Don't Go Away by Oasis

Album: Be Here Now (1997)

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The song, according to Noel Gallagher, rhythm guitar player, backing vocalist and pretty much composer of all things Oasis, is about losing someone close. His mother was in the hospital at the time and it was feared that she was stricken with cancer. This was later proved not to be the case, but at the time it gave Noel the idea of creating a very sad song... "quite bleak" according to Noel.
While the idea for the tune surfaced during the time Noel's Mother was hospitalized, he didn't have the lyrics until the day the song was recorded.
This was Oasis' third album, and was heavily hyped. It debuted at #2 on the US charts and #1 on the UK, selling more than 250,000 copies its first day of release. It is estimated that the album was selling around 150 copies per minute, and remains one of the fastest selling UK albums ever. >>
Suggestion credit:
Jeffrey - Columbus, OH, for all above
The opening line, "A Cold and Frosty Morning" is also the opening line of the second verse to The Kinks song "Dead End Street." The Kinks are believed to be one of Oasis' many influences. >>
Suggestion credit:
Gavin - Leeds, England

Comments: 13

Michael from Southend This song is not about anyone's mum having cancer, it's just a song. This song was actually one of the early demos they recorded in Liverpool at The Real People's studio before they recorded Definitely Maybe. The chorus even uses lines from the song 'Feel The Pain' by The Real People which was made in 1992. The Real People helped write a lot of the early demos, but received no writing credits. When people made the comparison between Oasis and The Real People they started to distance themselves and took them off all future guestlists. It's all in Tony McCarroll's book, a good read if you haven't already.
Alex from Manchester, United KingdomWhen liam sings he uses the lyrics " I Dont wanna be there..." where as Noel uses " And i wanna be there..." shows the personality differences between the two brothers, how liam cant face his emotions through his tough guy exterior, where as noel is one of the deepest human beings on the planet, MADCHESTER.
Lukas from Panevëþys, LithuaniaLiam confessed, that he couldn't record this song at the first time, coz' it was making him cry all the time.
Peter Clarke from Hobart, AustraliaDespite the media's criticism of Be Here Now, it has begun to see some appreciation in recent years. Many fans cite the album as one of their favourites, and in a 2008 poll conducted by Q Magazine to decide the Greatest British Albums of the last 50 Years, Be Here Now found its way into the list, coming in at #22.
Neil from Birmingham, United Statesi have a theory that this song might be about a bust up with liam when he went home from the us tour early. Maybe he was showing a bit of love and missing his brother and the whole 'an i wanna be there when youre coming down, and i wanna be there when you hit the ground' literally means when his plane was landing back home. and pleading for him not to go home or that really he wanted to go home too but had obligations to the band because he always took it more seriously. That sounds girly but brothers love each other but would never openly say it. Maybe pent up love for his little brother and feeling a little home sick!
Dave from Cardiff, WalesDespite the hype, the high chart positions, and the massive album sales, 'Be Here Now' is rated as one of the worst albums of the 1990s by many critics and in numerous polls, and it is often stated that the album (which got poor reviews for the most part) was the release that caused the irreversable damage to Oasis record label, Creation, that eventually caused Alan MacGee to close down the label altogether. This may or may not have been the case. Certainly, Creation Records threw a great deal of weight behind the album, one of the great hopes of the late '90s, but as a result other artists on the label either felt neglected and jumped ship (getting alternative deals or going independant), or else were dropped from the label to help fund the album, causing hostility with Creation's ranks. However, many felt that the label were to blame more than the band itself because they were bent on building on the success of Oasis two previous albums, and as a result they rushed Oasis into getting an album out by the end of 1997. Also, the timing of the album release could not have been worse for the band or label. You have to remember that for most of the 1990s, UK music went through a phase of being dominated by rock one minute, and then dance the next. The 'rock revival' of 1995-1997 was drawing to a close, and dance and R&B were beginning to take hold on the radio waves again. The Verve and Radiohead had kept the flag flying for UK rock music with their respective 1997 bestsellers 'Urban Hymns' and 'OK Computer', and some within Creation felt that they were in danger of being left behind in the rush when it became obvious that the dance frenzy was coming back...
Ariana from Lima, Peruok..im really confused..i've only got the live version n i always hear "and i wanna"..but everywhere i look 4 lyrics, it appears 2 b "dont wanna" whatever it is, i love it..it brings me 2 tears..
D from Richmond, VaActually, on Oasis.net, the bands official website, the words are "I don't wanna be there...." but, I have heard live recordings where he sings "And I wanna be there..."
Kevin from Rocky River, OhThe lyrics to this song are often misinterpreted. Many people think that Liam is saying "I don't wanna be there when your coming down..." when in reality he is saying "And I wanna be there..."
Cody from Frankston, United StatesThe song is about Boneheads mother dieing of cancer and Bonehead asked Noel to write a song about her.
Any true fan would no that.
Marius from LÃ¼neburg, Germany"dont go away"... if you are in lovesickness - dont listen to this one... i was close to tears
Jeff from Detroit, MiOne of the most underrated but best Oasis tunes to date....
Bryan from Here, Scwow..this song is quite the tear jerker..

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