Fran Healy reveals Noel Gallagher’s reaction to Travis ripping off ‘Wonderwall’
Travis singer Fran Healy has opened up about an awkward encounter with Oasis’ Noel Gallagher after pinching the chords from ‘Wonderwall’ for ‘Writing to Reach You’.
The track in question appeared on Travis’ second album, The Man Who, released in 1999. The LP changed the fortunes of the Glaswegian band, making them become international stars, and ‘Writing to Reach You’ was a key reason for the explosion in their popularity. In total, The Man Who spent nine weeks at the top of the chart in the United Kingdom.
When Healy wrote ‘Writing to Reach You’, he was down on his luck, and the idea of the song ever reaching an audience seemed farcical to him. With that in mind, the Travis frontman felt there would be no feasible repercussions to liberally use the influence of ‘Wonderwall’.
During a new interview with The Charlatans singer Tim Burgess on his Absolute Radio show, Tim’s Listening Party, Healy explained: “We went in a bar after it, and Noel Gallagher walked in, looking like he was in the Velvet Underground. He had a Ready Brek glow around him and it was like, ‘He’s a rock star!’ So, cut to six months later, and I’m sitting in the coldest room in Glasgow, and I’m writing this song, and I nicked his chords because that’s the chords to ‘Wonderwall’ in ‘Writing to Reach You’.”
Owning up to his crimes, Healy continued: “The verse chords are absolutely lifted massively as we do, and as he does! I thought, ‘I’m never going to meet Noel Gallagher in a million years because I’m on the dole, nothing’s gonna happen.”
To cover his back, Healy planted a subtle reference to Oasis in the track, noting, “But in the off chance, I should mention a little nod in case he hears it – a little doff of the cap to the originator.’ So I did that, ‘It’s, ‘what’s a ‘Wonderwall’ anyway’ because I’ve nicked your chords – thanks, Noel!’”
Before Healy knew it, Travis were one of the biggest bands in the country. Not only had ‘Writing to Reach You’ reached Gallagher, but they were now touring with Oasis, which the Travis frontman worried would leave him with a black eye.
He recalled: “We ended up like a year and a half later, touring with (Oasis) and Noel come up to me after we came offstage and he went, ‘Nice chords, mate.’ And I’m like (makes relieved noise.) I thought he was going to hook me.”
In his own songwriting career, Noel has also worn his influences on his sleeve, and Oasis were famously sued by Coca-Cola over ‘Shakermaker’. Although Gallagher could have likely got himself a songwriting credit on ‘Writing to Reach You’, he instead chose to give Travis his blessing.
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