On This Day In Oasis History...

"Cigarettes & Alcohol" is a song by British rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher, it was released on October 10, 1994. It was the fourth single to be released from their debut album Definitely Maybe, and their second to enter the Top Ten in the United Kingdom, peaking at #7 (three places higher than "Live Forever").

Whereas earlier singles "Supersonic" and "Shakermaker" had used psychedelic imagery, and "Live Forever" used softer chords and tender lyrics, "Cigarettes & Alcohol" was the first real taste, among their singles, of the wilder attitude that Oasis appeared to be promoting. The song showcases the appeal of cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and partying as a remedy to the banality of working class life. Lyrics such as "Is it worth the aggravation to find yourself a job when there's nothing worth working for" tapped into the mood of British working class youth in the mid-1990s. However, the song does not set out to hold up these minor releases of work-a-day life as some ideal. They are, rather, a compromise – "You could wait for a lifetime," they sing, "to spend your days in the sunshine/(so) you might as well do the white line".

Another notable element of this song is Liam's unique pronunciation of many of the words. Most rhymes end in "-tion," and Liam draws these out into "-sheeyion," for almost every line. Noel has said that he writes many lyrics to fit Liam's extremely different vocal style. This is debatably one of the most memorable parts of this song.

The song was one of the first cases when Oasis was accused of musical plagiarism, a reputation of the band that would later grow. The main riff of the song is supposedly "borrowed" from "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" by T-Rex and also bears a similarity to the opening of Humble Pie's cover of "C'Mon Everybody" from the album Smokin'.

Rod Stewart covered the song on his 1998 album When We Were the New Boys.

To add to the similarity between "Get It On" and this particular track, at the end, Liam Gallagher sings the Bolanesque double entendre refrain you gotta, you gotta, you gotta make it, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta fake it.

There is also a very similar chord progression in the song "Rose Tint My World" from the rock opera The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The intro to this song in particular seems to have provided Noel Gallagher with some influence in writing this song.

The song is included on Oasis' 'best-of' album Stop the Clocks.

In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Cigarettes & Alcohol" at number 31 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.



Track listings

CD CRESCD 190
"Cigarettes & Alcohol" - 4:50
"I Am the Walrus" (Live) - 8:14
"Listen Up" - 6:39
"Fade Away" - 4:13

7" CRE 190
"Cigarettes & Alcohol" - 4:50
"I Am the Walrus" (Live) - 8:14

12" CRE 190T
"Cigarettes & Alcohol" - 4:50
"I Am the Walrus" (Live) - 8:14
"Fade Away" - 4:13

Cassette CRECS 190
"Cigarettes & Alcohol" - 4:50
"I Am the Walrus" (Live) - 8:14

Contrary to the sleevenotes, which claimed it was recorded at the Glasgow Cathouse in June 1994, "I Am the Walrus" was actually recorded at a soundcheck for a gig at the Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland on February 6, 1994, as part of a Sony Music seminar. The reason why this wasn't mentioned on the original sleevenotes was because Noel thought mentioning the fact that it was recorded at a corporate event would look bad. The crowd noises at the beginning and end of the track are from a Faces bootleg of Noel's.

All three B-sides were featured on The Masterplan, however "I Am the Walrus" and "Listen Up" both appear as edited versions.

The Father Ted episode Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading is named after this song.

This and Lyla, are the only singles entirely sung by Liam Gallagher.

Source: Wikipedia