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Post by Prole Hole on Oct 25, 2018 6:47:27 GMT -5
What's The Song? "Wonderwall" by Oasis
When Was It Released? 1995, on the ridiculously successful (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
What's Wrong With It? What fucking isn't? I mean, it's a dirge. A tedious, dreary durge. Liam's voice, never the most flexible instrument in the musical pantheon is even drabber than it normally is, which is no mean feat. It's not that he's off-key (though he is, which at least makes it easier for karaoke singers to get an authentic-sounding version going). It's not that the lyric is so banal as to sound like it was written by a marginally literate six-year-old (though it is). It's not that it's got the usual no-originality-Beatles-references (though it has, in both it's title and "all the roads that lead us there are winding"). Well, I mean, it's all of those things, of course, but it all combines into one astonishingly awful vocal around one astonishingly badly written melody (is that even the right word here?) and combines it with terrible production and guitar playing. Seriously, listen to when that first cello comes in to underscore - it's just staggeringly clumsy. Our old friends at The AV Club described this aural turd as, "the Free Bird of the 90's" and said that as if it were a compliment.
Why Did You Listen To It? How could you not? It's audio herpes, once you've been infected with it, you're stuck with it forever. Other than a couple of idle spins of Morning Glory when it was originally released (fair crack of the whip and all that) I have never sought this song out but that has in no way diminished my ability to listen to or hear it. Sadly.
Does It Get Anything Right? Nope.
Other Reasons To Hate It? Ubiquity can kill the love for even the best of songs, and this song joins other Hatesong "favourite" "Africa" as one who's charms, slender to non-existent though they are, have been entirely eradicated by repetition. It was bad enough in the 90's when this was everywhere, but it still turns up with far too great a frequency to ever be appreciated again. Whining 90's kids claiming it's the best song ever doesn't help much either. Well done, you were stoned at Knebworth and sung it with half a million other idiots. What an achievement. It is not, let us be clear, the best song ever. It's not even the best Oasis song, nor even the best from (What's The Story) Morning Glory? It's just a derivative, faux-deep piece of tossed-off garbage. Full disclosure, I am not a fan of Oasis anyway - I could name... two songs of theirs I genuinely like? - but a lot of their material, if not for me, is relatively inoffensive. Indeed, "inoffensive" is mostly the space in my brain that Oasis occupy. This though? Offensive.
Scores On The Doors? 0/10 Honestly, I cannot think of a single redeeming feature this song has. Even "Africa" would likely come in at 1/10. That's how much I hate this.
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Oct 25, 2018 7:11:27 GMT -5
I've probably mentioned this before, but I bought (What's The Story) Morning Glory on the same day as London Calling. Let's just say one has been in rotation ever since, and one dropped out, like you said, after a couple of listens.
As for the song in question, what about Ryan Adams' version? It makes some sonic amends, at least:
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Crash Test Dumbass
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Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 25, 2018 8:36:02 GMT -5
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fab
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Post by fab on Oct 25, 2018 13:44:29 GMT -5
it kinda strikes me as one of those songs that's just sonic background? I don't mind it. it's not amazing.
it just happens to be something everyone seems to know due to its massive popularity. trying to get the strumming rhythm down was a useful exercise when I first started learning guitar.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2018 15:36:33 GMT -5
HAHAHAHAHA I'm laughing both because of the lyrics and because that looks like a great meal deal! |
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Crash Test Dumbass
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Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 25, 2018 17:57:57 GMT -5
HAHAHAHAHA I'm laughing both because of the lyrics and because that looks like a great meal deal! I really believe that Crash Test Dumbass could eat this meal alone, about right now |
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Post by Pastafarian on Oct 25, 2018 19:12:06 GMT -5
I've probably mentioned this before, but I bought (What's The Story) Morning Glory on the same day as London Calling. Let's just say one has been in rotation ever since, and one dropped out, like you said, after a couple of listens. As for the song in question, what about Ryan Adams' version? It makes some sonic amends, at least: I've heard somewhere that Oasis was so impressed with that take that it was the only version they performed afterward. |
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Post by Roy Batty's Pet Dove on Oct 25, 2018 19:48:28 GMT -5
But what's your opinion of this version of "Wonderwall", Prole?
