. This version often sells for over $100 in near mint condition today. In 2012, Virgin Records released a 4LP deluxe reissue on 180 gram vinyl with remastered audio, restored artwork, and bonus content. Limited to only 5,000 copies worldwide, this box set regularly auctions from $200-$400.
Other collectible Mellon Collie vinyl releases include the 2015 reissue on silver colored vinyl, the 2018 Clear and Silver Marbled vinyl exclusive to Barnes & Noble, and the Hot Topic exclusive Picture Disc version. The 2018 reissue on standard black vinyl can also command upwards of $50-75 for a mint, unplayed copy.
Beyond the records themselves, Mellon Collie memorabilia like tour shirts, posters and backstage passes have become coveted artifacts amongst Smashing Pumpkins collectors. Shirts from the Mellon Collie era in good condition can easily sell for over $100. Vintage posters advertise the original Infinite Sadness tour can auction for $200 or more. Passes, stickers, buttons and other ephemera are also highly sought after.
For fans who want a truly definitive piece of Mellon Collie history, extremely rare test pressings of the vinyl records themselves occasionally surface. These pre-production pressings used for quality control and advance listening are the holy grail for diehard collectors, often selling for $500 or higher.
Owning a pristine copy of Mellon Collie on vinyl, or better yet, obtaining some memorabilia from the era, is a badge of honor for Smashing Pumpkins collectors and fans. As both an artistic and commercial triumph, Mellon Collie represented the band’s creative peak – making tangible pieces from that time all the more desirable.
Conclusion
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness stands as one of the most ambitious and emotionally resonant rock albums of the 1990s. Across its sprawling 28 tracks and 2 hours of music, The Smashing Pumpkins take listeners on a profound journey through the full spectrum of human emotions. From the soaring highs of love and hope to the crushing lows of disillusionment and despair, Mellon Collie encapsulates the messy and magnificent experience of being alive.
While some double albums can feel bloated or aimless, Mellon Collie maintains remarkable focus and consistency through Billy Corgan’s confessional songwriting. Each track adds another piece to the album’s heart-wrenching narrative arc. This gives Mellon Collie a rare emotional weight that resonates as powerfully today as it did over 25 years ago. For fans of alternative rock, this album remains an essential and unforgettable listening experience.
Now with the release of the 4LP deluxe vinyl box set, there’s never been a better way to fully immerse yourself in the world of Mellon Collie. With the album’s music remastered for optimal sound quality across 180 gram vinyl, listeners can rediscover hidden depths and intricacies within the songs. The premium packaging, artwork, and other collectible memorabilia included in the box set provide the ultimate tribute to this iconic album.
In the end, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is a monumental achievement that deserves recognition as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. This deluxe box set allows fans to experience its emotional power and artistic vision like never before. For both longtime devotees and new listeners, it’s an opportunity to be overwhelmed once again by the sheer magnitude of The Smashing Pumpkins’ musical genius.