3 Oasis Songs Noel Gallagher Didn’t Write

Standing on the Shoulder of Giants in 2000 marked the first time Noel Gallagher didn’t write every song on an Oasis album.

Until then, Noel had enjoyed one of the most impressive songwriting runs in rock history. Though the other members began contributing songs during Oasis’ post-Britpop era, Noel continued to write the band’s biggest hits: “Go Let It Out,” “Little by Little,” and “Lyla.”

Still, there are a few Oasis classics Noel didn’t write. Here’s a look at three standout tracks from his bandmates.

Live for your toys
Even though they make noise

“Songbird” from Heathen Chemistry (2002)

Noel said when brother Liam presents a song, “he wants you to instantly f–king drop dead on the spot and then, when you come around, stab yourself in the heart and be in awe of the f–king sonic ability of the man.” But “Songbird” did blow him away. Noel explained to The Sydney Morning Herald in 2005, “Because it was that f–king simple and that direct.” Liam’s tune reached No. 3 in the UK and appeared on Oasis’ fifth studio album.

Talking to the songbird yesterday
Flew me to a past not far away
She’s a little pirate in my mind
Singing songs of love to pass the time

“Turn Up the Sun” from Don’t Believe the Truth (2005)

Andy Bell wrote the album-opener to Don’t Believe the Truth. Many consider the lads’ sixth album their strongest since (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Bell’s psych jam became the band’s opener on the subsequent tour. Its love one another hook fits with Noel’s biggest anthems. But Bell’s hazy textures echo his time with the shoegaze pioneers Ride. “Turn Up the Sun” borrows from the same ’60s psychedelia that helped shape Britpop. There are YouTube clips of Oasis playing an infamous 2005 gig at Etihad Stadium (then known as the City of Manchester Stadium) in the UK, where eager fans break the stage barriers during “Turn Up the Sun.”

The boys in the bubble
They wanna be free
And they got so blind
That they cannot see

“I’m Outta Time” from Dig Out Your Soul (2008)

It doesn’t require a musicologist to trace The Beatles, The Kinks, or Sex Pistols in any given Oasis song, with the Fab Four being the most frequently mined. The Liam Gallagher-penned “I’m Outta Time” is a highlight from the final Oasis album before they broke up. It’s a gorgeous single with roots in John Lennon’s surreal ballads. Liam’s snarling attitude often overshadows how well he sings. Though it didn’t break the UK Top 10—a rarity for an Oasis single—the delicate tune flickered while the band neared its 15-year split.

Out to sea
It’s the only place I honestly
Can get myself some peace of mind
You know it’s getting hard to fly

Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns