In 2020, to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Oasis's second album, What's the Story Morning Glory?, the band released a limited edition album. Interestingly, this luxurious commemorative album also includes a copy of the manuscript of the lyrics when Noyou tanked the creation of "The Wall", and the importance of this song is naturally self-evident.
Oasis
Text: Drill dog
Editor: Zuo Chunchun
A golden song that was born quickly
For a timeless classic, the recording process of "The Wall" seems too fast. One Tuesday in May that year, Knoll recorded the acoustic guitar part with a synchronous tape recorder. Oasis' new drummer, Alan White, added his own part, followed by Noel recording additional guitar footage (including the electric guitar part) and himself.
To make the song sound more soothing, rhythm guitarist Paul opted for a Melody Trann keyboard. This keyboard is one of the few that Shen Yun left behind after recording at Lockfield.
Lockfield Recording Studios
The song that night had been recorded seven seven eight eight "That's really a bit fast." Oven Morris, a recording engineer, recalled. When Knoll played the song in its entirety, he didn't know what to do with the bridge section, he asked me which was better, and I told him that the simpler one was better.
That's pretty much a decision in a minute. There is nothing too much of a headache in the whole process. (According to Morris's recollection, Liam wasn't too happy because bassist Paul wasn't involved in the recording of the song, and he said to Morris, "It's not an oasis.") ”）
The next morning, Liam took some tea, took a few sips of his cigarette, and sat down at the microphone. "Back then, Noel would play the acoustic guitar and sing the whole song to Liam." Morris said, "All the lyrics and some of the melodies he just wrote were sung only once.
Then Liam went into the studio and was able to sing the song in its entirety. And singing from beginning to end is word for word. I think it's amazing. When recording "The Wall", he said, 'I'm starting to sing now!' I remember he seemed to have recorded it three or four times. People ask me 'how scary is the recording scene?' I said, 'We're just working.' ’
Liam Gallagher
Liam also remembers the band recording efficiently "I always want to go clubbing," he said, "as soon as I finished recording the song, I would run to the nearest bar." I didn't want to sit there and watch other people fiddle with guitars and megaphones. Later the next day, Knoll added a piano to the end of the song, using a Kuzweiler keyboard to simulate orchestral music.
While listening to the mix, Liam told Morris that his vocals were too loud and should be lowered in decibels. "It's the only time he's said that." Morris said with a smile.
Successfully entered the US market
After the album was recorded, Morris expressed his concerns to Oasis: "The Wall" is very different from oasis's other works, is this song rock enough? They told him not to worry. As long as it's a liam singing, it's a rock song.
Russell, who was working at Oasis's label Creation at the time, said, "It's clear that this song is definitely going to be a hit single." I saw its commercial value and immediately realized that it would become a rock song.
It speaks to what many people want to say to their loved ones. Many people don't know how to express their hearts, and this song helps them. ”
Morris remembers creation's boss, Alan McGee— who was no longer involved in the company at the time and was battling substance abuse — telling the producer that "this song is going to be on fire" and putting all the money in." ”
Noel Gallagher
"The Wall" wasn't the first single from the "What's the Story" Morning Glory?, "Roll With It" was the first album to hit the charts, followed by "Some Might Say."
But the song is the hottest on the album, especially in the United States. The song rose to number nine on the U.S. music charts and dominated the Billboard Alternative Rock Chart for nine weeks. The song is not only favored by bar rock fans, but also a collective memory of oasis for people over forty years old.
Liam recalls, "There are some songs that people like when they hear them, and I think it's the same kind of song. At the same time, Mike Flowers Pops' cover became popular in the UK, which also increased the popularity of the song.
"I remember walking into any bar and seeing people singing this song to a jukebox and waving their arms." Creation's then-managing director, Tim Abbot, said.
The last glory of the rock era
Although Oasis experienced several chaotic periods in the days that followed, The Wall stood the test of time. In 2008, the song became the focal point of The Oasis and Jay Z's feud.
After learning that the rapper would perform the song in Glastonbury that year, Knoll joked: "Jay Z? Sorry, no way. Glastonbury has always been the world of guitar rock. Hip hop shouldn't be on stage in Glastonbury. This is wrong. ”
At the festival, Jay Z hung a guitar around his neck and sang "The Wall of Mystery" to the oasis recording (many people on the stage were also singing along). In a subsequent Madison Garden show, Jay Z sang The Wall again, adding a rap that The guy at Oasis said I couldn't play the guitar/Someone should tell him I was a rock star. ”
Jay Z performs "The Wall" at the Glastonbury Festival
For so many years, Noel has been very indifferent to this song. "In any city in the world where you can be famous, there are people who sing 'The Wall,'" he said recently, "and I don't really like that song — I think 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' is so good than it goes anywhere." ”
Last year he told Rolling Stone magazine: "All great artists have masterpieces. Luckily, I have five. Funny, this song is not my favorite song at all. ”
Liam admits that he's tired of the song too: "In a lot of performances I've said, 'Some people may not like it, but everybody is fanatical about it.'" I enjoy performing it now. If you don't act it, everyone immediately walks away. People spend a lot of money watching the show, and you should do everything you can. The song transcends us. ”
Morris, 52, is now living a happy retirement in Costa Rica. This is thanks to the royalties for that song and album. Sony never disclosed royalty income, but "The Wall" appeared in the Beatles film Miracle of Yesterday, the Renault commercial, and the American drama Roswell.
Noel & Liam
Liam admitted that Noel received the most royalties as a creator. "I didn't get anything." Liam said, "So I'm so poor until now." The publisher didn't come looking for me at all. If I had gotten that much money too, I would have been as faceless as he was. ”
For Russell, "Lost Wall" meant the incredible side of the physical record industry, as bizarre as the Gallagher brothers' early stage brawls. At that time, she was told that the album had sold almost twenty-five million copies — a figure that now seems unbelievable. “
At the time, people were really enthusiastic about physical records. Russell said, "That brilliance won't come again." Adele and Coldplay are great entertainers, and they're popular too, but they don't sell as many albums as Oasis did. That kind of era, situation, and trend is difficult to reproduce. That song was without a doubt the best they sold. ”
"The Wall" may be the last classic of what we call the rock generation. Since the mid-nineties, only a few rock songs — such as Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love" — have been compared to early classic rock songs.
Liam Gallagher agrees that the achievement of "The Wall" has reached a certain height: "I know what you are talking about – this song must be a classic. Funny enough, I don't even play this song on a guitar, and this song is probably one of the easiest to play. People at parties say, 'Bomb! I replied, 'You played it for me.' ’”
Past Links: The 25th Anniversary of "The Wall": An Oasis Lyric of "Alternative"
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