Which Oasis songs did Liam Gallagher write?

25 August 2024, 18:00

By Radio X

@RadioX

Noel is the Gallagher brother who masterminded most of the classic Oasis songs, but which ones did Liam pen?

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Noel Gallagher is well known as the songwriting genius behind Oasis classics like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger, Live Forever and Champagne Supernova… but let’s not forget that brother Liam has also penned a few Oasis tunes in his time.

Let’s take a look at which Oasis songs Liam Gallagher wrote…

1. Little James (2000)

   

   Oasis - Little James (album version)

   Liam’s first writing credit was for this sweet tune on Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants in 2000. Noel explained that with Gem Archer and Andy Bell in the band, the songwriting duties started to be shared: “I’d slowed down as a writer and didn’t feel like I could keep writing 20 songs every two years.”

   Little James is written about his partner Patsy Kensit’s son, whose father is Jim Kerr, frontman of Scottish band Simple Minds. James was six at the time: “You live for your toys, even though they make noise / Have you ever played with plasticine / Or even tried a trampoline?”

2. Songbird (2002)

   2002’s Heathen Chemistry saw Liam Gallagher come out from under the shadow of Noel and get no less than three songs on an Oasis album. Written for Nicole Appleton, his fiancée at the time, Songbird had the honour of being the fourth single to be taken from the album. Noel complimented Liam’s song at the time, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: “Songbird blew my head off when I first heard it because it was that f**king simple and that direct.”

   

   Oasis - Songbird (Official Video)

   Heathen Chemistry ended with two other Liam compositions (apart from a Noel-penned “secret” track): Born On A Different Cloud and Better Man.

3. Love Like A Bomb (2005)

   By the time of Don’t Believe The Truth in 2005, Liam was on a songwriting roll - he supplied two songs for the ban’s sixth album: The Meaning Of Soul and Guess God Thinks I’m Abel, plus a third with guitarist Gem Archer, Love Like A Bomb.

   

   Oasis - Love Like A Bomb (album version)

4. Pass Me Down the Wine (2005)

   Let’s not forget Liam’s contribution to the single The Importance of Being Idle (from Don’t Believe The Truth), he penned the b-side Pass Me Down The Wine. “What you got tomorrow? / Only pain and sorrow,” it goes.

   

   Liam Gallagher - Pass me down the wine (Oasis b-side)

5. I’m Outta Time (2008)

   Liam’s greatest composition for his old band? This wistful ballad appeared on the final Oasis album (to date! to date!), Dig Out Your Soul. The album also includes the Liam songs Ain't Got Nothin’ and Soldier On; plus the special edition of the LP included the tracks I Believe in All and Boy With The Blues, both penned by Gallagher Jr.

   

   Oasis - I'm Outta Time

6. Born On A Different Cloud (2002)

   Despite Heathen Chemistry being Liam's least favourite Oasis album, he contributed three songs, including this one.

   

   Born On A Different Cloud

7. Better Man (2002)

   Liam bags the final song on Heathen Chemistry (apart from the "hidden" track The Cage, which appears after half an hour of silence).

   

   Better Man

8. The Meaning of Soul (2005)

   This song from Don't Believe The Truth was described by Noel as "Like Elvis on crack". Zak Starkey plays a box of Weetos with two wooden spoons.

   

   The Meaning Of Soul

9. Guess God Thinks I'm Abel (2008)

   From Don't Believe The Truth. As Noel explained at the time: "Liam's got all religious. He wrote a new song called Guess God Thinks I'm Abel. And I thought, 'Right, so you think you're Abel. That must make me Cain. Doesn't Cain kill Abel?' "But then the first line of the song is 'You could be my lover'. I’m not too sure about that."

   

   Guess God Thinks I'm Abel

10. Ain't Got Nothin' (2008)

    This Dig Out Your Soul tune was written by Liam after he had a fight with two businessmen in Munich, which saw the singer lose two front teeth. Gem Archer later said: "Liam wanted it to sound like The Who with Ginger Baker on drums, playing while a fight was happening."

    

    Ain't Got Nothin'

11. I Believe In All (2008)

    This upbeat rocker appeared on some international editions of Dig Out Your Soul, alongside the deluxe box set.

    

    Oasis - I Believe In All

12. Won't Let You Down (2005)

    This Liam tune appeared as a b-side on the Lyla single in May 2005.

    

    Won't Let You Down

13. Boy With The Blues (2005/08)

    Recorded for Don't Believe The Truth, this Liam tune nearly made it as the lead track for a one-off EP in the summer of 2006. After that was cancelled, the song later appeared as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of the final Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul in 2008.

    

    Oasis - The Boy with the Blues (2008, Bonus CD)

14. Soldier On (2008)

    The final (official) track on the final Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul, Noel described this song as "a metaphor for one's day-to-day existence".

    

    Soldier On