"Don't Look Back in Anger"
Single by Oasis
from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
B-side
Released19 February 1996 (1996-02-19)
RecordedMay 1995
StudioRockfield (Monmouth, Wales)
Genre
Length4:48
LabelCreation
Songwriter(s)Noel Gallagher
Producer(s)
Oasis singles chronology
"Wonderwall"
(1995)		 "Don't Look Back in Anger"
(1996)		 "Champagne Supernova"
(1996)
(What's the Story) Morning Glory? track listing
12 tracks
  1. "Hello"
  2. "Roll with It"
  3. "Wonderwall"
  4. "Don't Look Back in Anger"
  5. "Hey Now!"
  6. Untitled
  7. "Some Might Say"
  8. "Cast No Shadow"
  9. "She's Electric"
  10. "Morning Glory"
  11. Untitled
  12. "Champagne Supernova"

"Don't Look Back in Anger" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was written by the band's lead guitarist and chief songwriter Noel Gallagher. The song was produced by Gallagher and Owen Morris. Released on 19 February 1996 as the fifth single from their second studio album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), it became Oasis's second single to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart, earning a quintuple-platinum sales certification in the UK. It was the first Oasis single with lead vocals by Noel, who had previously only sung lead on B-sides, instead of his brother Liam. Noel would later sing lead vocals on six other singles.

It is one of the band's signature songs, and was played at almost every live show from its release to the dissolution of the band in 2009. In 2012, it was ranked number one on a list of the "50 Most Explosive Choruses" by NME,[2] and the same year it was voted the fourth-most-popular No. 1 single of the last 60 years in the UK by the public in conjunction with the Official Charts Company's 60th anniversary.[3] In 2015, Rolling Stone readers voted it the second-greatest Britpop song after "Common People" by Pulp.[4] On 29 May 2017, Absolute Radio 90s broadcast a programme counting down the top 50 songs written by Noel Gallagher to mark his 50th birthday, with the song being voted No. 1. In August 2020, the song was voted as the greatest song of the 1990s by listeners of Absolute Radio 90s as part of celebrations for the station's tenth anniversary.[5]

Background and writing

Noel Gallagher was so excited about the potential of the song when he first wrote it that he used an acoustic set to perform a work-in-progress version, without the second verse and with a few other slight lyrical differences, at an Oasis concert at the Sheffield Arena on 22 April 1995. He said before playing that he had only written it the previous Tuesday (18 April 1995) and that he didn't even have a title for it yet.

Noel Gallagher said of the song, "It reminds me of a cross between "All the Young Dudes" and something the Beatles might have done." Of the character "Sally" referred to in the song, he commented, "I don't actually know anybody called Sally. It's just a word that fit, y'know, might as well throw a girl's name in there."[6] He explained the song by saying, "It's about not being upset about the things you might have said or done yesterday, which is quite appropriate at the moment. It's about looking forward rather than looking back. I hate people who look back on the past or talk about what might have been."

In August 2007, Gallagher told Uncut magazine, "We were in Paris playing with the Verve, and I had the chords for that song and started writing it. We were due to play two days later. Our first-ever big arena gig, it's called Sheffield Arena now. At the sound check, I was strumming away on the acoustic guitar, and our kid (Liam) said, 'What's that you're singin'?' I wasn't singing anyway, I was just making it up. And our kid said, 'Are you singing, 'So Sally can wait'?' And I was like—that's genius! So I started singing, 'So Sally can wait.' I remember going back to the dressing room and writing it out. It all came really quickly after that." Gallagher claims that the character "Lyla", from Oasis's 2005 single, is Sally's sister. In the interview on the DVD released with the special edition of Stop the Clocks, he also revealed that a girl approached him and asked him if Sally was the same girl mentioned in the Stone Roses track "Sally Cinnamon". He replied that he had never thought of that, but thought it was a good reference anyway.

