OASIS FAQ
SONGS AND THEIR ORIGINS
- Be Here Now
- Noel was reading a book about the Beatles called "Day In The Life" whilst writing songs for the album on the island of Mustique. In one of his interviews, John Lennon is asked the meaning of rock'n'roll. His answer? "To be here now". This was Noel’s inspiration.
- In turn, Lennon had picked up the expression from a 60s drug guru, Timothy Leary.
- Cast No Shadow
- Written by Noel as a dedication to Richard Ashcroft, singer with (The) Verve, and not infrequently dedicated to him live as well. Allegedly, the song was written while Noel was stuck on a train while on his way to a studio in Wales.
- Digsy’s Dinner
- Liverpudlian mate Digsy Deasy, singer with Smaller, is the source for this.
- Noel and Digsy were "messing around". Noel was on drums, with Digsy singing. Deasy just sang the words, "Guess what I had for me tea?", over and over again. Eventually they went into a break, and Digsy started to repeat, "It was Lasagne!!!"
- And yes, it should be spelt 'Dinner'. Not 'Diner' as on some US copies of the DM album.
- Shakermaker
- Daft lyrical references are no stranger to a Gallagher composition, so who are Messrs Soft, Clean, Ben and Sifter?
- Mr Soft was the cartoon character in a Softmints commercial; Mr Clean, from the Paul Weller/The Jam song on the "All Mod Cons" album; Mr Sifter, the owner of the Gallagher’s local record shop; and Mr Ben, a drug-orientated animated TV character.
- More recently, the credits have added Cook / Greenaway / Davis / Backer, the co-writers of the New Seekers’ recording "I’d Like To Reach The World To Sing", to which the Noel song allegedly bears more than a passing resemblance. The New Seekers' song was also used by Coke in a famous ad, but otherwise Coke have no rights in the song.
- Step Out
- Yes, it does sound in places like "Uptight", a song recorded by Stevie Wonder. It was co-written by Wonder with Sylvia Moy and Mark Cosy, hence the writing credits.
- It was originally intended that the track appear on the (What's The Story) Morning Glory? album. Indeed an initial batch of promo cd and cassette albums featuring the track were distributed to journalists. The track appears after "Some Might Say". These were later to become collectors items when problems arose over the writing credits.
- The difficulties with obtaining clearance and the claimants financial demands caused the removal of the track from the album. New promos were distributed with the offending track removed.
- Subsequently the track appeared as a B-side on the number 1 single "Don't Look Back In Anger".
- Supersonic
- The band were in Pink Museum Studio, Liverpool in December 1994. On the 19th, Noel Gallagher was stuck for lyrical inspiration, until engineer Dave Scott’s Rottweiler, Elsa, legendary for it’s dodgy digestive system, proved to be a godsend.
- The dog farted constantly and the band arrived at the conclusion that it must have eaten an entire packet of Alka Seltzers hence; "I know a girl called Elsa/She’s into Alka Seltzer..."
- Wonderwall
- There are several explanations for the origins of this song. The title is a reference to either:
- a] a 1968 film directed by Andrew Braunsberg and Joe Massott whose soundtrack was composed by George Harrison;
- b] a word John Lennon used instead of 'Wonderful';
- c] a bedroom wall used by Noel and Liam when they were kids to pin up posters, write on, etc.
- Take your pick.
- It is, however, a song in honour of Noel’s wife, Meg Mathews, his "wall of strength. His solidity".
- The song was also adopted, and adapted, on the terraces at Manchester City FC to glorify the then City boss, Alan Ball.
- Subsequently, Mike Flowers Pops covered the song giving it a pastiche "lounge" feel. This version became a UK number 2 hit.
- Despite numerous suggestions that the girl on the sleeve is Meg Mathews [Noel’s wife], this is incorrect. It is Anita Heryet, at the time a Creation employee.
c 1998 Andrew Turner
aturner@interalpha.co.uk
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