Live Forever (Oasis song)

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"This ain't a song, Mr Gallagher, It's a meditation, a moan, a mantra – with a grinding, tarmac-digging, mind-cutter of a melody. Know/grows/play/pain/rain/bone all hit the 9th note over changing chords, then I/play/live/die/I/breath/I/believe/you're/me/see all hammer the 6th above, also over shifting guitar harmonies. Every vowel sound is crushed into a nasal drone. Finally, 'ever' hits a 3rd and a 6th over a flattened seventh chord – this could wake the Pharaohs."

—Dominic King on "Live Forever" [12]

"Live Forever" was released on 8 August 1994 as the band's third single, less than a month before the release of their debut album, Definitely Maybe . [13] [14] Like the album cover, the picture sleeve for the single was one of several references to the Beatles that Oasis incorporated into their artwork. [15] In the case of "Live Forever", the sleeve image was a photo of John Lennon's childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton, taken by rock photographer Michael Spencer Jones. [15]

The song had been part of the band's set for longer than a year at that point, and had amassed so many mentions in reviews of the group that, according to Harris, "its release [as a single] had long seemed inevitable." [10] In its review of the single, NME found "Live Forever" to be an improvement over Oasis' previous singles, concluding, "Basically, what thus far looked like obnoxious Manc arrogance suddenly looks like sheer effortlessness. A terrific record." [16]

While Oasis' first two singles, "Supersonic" and "Shakermaker", were modestly received, it was "Live Forever" that "got the world's attention". [5] "Live Forever" became Oasis' first top-ten hit, reaching number ten on the UK Singles Chart in 1994. [17] In 1995, the song charted in the United States, reaching number two and number ten on Billboard 's Modern Rock Tracks and Album Rock Tracks charts, respectively. [18] [19] Noel Gallagher commented on the praise given to the song: "People said to me after 'Live Forever', 'Where are you gonna go after that?' And I was like, I don't think it's that good. I think it's a fucking good song, but I think I can do better." [20]

"Live Forever" has garnered additional acclaim years after its release. In 2006, "Live Forever" was named the greatest song of all-time in a poll released by Q ; the song had ranked ninth in a similar Q poll three years prior. [20] In 2007, "Live Forever" placed number one in the NME and XFM poll of the 50 "Greatest Indie Anthems Ever". [21] Pitchfork labelled the song as Oasis' best ever track and said of the song; "It's an honest, aspirational sentiment just as the photo of John Lennon's childhood home on the single's sleeve is an honest, tasteful exhibition of fandom." The music site went on to praise the song for its 'fearless optimism'. [22] On 2 April 2018, Live Forever reached number one on Radio X's Best of British poll. [23] On 5 April 2021, "Live Forever" reached number one on Radio X's Best of British 2021 poll. [24] On 10 April 2023, it reached number one for the third time.

Music videos

Two music videos were made for "Live Forever" for British and American airplay. [25] The original video, shot on 24 July 1994, was directed by Carlos Grasso and features unusual imagery such as Liam Gallagher sitting on a chair affixed to a wall, and a number of scenes are devoted to the band burying drummer Tony McCarroll alive. Some of the UK version of the promotional video was filmed at the Strawberry Fields memorial, the area of New York City's Central Park dedicated to John Lennon—the single cover features 251 Menlove Avenue, the childhood home of Lennon. [26] The American video, directed by Nick Egan features the band playing in an office with pictures of Sid Vicious, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Marc Bolan, and Bobby Moore on the wall. Both videos are included on the 2004 Definitely Maybe DVD. The British music video now has over 30 million views on YouTube. [27]

Live performances

"Live Forever" is a crowd favourite to play at concerts. In some concerts, most notably Manchester in 1996, a slideshow of famous deceased musicians Oasis admired—such as Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Sid Vicious—would be displayed behind the band, with a picture of John Lennon always at the end of the slideshow. [28] During the early years, Liam Gallagher would personally sing the falsetto part, "You and I, we're gonna live forever." [29] Noel Gallagher eventually picked up the role of singing the falsetto, as "Liam thought it was a bit gay." [30] On 4 June 2017, Liam performed the song with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and guitarist Jonny Buckland at the One Love Manchester benefit concert for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. [31]

In February 2018, Liam performed the song at the 2018 Brit Awards as tribute to the victims of the Manchester Arena attack as Ariana Grande was unable to attend due to illness. [32]

On 26 March 2022, Liam dedicated his performance of "Live Forever" to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died a day prior, during a Teenage Cancer Trust fundraiser at the Royal Albert Hall in London. [33]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Noel Gallagher. [lower-alpha 1]