In a 2019 Esquire magazine interview, Gallagher stated, "I remember writing it in Paris on a rainy night. We had just played a strip club: our set finished, the strippers came on. We were nothing, an insignificant little band. And I remember going back to my hotel room and writing it, and thinking, 'That'll be pretty good when we record it.' If I'd have known that night what I know now about people playing it at fucking funerals and weddings, I'd never have finished the song. Too much pressure."[7]

Gallagher admits that certain lines from the song are lifted from John Lennon: "I got this tape in the United States that had apparently been burgled from the Dakota Hotel and someone had found these cassettes. Lennon was starting to record his memoirs on tape. He's going on about 'trying to start a revolution from me [sic] bed, because they said the brains I had went to my head.' I thought, 'Thank you, I'll take that!'" The line "revolution from me bed" refers to Lennon's notorious bed-ins in 1969 as Gallagher was reading Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties published in 1994.[8] The piano in the introduction of the song strongly resembles Lennon's "Imagine", as well as "Watching the Wheels".[8]

As Oasis are often criticised for borrowing parts of other artists' songs, Gallagher commented on the intro's similarity to "Imagine":

In the case of "Don't Look Back in Anger"—I mean, the opening piano riff's "Imagine". Fifty per cent of it's put in there to wind people up, and the other 50% is saying, "Look, this is how songs like 'Don't Look Back in Anger' come about—because they're inspired by songs like 'Imagine'." And no matter what people might think, there will be some 13-year-old kid out there who'll read an interview and think, "'Imagine'? I've never heard that song." And he might go and buy the album, you know what I mean?[9][8][10]

Live performances

The song became a favourite at Oasis's live performances.

Noel Gallagher encouraged the crowd to sing along and often kept quiet during the first chorus, allowing the fans instead to sing along while he played the song's guitar part. During the Dig Out Your Soul Tour, Noel abandoned the song's previous, full-band live arrangement in favour of a much slower, primarily acoustic arrangement. From 2008 through to Oasis's break-up, the song was performed by Gallagher on his Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar backed up by Gem Archer on electric guitar, Jay Darlington playing keyboards and Chris Sharrock playing tambourine. On 11 and 12 July 2009, during performances of the song at London's Wembley Stadium, Gallagher did not sing a word; instead, he stood back, played guitar, and allowed the crowd to sing the entire song.[11] Since 2011, he has alternated between the acoustic version and the original arrangement when playing the song with his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Oasis became the first act since the Jam to perform two songs on the same showing of Top of the Pops, performing "Don't Look Back in Anger", followed by their cover of Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize", also on the single.

In June 2017, Liam Gallagher performed an a cappella version of the song at Glastonbury, making it the first time he had performed the song rather than Noel.[12]

Manchester Arena bombing

Following the Manchester Arena bombing on 22 May 2017 in the band's hometown of Manchester, the song was used by the people of Manchester in remembrance of the bombing's 22 victims and to show the city's spirit. The song was sung by students of Manchester's Chetham's music school on 23 May, and on 25 May it was spontaneously sung by the crowd gathered for a minute of silence in the city centre. The woman who started the singing told The Guardian, "I love Manchester, and Oasis is part of my childhood. "Don't Look Back in Anger"—that's what this is about: we can't be looking backwards to what happened, we have to look forwards to the future."[13] The song re-entered the charts, along with Ariana Grande's "One Last Time," which was No. 1 on the iTunes single charts as of 26 May.[14] On 27 May, the song was performed as a tribute by 50,000 audience members of a performance by the Courteeners in Manchester.[15]

It was performed by Coldplay's Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland on either side of Ariana Grande at the One Love Manchester concert on 4 June 2017.[16] Martin introduced the song by saying "Ariana, you've been singing a lot for us, so I think we in Britain want to sing for you. This is called "Don't Look Back in Anger", and this is from us to you".

It was also performed by the military band of the French Republican Guard on 13 June 2017, at the France versus England football match at the Stade de France, as a tribute to the victims of the attacks in Manchester and, more recently, London.[17]

Release

The single's picture sleeve contains a photo by Brian Cannon. He intended the cover as a homage to an incident where Ringo Starr, having briefly left the Beatles in 1968 during the recording of the White Album, was persuaded to return and George Harrison decorated Starr's drum kit in red, white and blue flowers to show their appreciation.[18]

The B-side "Step Out" was originally intended for the (What's the Story) Morning Glory? album but was taken off after Stevie Wonder requested 10 per cent of the royalties as the chorus bore a similarity to his song "Uptight (Everything's Alright)". Because of this, Wonder, Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy received credit for writing the song, along with Noel.

