Oasis is, without a doubt, one of the most noteworthy acts in Britpop history. The argument of “Blur v. Oasis” when it comes to who was the biggest act of the Britpop boom remains, but it ultimately doesn’t matter. Both bands were iconic at the time. Oasis is perhaps just a little more memorable to Americans or anyone else outside of the UK. And one of their songs (no, not “Wonderwall”) might have served as the tipping point for the genre’s international takeover in the 1990s. Not only did “Some Might Say” bring Oasis to the forefront, but it brought Britpop as a whole to the forefront, too.
The Story Behind “Some Might Say” by Oasis
“Some Might Say” was the first single released off Oasis’ now-legendary 1995 album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? Written by Noel Gallagher, the song quickly became the group’s very first No. 1 single in the UK. It topped the Official Singles Chart in a matter of mere days. A few song releases later, “Wonderwall” would make it to No. 8 in the US. And Oasis would enjoy a hefty number of No. 1 hits well through the 2000s before their inevitable demise in 2009.
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Britpop was already becoming the next big thing when “Some Might Say” dropped in 1995. But its success in the UK started a trend that spilled over internationally. More so than even “Wonderwall”, “Some Might Say” might have been the song that caught everyone’s attention during the Britpop boom.
“Some Might Say” was one of the first songs written for the above-mentioned legendary album, complete with a demo track that dates back to mid-1994. Gallagher said that he actually preferred the “dirtier and sleazier” vibes of the demo over the more polished album and single versions. “Some Might Say” is also the last song to feature all of Oasis’ five original band members. Drummer Tony McCarroll got the boot a week after the song dropped.
Gallagher would also later say that “Some Might Say” was the “archetypical Oasis song,” and I’m inclined to agree. It has all the elements of a solid Oasis song. And while they produced plenty of very on-brand and true-to-their-sound tracks in the years that followed, there’s still something so special about the new, fresh sound of “Some Might Say”.
Photo by Des Willie/Redferns/Getty Images
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