Columbia (Oasis song)

Last updated
"Columbia"
Promotional single by Oasis
from the album Definitely Maybe
LanguageEnglish
A-side "Supersonic (White Label Demo) - Songbird (Live)"
Released1993
Recorded1993
Studio Sawmills Studio, Cornwall
Genre
Length
  • 6:17 (album version)
  • 5:24 (White Label Demo)
  • 4:48 (Live)
  • 4:47 (Knebworth 1996)
Label Creation
Songwriter(s) Noel Gallagher
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"Oasis - Columbia (Official Lyric Video)" on YouTube

"Columbia" is a song by English rock band Oasis. The song features on their 1994 debut album, Definitely Maybe .

Contents

Writing and recording

"Columbia" was one of the first songs Noel Gallagher ever wrote in Oasis, likely dating back to late 1991. The song was named after the Columbia Hotel in London; however, the meaning of its lyrics remain ambiguous. The writing of the song is credited exclusively to Noel. However, Liam Gallagher had involvement in the song's conception, having created the melody and written the chorus during a jamming session. [1]

The song received its live debut on 15 January 1992 at Oasis' second gig at the Boardwalk in Manchester where they opened their set with it.[ citation needed ] Columbia is the 5th track on Oasis debut album Definitely Maybe .

The song was featured on Oasis' Columbia White Label Demo that got them signed to Alan McGee's label Creation Records, and was also performed at the band's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut gig in which McGee first saw the band. The stripped-down, White Label Demo version of the song, lasting 5:25, is one of the B-sides on Oasis' 1994 debut single "Supersonic". Speaking in an interview in 2010, ex-Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs cited "Columbia" as his favourite Oasis song, mainly because its simple chord structure made it easy to play live.[ citation needed ]

Composition and lyrics

"Columbia" has a relatively basic composition using a 4/4 time signature at 101 BPM. [2] The song includes a long instrumental coda, and was recorded at Sawmills Studio, Cornwall. The song was initially planned to be an instrumental. When questioned about the lyrics, Noel stated that he wasn't trying to impress anybody with them. [3] Tape delay was used to double up the sound of the drums on the song. [4]

Release history

"Columbia" was first issued as a promotional single in 1993 and was played on BBC Radio 1. [3] [5] before the White Label Demo version of the song was released as B-side to "Supersonic" in 1994. A few months later the polished studio version of it was released as the 5th track on Definitely Maybe. Since then, live performances of the song have been released in 2003 and 2021 as a B-side to Songbird and on Knebworth 1996.

Reception

In a ranking of all Oasis songs by the NME, "Columbia" placed seventh out of 149 songs whilst in a ranking of all Oasis B-sides from Mojo Magazine, the 2003 live performance of "Columbia" (B-side to "Songbird") was ranked 49th out of 57, whilst the White Label Demo being ranked in 11th. [6] [7] Former Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs cited Columbia as his favourite Oasis song. [3]

Commercial performance

"Columbia" was originally released as a promotional single in 1993 and, therefore, ineligible to chart in the UK. However, the song was reissued as a CD in 2014 alongside the 20th anniversary release of Definitely Maybe, following which it charted at number 111 in the UK, number 78 in Scotland, and topped the UK Physical singles chart one spot above "Acquiesce", which was also reissued the same week. [5] [8] The song has since been certified silver by BPI. [9]

Live performances

"Columbia" was performed regularly during the Definitely Maybe tour and on occasion on the (What's The Story) Morning Glory? tour including Oasis' two nights at Knebworth Park. It continued to be played occasionally during the Standing on the Shoulder of Giants Tour. It was regularly played during the Tour of Brotherly Love, the 10 Years of Noise and Confusion tour and the Heathen Chemistry tour.

Since their disbandment, Liam Gallagher regularly played it during his solo shows. On 15 and 16 June 2024, during his 30th anniversary album tour at the Co-op Live, he performed the Sawmills Studio version of which includes a 10-second rap. This version is included on the 30th anniversary edition of the Definitely Maybe album released as a single on 13 June 2024.

