Shakermaker

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""Shakermaker""

Single by Oasis
from the album Definitely Maybe
Released	June 13, 1994
Format	CD, Cassette, 7" Vinyl & 12" Vinyl
Recorded	1994
Genre	Britpop
Length	5:08
Label	Creation
Producer(s)	Oasis, Mark Coyle & Owen Morris
Chart positions
#11 (UK)
Oasis singles chronology
"Supersonic" (1994)	"Shakermaker" (1994)	"Live Forever" (1994)

Shakermaker is a song by British rock group Oasis, written by their lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. First appearing as a single, released on the 13th June 1994, which peaked at number 11 in the UK charts, it was later released on Oasis' groundbreaking debut album Definitely Maybe. It was also the first song performed by the band on the UK's world famous music programme, Top Of The Pops.

The song, much like its predecessor - Supersonic - is a fine example of how Noel Gallagher is able to couple nonsensical lyrics with a catchy tune and create a popular song. Noel admits the lyrics are taken from the world around him, for example, a Shaker maker was a popular toy in the 1970s, the character of "Mr Soft" was taken from a Trebour Soft Mints commercial, which featured Cockney Rebel's song "Mr Soft", "Mr. Clean" is a song by The Jam, one of Noel's favourite bands, "Mr Ben" is a British children's cartoon and the entire last verse - Mr Sifter sold me songs/When I was just 16/Now he stops at traffic lights/But only when they're green - was written in a taxi on the way to the recording studio to record the song. Apparently Liam Gallagher was pestering Noel to finish the song. At this point, the taxi stopped at the traffic lights outside 'Sifter's"' (a record shop in Burnage, Manchester). Noel penned the lyric and it became part of the song. Noel used to frequent the store to buy old records before Oasis started releasing albums and Mr Sifter refers to the owner of the record store. Sifter told Noel to mind his words if he ever got famous.

The song illustrates Noel Gallagher's habit of borrowing from the past, as the tune for the verse was originally taken from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (the song made famous from its use on Coca Cola adverts in the 1970s) by Roger Cook, Roger Greenway, Bill Backer and Billy Davis. However, this led to Oasis being successfully sued for the unlicensed use by The New Seekers and they had to pay out $A500,000 (Australian dollars). When asked about the incident, Noel Gallagher said, "We drink Pepsi now."