Billy Corgan: “A True Chicagoan”

One of the hottest new television shows to hit the air this year (and really there aren’t a lot of them) is the Fox network’s The Chicago Code. Filmed on location in Chicago, The Chicago Code is a crime drama that follows the lives and work of Chicago police officers as they battle crime in the city. So far the show has received some excellent critical reviews and has become a primetime hit.

So why you ask are we talking about a crime drama TV show when you’ve come to read and learn about the latest in rock and heavy metal? Well the reason is quite simple really. It’s because ’90s alternative rock superstar Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins sings and performs the opening theme song to this hit show about his hometown.

Unlike a lot of shows set in a popular city, The Chicago Code is actually filmed entirely on location in Chicago and it even uses Chicago police officers as extras. In keeping with the Chicago theme, the producers of the show were only interested in finding a singer or performer from Chicago to do the intro theme music. In wanting a Chicago-based singer there really was no better choice than Corgan, arguably the most popular rock n’ roll musician to ever come from Chicago.

Despite his immense song writing talents, Corgan actually did not write the theme. That credit must go to composer Robert Duncan who wrote the music and the lyrics, but there is certainly no mistaking the effect Billy has on the theme. His signature voice and vocal style are what makes the song work which would have been a lot more difficult with an unknown singer.

The only downside to the intro is that it’s only thirty-five seconds long when it sounds like it has the potential to be a great full-fledged song. Even though he didn’t write it, Corgan makes the theme work well and it could mark the beginning of a new dimension to his storied musical career. Let’s hope more television shows put more thought into their theme music and start employing more of the great talent in the rock n’ roll world.

Check out The Chicago Code theme song