Personnel

Oasis

Production

Oasis, Mark Coyle and Owen Morris.

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Columbia"
Chart (2014)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [5] 111
Scotland (OCC)78
UK Physical Singles (OCC) [8] 1

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Columbia"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [10] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Definitely Maybe</i> 1994 studio album by Oasis

Definitely Maybe is the debut studio album by the English rock band Oasis, released on 29 August 1994 by Creation Records. The album features Noel Gallagher on lead guitar, backing vocals and as chief songwriter, Liam Gallagher on lead vocals, Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs on rhythm guitar, Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan on bass guitar and Tony McCarroll on drums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oasis (band)</span> English rock band

Oasis are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. The group initially consisted of Liam Gallagher, Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll (drums), with Liam asking his older brother Noel Gallagher to join as a fifth member a few months later to finalise their formation. Noel became the de facto leader of the group and took over the songwriting duties for the band's first four albums. They are regarded as one of the defining and most globally successful groups of the Britpop genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Gallagher</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1972)

William John Paul Gallagher is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer of the rock band Oasis, which he co-founded in 1991. He fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2010 to 2014, before starting a successful solo career in 2017.

<i>(Whats the Story) Morning Glory?</i> 1995 studio album by Oasis

(What's the Story) Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. Released on 2 October 1995 by Creation Records, it was produced by Owen Morris and the group's lead guitarist and chief songwriter Noel Gallagher. The structure and arrangement style of the album was a significant departure from the band's previous album, Definitely Maybe (1994). Gallagher's compositions were more focused in balladry and placed more emphasis on "huge" choruses, with the string arrangements and more varied instrumentation contrasting with the rawness of the group's debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994). Morning Glory was the group's first album with drummer Alan White, who replaced Tony McCarroll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Arthurs</span> English musician (born 1965)

Paul Benjamin Arthurs, known professionally as Bonehead, is an English musician. He is best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and occasional keyboardist and bassist of the rock band Oasis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live Forever (Oasis song)</span> 1994 single by Oasis

"Live Forever" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. Written by Noel Gallagher, the song was released as the third single from their debut album Definitely Maybe (1994) on 8 August 1994, just prior to that album's release. Inspired by the Rolling Stones' "Shine a Light", "Live Forever" features a basic song structure and lyrics with an optimistic outlook that contrasted with the attitude of the grunge bands popular at the time. The song was the first Oasis single to enter the top ten in the United Kingdom, and garnered critical acclaim. In 2017, lead singer Liam Gallagher declared it his favourite Oasis song. The British Phonographic Industry certified the song triple platinum in July 2024. Upon Oasis' reunion in August 2024, the song reached a new peak of number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whatever (Oasis song)</span> 1994 single by Oasis

"Whatever" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. Written by the band's lead guitarist, Noel Gallagher, it was released on 18 December 1994 by Creation as the band's first non-album single. A subsequent lawsuit awarded a co-writing credit to Neil Innes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cigarettes & Alcohol</span> 1994 single by Oasis

"Cigarettes & Alcohol" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. It was released on 10 October 1994 by Creation Records as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994), and their second to enter the UK top ten in the United Kingdom, peaking at number seven, eventually spending 79 weeks on the charts. On 13 March 2020, nearly 26 years after its release, the song was certified Platinum, indicating 600,000 sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supersonic (Oasis song)</span> 1994 single by Oasis

"Supersonic" is a song by English rock band Oasis, released as their debut single on 11 April 1994, and later appeared on their debut studio album, Definitely Maybe (1994). It was produced by the band and Mark Coyle, their live sound engineer. The single was accompanied by two music videos, one directed by Mark Szaszy and the other by Nick Egan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakermaker</span> 1994 single by Oasis

"Shakermaker" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. Written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher, the song was first released as the second single from their debut studio album Definitely Maybe on 20 June 1994. The single peaked at number eleven in the UK. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry in 2013, having previously been their only single of the 1990s not to be certified in the UK. As of 2021, it remains the only single from the band's first two albums not to reach at least platinum status in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Some Might Say</span> 1995 single by Oasis

