Oasis A to Z

I mentioned twice in my write-up that it's not.

I'd prefer to wait no more than a day or at least long enough that it seems like anyone who's going to comment on a track has said their bit.

At a song a day from now it'll be more than a week into June (2018) before we're done.

A Bell Will Ring

And we're up to the alphabet proper.

Gem Archer penned track, sung by Liam from 2004's Don't Believe The Truth - held together by a twangy guitar line and a rough Liam vocal (he misses the starting beat and spits out most of the lines), the song's "message" fits into the classic Oasis style of things getting better and being positive and patient. Untold opportunities await - "the world's as wide as your life is thin so entertain your goals".

The drum pattern is reminiscent (to me anyway) of the Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows, and Ringo himself famously said this was his favourite track from the album (he was in and around the same studio during the recording).

The second of Gem's three tracks included on Oasis albums, this is his strongest - at 3:08 it doesn't outstay its welcome either. 6/10

Your thoughts?

An underrated track from those last 3 albums I have no wish to listen to again. i'd listen to ABWR again though, feels concise, but also has room to breathe.

Only worthwhile thing Gem ever did.

Gem, the master of dull and predictable rockers. It's only marginally better than Hung In A Bad Place due to the fact Liam sounds like he isn't falling asleep despite being less than his finest hour.

Hey Lino, did A Bell write this one?? Top thread though.

Best thing Gem has ever written. (Admittedly a low bar, but still...) I seem to recall Noel saying they intentionally tried to make it sound like something off 'revolver', which they got close to. At least in sound, if not quality. Quite like this one, nonetheless.

A decent tune, and one of only about 3 or 4 from DBTT that I'd ever choose to go back to. I've always quite liked the lyrics to it and it does quite a bit with 3 chords. Noel's live backing vocals (I don't remember them being on the studio version) were predictably honking.

You've got the heart of a star - Used to like this at the time for some reason. Fuck knows why. It's horrible and goes on for ages.

A Bell Will Ring - Not listened to this for ages, sounded alright though, quite like the guitar and it doesn't go on for too long as well. Another minute or so and I might not be so forgiving.

A Quick Peep


The first Andy Bell contribution songwriting-wise to an Oasis album, this 1:17 instrumental bounces along bringing to mind vision of some 1970s police drama - cop cars swerving down Lombard or bouncing over San Fran hills.

A slightly country twang to the guitars, it ends with Bell's studio banter proclaiming "That'll do me" (his only track on HC), he'd go on to write the opening track to the band's following album, and two more album tracks before the group's split in 2008; A quick peep is not his worst. 6/10

Your thoughts?

On a top album full of interesting songs an interlude like this would be most welcomed as it's an enjoyable snippet of music, but as the album is awful it just sounds pretentious, pointless and forgettable.

...for the wrong reasons. He sounds proper posh as well when he says it

And he is posh. There's that video interview where he gets quite defensive about being posh too.

Guess he can't help his accent - but doesn't quite fit an Oasis album, does it? Although admittedly if you play Cloudburst backwards you can hear Noel saying 'spiffing drums' to Tony

I don't think too many people have too much to say about AQP so let's move on.

Acquiesce

9 songs in and we're finally up to the first real classic on this list, Acquiesce was first unveiled as a B-side to the Some Might Say single release - the song opens with snippets from a Noel acoustic recording of (What's the story) Morning Glory?'s title track (the album wouldn't be released for another 5 months), which are smashed apart by heavy riffage.

Liam takes verse vocals with Noel on the chorus, though according to Noel it wasn't designed as a duet - Liam simply couldn't or didn't want to sing the chorus. As it turns out it's an anthem of togetherness, community and love, with people mistakenly assuming it's about the brothers themselves.

Partway lazy lyrics, with half of the first verse repeated later on, the defining couplet is probably "who wants to be alone when we can feel alive instead".

A live staple for a time, with Noel sometimes tacking on part of The Hollies' The air that I breathe to the outro, it appropriately opens 1998s B-side collection The Masterplan.

This could and should be many fans' favourite Oasis song.

An official video was released for the Stop the Clocks compilation in 2006, featuring a Japanese fellow singing the song at karaoke.

Quite importantly this is one of the most Oasis-sounding songs, and it sounds nothing like The Beatles or anyone else. There's an Oasis sound and this is it. The lazy accusations that Oasis are a Beatles knock-off band is clearly nonsense - this is part of the proof.

10/10

You?

The Jap wasn't doing karaoke.

Great song.

Like ABWR too.
AQP probably don't like it as i have no idea what it sounds like.

Haven't heard Acquiesce

I can't keep up track with this.

All songs are brilliant.

I shall comment on every song.

Acquiesce - a classic anthem even though I prefer a tune like IGTBF. Thus 2 classics in, Lino. But yeah, quintessential Oasis.

edit: I'm still taking Cigarettes In Hell to the Euros if not the World Cup