"Live Forever"
Live Forever Single Cover.jpg
Cover art featuring John Lennon's childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue in Liverpool
Single by Oasis
from the album Definitely Maybe
B-side
  • "Up in the Sky" (acoustic)
  • "Cloudburst"
  • "Supersonic" (live)
Released8 August 1994
Recorded1994
Studio Clear, Manchester
Genre
Length
Label Creation
Songwriter(s) Noel Gallagher
Producer(s)
Oasis singles chronology
"Shakermaker"
(1994)		"Live Forever"
(1994)		"Cigarettes & Alcohol"
(1994)
Definitely Maybe track listing
11 tracks
  1. "Rock 'n' Roll Star"
  2. "Shakermaker"
  3. "Live Forever"
  4. "Up in the Sky"
  5. "Columbia"
  6. "Supersonic"
  7. "Bring It On Down"
  8. "Cigarettes & Alcohol"
  9. "Digsy's Dinner"
  10. "Slide Away"
  11. "Married with Children"

Personnel

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Live Forever"
Chart (1994–1995)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [43] 70
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [44] 30
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [45] 8
Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade) [46] 8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [47] 43
Scotland (OCC) [48] 4
UK Singles (OCC) [17] 10
US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) [49] 39
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [18] 2
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [19] 10

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Live Forever"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [4]
sales since 2004 		2× Platinum1,200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ↑ Except "I Am the Walrus" written by Lennon–McCartney. [34]
  2. 1 2 The 12 and 7-inch vinyls feature track 1 as the A-side.
  3. 1 2 Same tracks appear on the two sides of the cassette tape.

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References

  1. ↑ Partridge, Kenneth (29 August 2014). "Oasis' 'Definitely Maybe' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Every song from Oasis' Definitely Maybe album RANKED – 25 years on".
  3. ↑ "Live Forever is Liam Gallagher's favourite Oasis song – here's why". Radio X.
  4. 1 2 "British single certifications – Oasis – Live Forever". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Milner, Greg. "The Greatest Songs Ever! Live Forever". Blender (Jan/Feb 2007). Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
  6. ↑ McCarroll, Tony (2010). Oasis: The Truth, Blake Publishing, ISBN   1-84358-246-5
  7. 1 2 Morris, Owen. "The Rise and Fall of Me Recording Oasis". owenmorris.net. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Definitely Maybe [DVD]. Epic, 2004.
  9. 1 2 Raggett, Ned. "'Live Forever' (review)". AllMusic . Retrieved 13 June 2007.
  10. 1 2 Harris, John (2004). Britpop!: Cool Britannia and the Spectacular Demise of English Rock, Da Capo Press, p. 177. ISBN   0-306-81367-X
  11. ↑ "Lock the Door". Stop the Clocks [bonus DVD]. Columbia, 2006.
  12. ↑ BBC. "BBC – Radio 2 – Sold on Song – Top 100 – No. 12 – 'Live Forever'". BBC.
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  14. ↑ "Definitely Maybe". oasisinet.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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  17. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Oasis Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  19. 1 2 "Oasis Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  20. 1 2 Barnes, Anthony (27 August 2006). "The greatest song in the history of the world. Maybe". The Independent . Archived from the original on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
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  31. ↑ Iasimone, Ashley (4 June 2017). "One Love Manchester: Ariana Grande Opens Benefit Concert With 'Be Alright,' Joins Black Eyed Peas for 'Where Is the Love?'". Billboard . Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  32. ↑ "Liam Gallagher will honour the Manchester bombing victims at tonight's BRIT Awards – NME". NME . 21 February 2018.
  33. ↑ Lavin, Will (26 March 2022). "Watch Liam Gallagher dedicate 'Live Forever' to Taylor Hawkins at London's Royal Albert Hall". NME . Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  34. ↑ Live Forever (MC promo liner notes). Oasis. US: Epic. 1994. EAT 6806.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  35. ↑ Live Forever (CD single liner notes). Oasis. UK: Creation. 1994. CRESCD 185.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  36. ↑ Live Forever (12-inch vinyl single liner notes). Oasis. UK: Creation. 1994. CRE 185T.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  37. ↑ Live Forever (MC single liner notes). Oasis. UK: Creation. 1994. CRECS 185.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ↑ Live Forever (7-inch vinyl single liner notes). Oasis. UK: Creation. 1994. CRE 185.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. ↑ Live Forever (CD single liner notes). Oasis. Europe: Helter Skelter. 1994. HES 660689 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ↑ Live Forever (CD single liner notes). Oasis. Australia: Epic. 1994. 660689 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  41. ↑ Live Forever (MC single liner notes). Oasis. Australia: Epic. 1994. 660689 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  42. ↑ Live Forever (CD single liner notes). Oasis. Netherlands: Helter Skelter. 1996. HES 660689 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  46. ↑ "Oasis – Live Forever" (in Dutch). MegaCharts . Retrieved 25 July 2021.
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  48. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
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