Billy Corgan likes to keep fans of The Smashing Pumpkins on their toes, but even the most open-minded, free-thinking fan of Corgan's band could not have expected to see the Chicago alt. rock stars covering a Bing Crosby Christmas hit on a Disney TV special this weekend.
It turns out that the Pumpkins live performance at Walt Disney World for ABC television special The Wonderful World Of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration - which saw the group premiere their unreleased Christmas song Evergreen plus their interpretation of Bing Crosby's 1950 single Silver Bells (originally a duet with Carol Richards) - because Corgan is a self-confessed "Disney mark."
“I work in the world of professional wrestling, and when you’re a big fan of professional wrestling, they call you a mark. So I’m a Disney mark,” he tells ABC's On The Red Carpet. “I collect old Disneyland items. I have stuff from back on the opening day in 1955. So when they called me to come play Disney, I’m like, whatever you need. Do I need to play in the middle of the moat, on a float, singing upside down?”
“When you get the call to come play at Disney World, you just don't want to play any weird old Smashing Pumpkins songs,” Corgan added.
“We come here all the time with our family so it's a real honour and pleasure to be here. I'm kind of an old school guy, because I first went to Disneyland in about 1973 or '74 and so I like the old things like The Carousel of Progress: it kind of reminds me of childhood, so I'm more connected to those things even though of course I love the new rides. And I haven't ridden Tron yet so we'll be riding Tron today for the first time, very excited about that.”
Watch the Pumpkins gently rock Disney World below:
I still can’t believe I am seeing The Smashing Pumpkins on a Disney Holiday special. Just wild pic.twitter.com/nok4P9YHiUNovember 27, 2023