The song's chart success coincided with its usage at the end of the final episode of the BBC television drama Our Friends in the North. The show's producers had included the track without knowing it was going to be released as a single.

Critical reception

"Don't Look Back in Anger" was met with high critical praise and it became a commercial hit. Larry Flick from Billboard said, "Noel Gallagher reveals a deft sense of timing and craft that turn his improprieties into masterful pop gems."[19] Music Week rated the song five out of five, picking it as Single of the Week. They wrote, "Cheekily opening with John Lennon's "Imagine" riff, another Beatles-inspired single which will turn on the fans on Brits day. The inclusion of the ill-advised Slade cover of "Cum On Feel The Noize" is a low point, however."[20]

In a 2006 readers' poll conducted by Q magazine, "Don't Look Back in Anger" was voted the 20th-best song of all time.[21] In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Don't Look Back in Anger" at No. 14 in its list of the "50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever".[22]

Chart performance

The song reached No. 1 in the singles charts of Ireland and the United Kingdom, and it was a moderate success by reaching the top 60 in various countries. The song was the 10th-biggest-selling single of 1996 in the UK. It is Oasis's second-biggest-selling single in the UK (after "Wonderwall"), going quintuple platinum in the process.[23] The song returned to the UK charts in 2017 following Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland's cover version at the One Love Manchester concert, reaching No. 25. "Don't Look Back in Anger" is Oasis's sixth-biggest Billboard hit in the US, reaching the No. 10 spot on the Modern Rock Tracks for the week of 22 June 1996.[24]

Music video

The video for the song was directed by Nigel Dick and features Patrick Macnee, the actor who played John Steed in the 1960s television series The Avengers, apparently a favourite of Oasis. It was filmed at 1145 Arden Road in Pasadena, California on 4 December 1995.[25] It features the band being driven by Macnee in a black cab to a mansion similar to the Playboy Mansion and performing the song there; a group of women dressed in white also occasionally lip sync to the lyrics. While filming the video, drummer Alan White met future wife Liz Carey, who also became as one of the models for the video. They married on 13 August 1997 at Studley Priory in Oxfordshire, but later divorced in 2004.

There are two uploads of the music video. One being posted by the band themselves in 2008 with over 229 million views,[26] and another posted in collaboration with Vevo in 2014 with over 120 million views.[27]

Track listing

All songs were written by Noel Gallagher except where noted.

Personnel

Oasis

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[69] Gold 45,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[70] Platinum 50,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[71]
Digital single 		Platinum 250,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] 5× Platinum 3,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United Kingdom 19 February 1996
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Creation [72][73]
Japan 22 February 1996 CD Epic [74]
United Kingdom 26 February 1996 12-inch vinyl Creation [75]
United States 23 July 1996 Contemporary hit radio Epic [76]

