“It’s incredible”: Noel Gallagher names the perfect pop song
Noel Gallagher knows his way around crafting a pop song. During the heady days of Britpop infamy back in the 1990s, the Mancunian songwriter quickly established himself among Britain’s premier songwriters. With Oasis, Gallagher created a plethora of songs that perfectly toed the line between mainstream appeal and subversive edge – a skill which has always proved to be elusive for many songwriters. Whether you are an Oasis fan or not, it is difficult to deny Gallagher’s credentials as a songwriter.
Oasis were always rooted in raucous rock and roll rather than the sanitised stylings of mainstream pop. Nevertheless, the Britpop group found themselves on the upper echelon of the British music scene during the mid-1990s, rubbing shoulders with pop giants and boasting the fastest-selling debut album in UK music history with Definitely Maybe. Their sound might not have been overtly pop-orientated, but Oasis certainly became inseparable from the popular culture of the era, thanks to timeless tracks like ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, and ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’.
It should perhaps come as no surprise that Gallagher was adept at writing incredibly successful pop-rock anthems. After all, the musician had spent years as an incredibly devoted Beatles fan, studying the inner-most intricacies of the Fab Four and gaining an education in songwriting in the process. The Beatles changed the face of pop music indefinitely, and their work still stands as a gold-standard for pop music today.
Gallagher has drawn from the work of Lennon and McCartney on numerous occasions throughout his career. Oasis always highlighted the Liverpudlian outfit and their predominant influence, going as far as to cover various Beatles tracks over the years, most notably ‘I Am The Walrus’ and ‘You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away’ among others.
Back in 1999, during an interview with Q Magazine, Gallagher revealed his all-time favourite Beatles tracks, highlighting the 1967 double A-side single ‘Penny Lane’/’Strawberry Fields Forever’ as his go-to. It was that single which marked a change in the sound of The Beatles, departing from the teeny-bopper sounds of their early singles and fully embracing the psychedelic revolution.
Seemingly, the Oasis songwriter was particularly infatuated with ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, saying the song is “probably the perfect pop song.” High praise indeed, but it is difficult to disagree with Gallagher in this case. The track completely revolutionised expectations of pop music, culminating in an unparalleled and inventive listening experience. “When you take into account the experimentation, the words and the melody,” Gallagher shared, “it’s fucking incredible.”
In fact, Gallagher’s adoration for the John Lennon-penned track goes so deep that the musician covered the song back in 2006 with Oasis. The cover, which was broadcast on Japanese television shortly after the release of the compilation album Stop the Clocks, sees Gallagher take on vocal duties in lieu of his brother. An acoustic, melancholic take on The Beatles’ mind-altering psychedelic offering, the cover neatly encapsulates the songwriter’s ultimate love for the Fab Four.
In addition, Gallagher’s take on ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ is a good indicator of just how much The Beatles impacted his own songwriting efforts. Toeing the line between mainstream appeal and innovative artistry has never been an easy task, but The Beatles forged a path during the 1960s that artists like Gallagher would certainly aim to follow.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Beatles Newsletter
All the latest stories about The Beatles from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.