Gems - Oasis

Here is the third and final Oasis blog featuring some of their ‘Hidden Gems’ shedding light on some great songs that may have gone unnoticed or not received the acclaim deserved.

Columbia - ‘Columbia’ was the first Oasis song played on national radio. It has a 'groove' (not something associated with the band), punctured by a searing guitar riff, that made it one of the bands most infectious outings. The best realised version of this track is found on ‘Definitely Maybe’. Alternate releases can also be found in the form of the ‘white label demo’ (b-side to ‘Supersonic’) or the rousing live version from the ’10 years of Noise and Confusion’ tour in 2001 (b-side to ‘Songbird’).

Listen Up - Along with ‘Fade Away’ and ‘D’yer wanna be a Spaceman?’ this was one of the first great b-sides put out by the band. Raw and yearning it may not have received the album status it deserved. Having said that, it is hard to imagine how a track like this could have sat alongside ‘Slide Away’ on ‘Definitely Maybe’. It would later appear on ‘The Masterplan’ and a stripped back version has been performed by Noel as a solo artist.

Sad Song - Not even a b-side, this beautiful song, another from the Noel acoustic canon, was only available as a bonus track on vinyl copies of ‘Definitely Maybe’. It has later become easier to track down either on the 2014 deluxe reissue of the album or on imports such as the Japanese release of ‘Don’t Go Away’.

Headshrinker - Possibly Liam’s greatest ever vocal. He snarls with euphoric abandon on this ‘Sex Pistols’ influenced incendiary banger. The track was another to be included on ‘The Masterplan’ originally released as the b-side to ‘Some Might Say’.

Rockin’ Chair - Liam again takes centre stage for the ‘Roll With It’ b-side. Melancholy acoustic guitar fades in to set the scene for one of his most heartfelt performances. He has recently performed this song live as a solo artist.

The Fame - B-side to ‘All Around the World’ this straight ahead Noel sung rocker may have earned ‘Be Here Now’ a few more plaudits had it been included. A boastful lyric (“…is my happening too deafening for you…”) updated the Oasis 'everyman' mantra with a song fit for multi-millionaire rock stars partial to a bit of excess.

Let’s all Make Believe - It is quite astonishing that the stunning flip-side to ‘Go Let it Out!’ did not make it on to ‘Standing on the Shoulder of Giants’. Along with ‘Gas Panic!’ this was one of the best songs from that era. Dark and brooding is the mood as Liam delivers a foreboding post-millennium ‘Live Forever’.

Idler’s Dream - A standout noughties b-side (featured on ‘The Hindu Times’). ‘Idler's Dream’ is a striking, understated piano ballad. It showcases another side of Oasis that might surprise a few. Noel has since re-visited the song live with his 'High Flying Birds'.

Eyeball Tickler - A ramshackle romp showcases Gem Archer's best songwriting contribution to Oasis. Liam's vocal has a swagger not heard since the aforementioned ‘Headshrinker’. As the b-side to ‘Lyla’, the first single from ‘Don’t Believe the Truth’ it was evidence that the band were finding their feet again.

Waiting for the Rapture - Latterly, Noel came up with a series of punchy mid-tempo rockers from ‘Mucky Fingers’ on ‘Don’t believe the truth’ to standalone single ‘Lord Don’t Slow Me Down’. This ‘Helter Skelter’ inspired stomper from ‘Dig Out Your Soul’ has an urgency that makes it a particular standout. Deluxe versions of the album included alternate takes of several songs including a parred down version of this track re-imagined as a ‘trippy groove’.