The cult Oasis hit Liam Gallagher has never understood: “Liam still doesn’t know”
One of the most interesting observations in music is that some of the best songs of all time are B-sides. The Smiths are probably the forerunners of this trend, but there’s a lot to be said about many others, too, like how one of Arctic Monkeys’ best (‘Stop the World I Wanna Get Off With You’) was also one, along with a major Oasis hit that became a staple of their live sets. It’s just a shame Liam Gallagher doesn’t get it.
That said, nothing that the Gallagher brothers have ever done is by the book, is it? In fact, they’ve built their entire legacy around messy mishaps, not just in their unkempt behavioural antics or relentless feuding, but when it comes to the music, too. Granted, most of these decisions sound like they were as painful as pulling teeth, but when it happened serendipitously, there’s no denying the magic it evoked.
In other words, Oasis did B-sides like masters, making it seem they knew full well the power of the overlooked gem just as Morrissey had, reinstating a renewed purpose to the whole idea that made sure these tracks weren’t just sub-par castaways. Some of their most popular hits are the ones on the other side of the A-side release, like ‘Half The World Away’, ‘Fade Away’, ‘The Masterplan’, and, of course, ‘Acquiesce’.
Beyond being one of the most beloved tracks in their entire discography, it’s also the most misunderstood songs they ever wrote, with many assuming it’s about the relationship between the brothers and how their bond is indestructible despite their challenges – an interpretation Noel disagrees with. In fact, rather than being about their “connection”, Noel claims it was actually something more romantic than brotherly.
Talking to The Sun in 2006 about how the song came together when he was on a train that broke down and what initially inspired the name, he said: “It was written going to a studio in Wales to record ‘Some Might Say’. The train broke down, and I was stuck for four hours, and I wrote that song. Someone had said ‘Acquiesce’ on the phone, and I’d written it down.”
And while many might be disheartened to learn the song isn’t actually about what they think it is, it doesn’t matter – Liam doesn’t get it either. “Liam still doesn’t know what it means,” Noel declared. Continuing: “People have the misconception that the song is about me and Liam, which annoys me as the lyrics in the second verse are, ‘To sing my soul to sleep, And take me back to bed.'”
He added: “It’s absolutely not about me and Our Kid and we’ve never shared a bed-and if I was looking for someone to take me to bed it wouldn’t be Liam!”
That said, it makes sense why some believe there are parts that reflect the nature of the brothers’ relationship, even if that wasn’t the broader vision. Aside from the moments where it seems he’s speaking to a lover, there are also bits inspired by resilience when times get hard, which is something both Noel and Liam have always endured when it comes to tolerating (and even appreciating) each other.
For instance, lines like “because we need each other, we believe in one another” feel like a beckon of sorts, for someone to realise what matters when things grow sour. Or, in other words, it seems like a plea from one brother to another brother asking him to calm down and reflect, for once.
