Unpacking the Iconic Debut Album 'Definitely Maybe' by Oasis

 

Anyway, here's Wonderwall...

I always loved a bit of Oasis; a cheeky bit of ‘Wonderwall’ here and there, but never fully appreciated the band until I got this album on vinyl, and my god, what a masterpiece it truly is. I vividly remember the Summer when I first came across the album; I’d only been working in Golden Discs maybe 7 months or so; it became sort of a ‘Sunday Club’ album in the shop & I guess that’s where it all started. That Summer was an ‘Oasis Summer’ for me; I made my way through their back catalogue, but always went back to ‘Definitely Maybe’  I listened to that album over and over again, to the point where I knew the order of the songs off by heart. Never got sick of it, and still to this day could listen to it on repeat; forever wishing I was lucky enough to have seen them live in Slane in 2009. Anyway, ‘Definitely Maybe’

 

These songs really came alive for me when I finally got to see Liam play in Malahide Castle in 2018. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. Soaked from head to toe in beer, in a black parka jacket, a pint of Heineken in one hand and a Mayfair menthol in the other, belting out ‘Supersonic’ while the sun beamed down on us. Tell me that doesn’t sound like heaven! Hearing ‘Live Forever’ at the end was the pinnacle of it all. It’s undoubtedly my favourite track off the album, & I think it holds a firm spot at number 1 for many, as the lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways.

"...to spend your days in the sunshine.."

Incredible lyrics by Noel, sang entirely by the controversially brilliant Liamo. ‘Definitely Maybe’ is one of the only Oasis albums where LG himself sings every, single song. Some may argue that Noel’s voice is the better of the two, which to an extent I will admit is true, but he’s still no match for Liam. Oasis would not be Oasis without Liam's signature outrageous voice, and no one can argue with me about that. That guitar riff at the start of ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ gets me every.single.time, and LG’s classic prolonging of  words is such a statement; “You could wait for a life time, to spend your days in the sunshine” His ability to make one syllable words sound like two syllable, is pretty impressive. If you’re an Oasis fan, or are somewhat familiar with that song, you 100% said ‘shiiiiieeeenneeee’ instead of ‘shine’ in that sentence, and that my friends, is the LG effect!!!

Throw this album on in the car when you need some decent tunes to get you through the journey. I listen to this album and feel like an untouchable, mouthy Mancunian and just a propaa ‘ROCK N ROLL STAR’ ready to conquer the day. All I need is a tambourine..

Like many, I still live in hope for an Oasis reunion, and have my black parka safely put away until then.

 

These are the genuine thoughts of our very own Eoife Clarke.

 

ALBUM DETAILS

  Originally released in August, 1994; remastered 10 years later in 2004.

Available on CD & Double LP