References

  1. ↑ "Canzoni Rock Famose | Video delle Canzoni Rock più Belle di Sempre". 22 December 2021.
  2. ↑ "'Don't Look Back in Anger' by Oasis tops NME's 50 Most Explosive Choruses list". NME. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' named as 'UK's Favourite Number One single' | News". NME. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Brit-Pop Songs". Rolling Stone. 25 March 2018. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s revealed". Absolute Radio. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "Oasis' Don't Look Back in Anger: 12 Things You Didn't Know". NME. 19 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  7. ↑ Emmett, Simon (1 December 2015). "Noel Gallagher Is Esquire's December Cover Star". Esquire. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Simpson, Paul (2003). The Rough Guide to Cult Pop: The Songs, the Artists, the Genres, the Dubious Fashions. Rough Guides. p. 107. ISBN 1-84353-229-8. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Oasis: Mad For It (1996, 2/4) on YouTube (22 July 2008). Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  10. ↑ Hurry, Pam (2001). Heinemann Advanced Music. Heinemann. p. 170. ISBN 0-435-81258-0. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  11. ↑ OASIS – Don't Look Back in Anger – Wembley Stadium 11 July 2009 on YouTube. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  12. ↑ "Liam Gallagher performs Don't Look Back in Anger at Glastonbury". 24 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
  13. ↑ Perraudin, Frances; Halliday, Josh (25 May 2017). "Don't Look Back in Anger becomes symbol of Manchester's spirit". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "Oasis classic re-enters the charts after crowds sing it at Manchester memorial". NME. 26 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "50,000 Fans Sing Oasis at First Manchester Concert Since Attacks". 28 May 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  16. ↑ Kim, Michelle (4 June 2017). "Coldplay Sing Oasis' "Don't Look Back in Anger" to Ariana Grande in Manchester: Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "France v England: French fans sing God Save The Queen". BBC News. BBC. 13 June 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Oasis – The Stories Behind Their Cryptic Album and Single Sleeve Art". NME.com. 18 August 2015. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  19. ↑ Flick, Larry (15 June 1996), "Singles: Pop". Billboard. 108 (24):74
  20. ↑ "Reviews: Singles – Single of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. 10 February 1996. p. 10. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  21. ↑ "100 Greatest Songs Ever". Q. 2006. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2007.
  22. ↑ "50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever". NME. 2007. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  23. 1 2 "British single certifications – Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  24. ↑ Sexton, Paul (27 August 2005), "OASIS". Billboard. 117 (35):36
  25. ↑ "PRODUCTIONS 1995". Nigel Dick – Director. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  26. ↑ Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger (Official Video). 18 February 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2017 – via YouTube.
  28. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (UK CD single liner notes). Oasis. Creation Records. 1996. CRESCD 221.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (UK cassette single sleeve). Oasis. Creation Records. 1996. CRECS 221.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Oasis. Creation Records. 1996. CRE 221.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Oasis. Creation Records. 1996. CRE 221T.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (US CD single liner notes). Oasis. Epic Records. 1996. 34K 78356.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. ↑ Don't Look Back in Anger (US cassette single sleeve). Oasis. Epic Records. 1996. 34T 78356.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ↑ transatlanticmodern (27 August 2013). "INTERVIEW: PAUL 'BONEHEAD' ARTHURS". Transatlantic Modern. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  35. ↑ "Album credits | Oasis Recording Information". www.oasis-recordinginfo.co.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  36. ↑ Podcast, The Oasis. "57: Owen Morris exclusive interview with Richard Buskin – The Oasis Podcast – Podcast". Podtail. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  37. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  38. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  39. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9529." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  40. ↑ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9659." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  41. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 20. 18 May 1996. p. 28. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  42. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 11. 16 March 1996. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  43. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 10. 9 March 1996. p. 27. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  44. ↑ "Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  45. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  46. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  47. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (17.2. – 23.2. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 17 February 1996. p. 26. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  48. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Don't Look Back in Anger". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  49. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 12, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  50. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  51. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  52. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". VG-lista. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  53. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  54. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  55. ↑ "Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  56. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  57. ↑ "Oasis Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  58. ↑ "Oasis Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  59. ↑ "Oasis Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  60. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LX, no. 4. 21 September 1996. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  61. ↑
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  62. ↑ "Oasis Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  63. ↑ "RPM Year End Alternative Top 50". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  64. ↑ "Music & Media 1996 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. 21 December 1996. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  65. ↑ "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  66. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  67. ↑ "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  68. ↑ "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Modern Rock Tracks" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. 27 December 1996. p. 24. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  69. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 21 October 2020. Scroll through the page-list below until year 2020 to obtain certification.
  70. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 23 April 2018. Select "2018" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Don't Look Back in Anger" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  71. ↑ "Japanese digital single certifications – Oasis – Don't Look Back in Anger" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 25 January 2020. Select 2017年2月 on the drop-down menu
  72. ↑ Britt, Ryan (19 February 2021). "25 Years Ago We Got the Best Song of the '90s". Yahoo! Lifestyle. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  73. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 February 1996. p. 31. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  74. ↑ "Oasis | Artist Information". Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on 7 April 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  75. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 24 February 1996. p. 31.
  76. ↑ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1155. 19 July 1996. p. 44. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
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