"Rocket" is a song by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released in December 1994 as the fourth and final single from their second album, Siamese Dream (1993), and was written by frontman Billy Corgan. The song charted in Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, as well as on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It was one of the few singles that did not appear on the Smashing Pumpkins' greatest hits album Rotten Apples.
Composition
"Rocket" is a rock song. Being more melodic than Siamese Dream single "Cherub Rock" and the band's Gish-era work in the vein of the track, it was described as a "standard Pumpkins fuzzed-out heavy blissness." The song also features a repetitive guitar line pulsing through, creating a wall of sound effect.
Release and reception
A 7" vinyl record was released in the United Kingdom as part of the Siamese Singles box set, and also as a separate release. Its B-side was a cover version of the Depeche Mode song "Never Let Me Down Again." The song was recorded by request of bassist D'arcy Wretzky who is a long-time Depeche Mode fan. It was recorded at the BBC, perhaps in one take. It featured on the Depeche Mode tribute album For the Masses, as well as the soundtrack for the film Not Another Teen Movie.
"Rocket" spent five weeks on the New Zealand Singles Chart, peaking at number 26.