All Around The World

Album: Be Here Now (1997)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The manufactured band Hear'say released a single called "Pure And Simple" which sounded very similar to this. Noel Gallagher (who wrote "All Around The World") refused to press any sort of charges as he often nicks from other artists.
  • The video for this song is an homage to The Beatles Yellow Submarine. Twenty-four computer animators spent six months working on it. Guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs recalled to Q magazine May 2014: "I thought the video was okay, a bit Monty Python. I only went off it when I got my next royalty cheque. It was something like 'minus 10 quid' because the video had cost half a million. That really pissed me off." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Greg - Edinburgh, Scotland, for above 2
  • This ran for 9 minutes 38 seconds, making it the longest single to top the UK single charts. The "na-na"s at the end go for 2:53.
  • Noel and Liam Gallagher's then wives, Meg Matthews and Patsy Kensit, sang back up vocals.
  • Mark Feltham played the harmonica on this track. A highly regarded session player, he has also appeared on tracks by Robbie Williams, Switchfoot and PJ Proby.
  • This was used in a 2007 commercial for AT&T.
  • According to Q magazine May 2008, a version of this song was in Oasis' live set back in 1992. However Noel Gallagher waited until his budget matched his grand ambitions before committing the overblown epic to tape. Gallagher said at the time, "I just wanted to write a big, massive, orchestral, sprawling, rock opera."

Comments: 17

  • Robert Hurley Jr from MassachusettsExcellent video. Exciting the massiveness of the production. More artists should be like Noel Gallagher paying homage to great artists and being influenced by it. Creating great music for us fans. All Around the World is just one of many great Oasis songs.
  • Liam from Maryland It seems like some people keep misinterpreting what they said above how "Pure and Simple" which was released after "All Around the World" had a similar sound, but that Noel chose not to press charges, since he too would use stuff from otber artists to help influence his music... That's another reason why i respect, and think Noel Gallagher's is one of the best song writers out there.
  • Duncan Lloyd from LondonThis Mark Feltham was the harmonica player in Nine Below Zero and for Rory Gallagher. The cricketing Mark Feltham is a different person.
  • Archie from Moscow, Russia FederationMaybe it's Hear'say who nicked Oasis song???
  • Archie from Moscow, Russia FederationDon't get it(( Pure and Simple - 2001 release. Around the World is on Be Here Now - 1997 release
    ?????????wtf
  • Steve from Lincoln, United KingdomThis song is too long, it would be good if it was 5 minutes shorter.
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesT-roy - Liam and Noel ADMIT to ripping off other artists! And The Beatles, Stones etc, DO NOT suck!
  • T-roy from Marquette, MiScrew that. I've been listening to Oasis since I was 9 years old. I can't see how anyone would say that they ripped off some other band that sucks anyway. Their song is from 2001. Be Here Now was released in 1997 and that song was one of the first that Noel wrote. So even though Noel takes other little licks from other tunes once in a while, that other band ripped off Oasis if anything. Listen to Dig Out Your Soul and tell me that Oasis rips me off other bands all the time. That is a great album.
  • Matt from Kirkwall, United KingdomLove it. I love how they just throw the kitchen sink at this song, with orchestras,guitars,smashing drums. Love the lyrics and has beautiful melodies.
  • Kevin from Athlone, IrelandBrilliant song,very under-rated in my opinion its one of Oasis's best songs
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesIt's a bit ironic that people criticise Hear'say for 'copying' this song when Oasis' music sounds identical to all those influential guitar bands of the 1960s. "Pure And Simple" by Hear'say was a cover version anyway, a short-lived band called Girl Thing (who had only one hit, with "Last One Standing" in 1999) did the original in late 2000, but their version failed to chart. When Hear'say hit No.1 with their cover, Girl Thing were dropped from the record label and split up soon after. Girl Thing stated they were big fans of Oasis in 1999, perhaps that's why "Pure And Simple" sounds so similar to "All Around The World"? This was one of the few songs on the "Be Here Now" album that I actually liked...
  • Matthew from East Brunswick, NjI like it. Oasis never fails to disappoint me.
  • Simon from Reading, England'Pure and Simple' by Hear'say and this share the same chord sequence, but you can hardly say they're similar songs. That's crazy talk.

    That's like saying 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' by Greenday is a rip off of 'How You Remind Me' by Nickelback. Not true; they just both share a very popular chord progression.

    Anyway, I love this Oasis song, particularly the verse. Underrated!
  • Ryan from Queerville, CaThis is now being used in an ad by AT&T in America
  • Claire from ManchesterI like this song but it is too long. Hearsay did totally nick the sound of All Around The World with their song Pure And Simple the songs sound really similiar.
  • Paul from Galway, IrelandThe song is so.... long? the video never ends. all in all a great song
  • Tristan from Bangor, WalesThe song appears on their 3rd album but was actually written before their 1sr was released. Didn't appear on the first as they didnt have budget for orchestral arrangement, was due to appear on the 2nd until Noel wrote the epic Champagne Supernova. Finally surfaced on Be Here Now.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Annie Haslam of Renaissance

Annie Haslam of RenaissanceSongwriter Interviews

The 5-octave voice of the classical rock band Renaissance, Annie is big on creative expression. In this talk, she covers Roy Wood, the history of the band, and where all the money went in the '70s.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.