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monodrone
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Post by monodrone on Oct 26, 2018 7:38:21 GMT -5
As Fran Healy off of the band Travis once sang:
"What is a Wonderwall, anyway?"
and also, later on the same album:
"there is no wonder wall to climb
or step around"
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Post by Pastafarian on Oct 26, 2018 10:26:28 GMT -5
As Fran Healy off of the band Travis once sang: "What is a Wonderwall, anyway?" and also, later on the same album: "there is no wonder wall to climb or step around" I seem to recall hearing Wonderwall was an obscure George Harrison album. What that has to do with the song, I guess he's saying she's a highly valued possession? |
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Post by Prole Hole on Oct 26, 2018 11:13:33 GMT -5
Wonder Wall Music was the Harrison album and it's the first solo Beatles album, well ahead of Lennon or McCartney (technically, it's a soundtrack album). It's not bad, though phenomenally of 1968 and a fucktonne better than the album that follows it, Electronic Sound. Roy Batty's Pet Dove - Better! Well, less stunningly obvious at the very least. Dellarigg - I mean, sure, it's definitely an improvement. Less plodding and a lot more inventive, and leans into the twee emoness of the original so sounds a lot more genuine as a result. I'm pretty neutral on Adams, but this is a noticeable improvement. As Pastafarian says, there was an interview with (I want to say) Noel who went on record saying they wished they could do the song this way, but as far as I know they haven't because they thought they couldn't get away with it in front of an Oasis audience (this may have changed now of course, I don't exactly keep up with them). Which to me is exactly why the should do it. Anyway this is my preferred version, of course (released contemporaneously with the original single, much to the displeasure of the Gallaghers's which makes me enjoy it even more) |
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Oct 26, 2018 11:19:58 GMT -5
I remember reading that Noel's gf of the time, Meg Matthews, just up and assumed it was a love song to and about her. Noel didn't have the nerve to tell her - not until he'd left her, anyway - that, no, it's just his usual meaningless bollocks. He said everything he ever wanted to say on the first track of their first album, apparently, the one about wanting to be a rock star. It shows.
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Rainbow Rosa
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Post by Rainbow Rosa on Oct 26, 2018 12:28:49 GMT -5
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Post by MyNameIsNoneOfYourGoddamnBusin on Oct 26, 2018 16:40:28 GMT -5
I've heard somewhere that Oasis was so impressed with that take that it was the only version they performed afterward. I saw Noel perform a few years back with Ryan Adams opening. I was hoping he would let Ryan come out during his set and take the lead on the song, but Noel performed it himself (after saying the Adams version was superior and made actually like a song he was tired of). The version he played was much closer to the Oasis version than the Ryan Adams one. |
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Post by Prole Hole on Oct 26, 2018 17:51:04 GMT -5
I'm actually slightly surprised that nobody's turned up to defend the song. I mean, people defended godsdamned "Africa". The TIF taste in music is clearly far better than I was expecting.
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Crash Test Dumbass
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Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 26, 2018 17:59:13 GMT -5
I'm actually slightly surprised that nobody's turned up to defend the song. I mean, people defended godsdamned "Africa". The TIF taste in music is clearly far better than I was expecting. To me, the thing is I can't remember a time when Oasis didn't suck. I have never heard anyone claim that Oasis were any good ever, and that includes interviews with the band members. |
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Post by Pastafarian on Oct 26, 2018 18:09:18 GMT -5
I'm actually slightly surprised that nobody's turned up to defend the song. I mean, people defended godsdamned "Africa". The TIF taste in music is clearly far better than I was expecting. To me, the thing is I can't remember a time when Oasis didn't suck. I have never heard anyone claim that Oasis were any good ever, and that includes interviews with the band members. When I was in high school I liked them quite a bit, including this song. But yeah, some tastes change. |
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Crash Test Dumbass
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Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 26, 2018 18:12:13 GMT -5
To me, the thing is I can't remember a time when Oasis didn't suck. I have never heard anyone claim that Oasis were any good ever, and that includes interviews with the band members. When I was in high school I liked them quite a bit, including this song. But yeah, some tastes change. Welp, there goes my perfect record. -tears up scorecard- |
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Post by Pastafarian on Oct 26, 2018 18:19:34 GMT -5
When I was in high school I liked them quite a bit, including this song. But yeah, some tastes change. Welp, there goes my perfect record. -tears up scorecard- Oh shit. I mean haha just kidding! I was being ironic. When I was in high school all I liked was Pavement and uh...Sonic Youth. That's the ticket. Now tape that scorecard up! |
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Post by Lt. Broccoli on Oct 26, 2018 19:03:18 GMT -5
One of the first things I ever did on the Internet was to post to alt.music.oasis about how they were just ripping off the Beatles. I have been a shitposting troll from Day 1.
