Tarantula (The Smashing Pumpkins song)

"Tarantula" is a song by The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the first single from their seventh album, Zeitgeist, and their first release since their 2006 revival.

Song

The song is played in E^♭ tuning, which is customary for later Smashing Pumpkins songs. It features a shuffle beat with heavy distortion and ripping guitar solos.

A 30-second clip of the song was released on May 14, 2007. The song was played in its entirety on the radio for the first time on May 18, 2007 when KROQ aired the world premiere. WBRU in Providence, Rhode Island aired "Tarantula" twice in 15 minutes the same day. It was leaked onto the Internet soon after. On May 21, 2007 the single was released on iTunes for the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada the May 22. On this date, "Tarantula" was played for the first time live in Paris at the Pumpkins' first show in seven years. The song was also played on the Late Show with David Letterman on July 9, 2007.

Songwriter Billy Corgan mentioned during a June 5 concert in Berlin that "Tarantula" was titled in honor of the German rock band Scorpions, with whom Corgan had recently collaborated on the Scorpions song "The Cross". Corgan and Chamberlin believe the song is a culmination of music they've been listening to all their lives, specifically the Scorpions and UFO.Chamberlin, Jimmy and Billy Corgan. (Interview subjects) ""...
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