Today by Smashing Pumpkins

However much this song means to you, it probably means even more to Billy Corgan, who may have saved his own life by writing it.

Between the first two Smashing Pumpkins albums Corgan went into crisis mode: He was temporarily separated from his girlfriend, internal disputes came close to splitting up the band, and pressure was mounting to follow up the Pumpkins’ breakthrough debut.

Initial sessions were a struggle and a half, not least because Corgan was severely depressed and couldn’t come up with any songs. “Today” was the song that broke his writer’s block; and his tangled emotions poured into the rest of the Siamese Dream album.

Getting back to work helped lift Corgan’s depression; having the album sell four million copies didn’t hurt either.

Smashing Pumpkins once performed a Halloween show in costume as The Beatles.

You’ll probably have more fun playing this song than Corgan had writing it. The drum part is fairly easy but has the kind of forceful bass-snare interplay that grunge-era bands couldn’t get enough of.

Stay awake during the guitar solo because there are a number of fast HOPOs at the end. Go with the groove and this should be one of the first Gold Stars you’ll earn.

Celebrating a 20th anniversary in 2008, though only Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin remain from the original lineup.