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fab
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Post by fab on Oct 27, 2018 0:04:42 GMT -5
I'm actually slightly surprised that nobody's turned up to defend the song. I mean, people defended godsdamned "Africa". The TIF taste in music is clearly far better than I was expecting. I think my tacit "hey, I don't mind this song" is all the defense I can muster. not sure if that qualifies as a defense, but sure. there it is. I feel similarly about "Africa" which is... worse. but even then, I don't mind that song, since it's so damn cheesy that it kinda comes full circle for me and I end up appreciating it as pure kitsch. I mean, I mostly associate it with playing GTA: Vice City, which is the pinnacle of the GTA games and they should just remaster the damn thing already. like I said, it kinda helped me out when learning guitar, and even though I've probably heard it a thousand times, it doesn't drive me that nuts. it's kinda just background noise to me. I find it inoffensive. I still suck at strumming and rhythm, so it's not like I could just pick it up and nail the strumming patterns even now, because I am lazy and terrible! I would never think to subject someone to listening to me play that song, ever. now THAT would be a travesty... to be another white guy playing that song at an open mic or something? unless you're getting paid to play requests at a pub, fuck right off with that unless you're able to properly deconstruct a song and rebuild it. (see: the Ryan Adams version or other weird experimental ones like that hilarious 60's themed one someone posted) so there's your defense! even if it mostly amounts to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |
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Dellarigg
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Post by Dellarigg on Oct 27, 2018 4:53:45 GMT -5
I wouldn't defend this lazy song, or this lazy band in general, but there are a handful of their tracks I quite like, in a dumb rockist way. The one I mentioned earlier, Rock n Roll Star, for instance, and a couple of b-sides, Round Are Way and Step Out, and latter day efforts like The Hindu Times and Lyla. Lyla almost inches close to being pretty good, I would say. That's about it, though.
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Post by Prole Hole on Oct 27, 2018 8:39:23 GMT -5
As I mentioned in the article there's only two songs by Oasis I genuinely like. They are "She's Electric" (it's actually got a sense of humour, which is the big thing I think Oasis lack and what makes them such a slog for me) and "Stop Crying Your Heart Out". No, I don't know why either.
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Rainbow Rosa
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Post by Rainbow Rosa on Oct 27, 2018 10:44:45 GMT -5
So, related question: what are acceptable rhymes for the word "baby" ? This song uses "maybe" - not very imaginative - but instead of the standard rhyme "crazy" it uses "saves me." What are the other options? Lazy? JVs? Rabies?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2018 12:34:33 GMT -5
I also hate Champagne Supernova. I hate how he SPITS the Ps REALLY LOUD in that.
"chamPTHagne suPTHernova"
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Post by MyNameIsNoneOfYourGoddamnBusin on Oct 28, 2018 19:05:09 GMT -5
I also hate Champagne Supernova. I hate how he SPITS the Ps REALLY LOUD in that. "chamPTHagne suPTHernova" If you're going to correctly criticize the pronunciation, you have to include the R-sound he adds to the end of "supernova". |
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Post by Some Kind of Munster on Oct 29, 2018 8:50:57 GMT -5
Hard as it may be to believe in 2018, but I had to learn to play Wonderwall BY POPULAR REQUEST. At one point, people actually wanted a guy with an acoustic guitar to play it at parties. The ‘90s were a wild time, man.
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Invisible Goat
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Post by Invisible Goat on Oct 29, 2018 10:01:06 GMT -5
The song owns, as does the album. Sorry haters.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2018 12:11:00 GMT -5
Surprised no one has mentioned the real reason why this song is, depending on which circles you travel in, so beloved or despised: it's four, easy-to-play chords on the guitar, repeated ad infinitum. Therefore, it will be with us for as long as humanity remembers how to manufacture guitar strings.
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Crash Test Dumbass
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Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 29, 2018 13:14:29 GMT -5
Surprised no one has mentioned the real reason why this song is, depending on which circles you travel in, so beloved or despised: it's four, easy-to-play chords on the guitar, repeated ad infinitum. Therefore, it will be with us for as long as humanity remembers how to manufacture guitar strings. When Nirvana Unplugged came out, the hallways of my high school were reverberating with the sound of kids playing the Em/G drone of the verse of About A Girl. Of course, the chorus was all barre chords, so as they came up to the C#m and panicked, they just skipped it all and went back to the verse over and over again. I still like that song, but sometimes the traumatic memories resurface. |
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