"Some Might Say" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. It was released as the first single on 24 April 1995 by Creation from their second studio album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995). The song was written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. "Some Might Say" provided Oasis with their first number one on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 in Finland, Iceland, Ireland and Sweden. The single was also the last to feature all five original members, as drummer Tony McCarroll was fired shortly after its release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Songbird (Oasis song)</span> 2003 single by Oasis

"Songbird" is a song by English rock band Oasis from their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry (2002), and is the first single by Oasis written by vocalist Liam Gallagher. Released on 3 February 2003, the song reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, number two on the Canadian Singles Chart, and the top 10 in Ireland and Italy. During an interview with The Matt Morgan Podcast, Liam's brother and bandmate Noel Gallagher called the track a "perfect" song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hindu Times</span> 2002 single by Oasis

"The Hindu Times" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher, and was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry, on 15 April 2002. On the album, it segues directly into the next track, "Force of Nature."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Around the World (Oasis song)</span> 1998 single by Oasis

"All Around the World" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. It was written by the band's lead guitarist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher. Released on 12 January 1998 as the third single from their third studio album, Be Here Now (1997). The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the longest song by duration to reach number one, and earned a Gold certification. This was the last Oasis single to be released on the Creation Records label. The song also reached number one in Ireland and peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Champagne Supernova</span> 1996 single by Oasis

"Champagne Supernova" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. It is the closing track on the band's second studio album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), and was released as the sixth and final single from the album in Australia and New Zealand on 13 May 1996 by Helter Skelter. Paul Weller appears as a guest guitarist and backing vocalist on the track. A music video for the song, directed by Nigel Dick, was released in 1996. The single was not released in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acquiesce</span> 1998 single by Oasis

"Acquiesce" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. The song originally appeared as the B-side to Oasis' first UK number-one single, "Some Might Say", in 1995. Its popularity led to it being included on the B-sides compilation album The Masterplan, released in 1998, after being voted for inclusion by fans of the band on their official website.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock 'n' Roll Star</span> 1994 song by Oasis

"Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It is the opening track from their debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994). Like the majority of the band's songs from this era, it was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher, who said that "Rock 'n' Roll Star" was one of only three songs in which he wanted to say something: "I've pretty much summed up everything I wanted to say in "Rock 'n' Roll Star", "Live Forever" and "Cigarettes & Alcohol", after that I'm repeating myself, but in a different way".

<i>Stop the Clocks</i> 2006 greatest hits album by Oasis

Stop the Clocks is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 20 November 2006 by Big Brother Recordings. The "retrospective collection" is an 18-track double album with the featured songs chosen by Noel Gallagher. It was certified 5× Platinum in the United Kingdom.

"She's Electric" is a song by English rock band Oasis, from their 1995 album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slide Away (Oasis song)</span> 1994 promotional single by Oasis

"Slide Away" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, taken from their debut studio album Definitely Maybe (1994). It was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and serves as the tenth track on the album.

References

  1. ↑ "'Columbia': Oasis song Liam Gallagher never got credit for". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  2. ↑ Information taken from Songsterr
  3. 1 2 3 Moore, Paul (2017-08-29). "These hilarious quotes perfectly capture the brilliance of Definitely Maybe". JOE.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  4. ↑ "Oasis". 2016-11-12. Archived from the original on 2016-11-12. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  5. 1 2 3 Columbia (liner notes). Oasis. Creation Records. 1993. CTP 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ Howard, Tom (2019-05-20). "The Masterlist – every song Oasis ever recorded ranked in order of greatness". NME. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  7. ↑ "Every Oasis B-Side Ranked!". Mojo. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  8. 1 2 https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20140504/1/
  9. ↑ "British certifications – Oasis". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 21 May 2023.Type Oasis in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  10. ↑ "British single certifications – Oasis – Columbia". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 21 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.