The song Noel Gallagher calls the “definitive” Oasis track
There aren’t many famous bands that have gotten past the judgement of Noel Gallagher. Regardless of genre, ‘The Chief’ has always been known to state his opinion on whichever groups he thinks are clogging up the charts with mindless wankery or signalling the new guard of rock and roll. Then again, nothing excites Noel more than talking about one of his all-time favourite bands: his own.
For years since the breakup of Oasis, Noel was always known for talking up his band like it was the second coming of The Beatles, wanting his name alongside artists like John Lennon, Johnny Rotten and Paul Weller. Then again, Noel was always fair in going through which Oasis songs were the best and which could have used some work.
Now well into his solo career, Noel has not minced words about how he isn’t the biggest fan of songs like ‘Sunday Morning Call’ or how he is not that hot on the released version of Be Here Now, thinking it was far too overdone thanks to his cocaine use. While the golden age hasn’t been spotless, Noel did reveal one that he thinks is the cornerstone of Oasis’ sound.
When talking about the tracks off their greatest hits album Stop the Clocks, Gallagher always held a special place for the song ‘Some Might Say’, saying: “That’s the archetypal Oasis song for me. You know how people talk about how the archetypal Beatles song is ‘We Can Work It Out’? I feel like ‘Some Might Say’ defines what Oasis is”.
Written in between the sessions for Definitely Maybe and What’s the Story Morning Glory, ‘Some Might Say’ also marks a turning point in the lives of the band members, being the last song that they recorded with original drummer Tony McCarroll before bringing in Alan White. Despite its placement on Morning Glory, Noel didn’t consider it a great album track, thinking it belonged alongside some of the brilliant songs released as singles like ‘Acquiesce’ and ‘Whatever’.
Being the band’s first number one record, it’s easy to see where Noel is coming from regarding it being the definitive Oasis track. Opening up with a stomping rock and roll riff, the unabashed confidence and optimism about one day finding a brighter day is the cornerstone of every good Oasis tune. Since the grunge wave came and went at the start of the decade, bands like Oasis ushered in a new sense of optimism for the rock scene, along with a few nods to the rock and roll of old.
It wouldn’t be a definitive Oasis song without Noel pinching the chords off of another band, though, and he admitted to copping the riff from a lowlight of the alt-rock scene. In the Morning Glory album retrospective, Noel explained that the Grant Lee Buffalo song ‘Fuzzy’ was the main inspiration for the tune.
Though many people claim that Noel’s songs can’t be among the greatest of all time, he doesn’t claim to be a musical god. He recalls: “Everything I do is a nod to something. I’m not a genius. I’m a fan of music. I got a good knack for putting shit together, and there’s only 12 notes to use anyway”. Although Noel doesn’t consider himself a genius, his ability to put a voice to what millions of people were thinking is still unparalleled in rock music.
