Songbird (Oasis song)

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"Songbird"
Single by Oasis
from the album Heathen Chemistry
Released	February 3, 2003
Format	CD, 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, DVD
Recorded	2001 - 2002
Genre	Rock
Length	2:08
Label	Big Brother Recordings
Producer(s)	Oasis
Chart positions
#3 (UK Singles Chart) #2 (Canadian Singles Chart) #10 (Irish Singles Chart)
Oasis singles chronology
"Little By Little / She Is Love" (2002)	"Songbird" (2003)	"Lyla" (2005)

Stop The Clocks Album Listing
Go Let It Out (Track 14)	Songbird (Track 15)	Morning Glory (Track 16)

"Songbird" is a song by British rock band Oasis, from their fifth studio album Heathen Chemistry. It was released as the fourth single from that album on 3 February 2003 and peaked at #3 in the UK charts. Being written by lead singer Liam Gallagher, it was the first time the band had released a single not written by his brother Noel.

Upon joining Oasis in the early nineties, Noel Gallagher claimed sole-songwriting responsibilities, and allowing little-to-no leeway from the rest of the band. He openly mocked the songwriting output of Liam and Bonehead, who had been in charge of Oasis' songwriting prior to his joining and had written a handful of tracks such as "Take Me" and an acoustic number titled "Life In Vain". Liam elaborated on the situation in 1994, after the release of Definitely Maybe saying "Noel won't let me (write), but I can't really write anyway... In the future if I started writing top tunes, I still don't think he'd be up for it... I know for a fact, even if he was going dry, he wouldn't play my songs... I'm not happy with that, but that's the way it is innit?".

However, after Oasis' third album Be Here Now received a cold reception from music critics, Noel began to loosen his control and allowed Liam to contribute songs. Though his first effort, "Little James" which appeared on Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, was criticised for being too simple and childlike (in particular, rhyming "plasticine" with "trampoline"), Songbird was fairly well received, despite only being based around two simple chords (G + Em7).

The song, written for Liam's long term girlfriend Nicole Appleton, was seen as a surprising break away from Liam's "Hard-Man" image. He explained this away saying "I like beautiful things...It's not all dark in Liam World. I take me shades off every now and again and have a look at the world and see some nice things."

The simplistic video was filmed in Regent's Park in London, and featured Liam playing an acoustic guitar under a tree, and also being chased by a dog.

Songbird is the shortest running Oasis single, at 2:07.

The song is included on Oasis' 2006 'best-of' album Stop The Clocks.

[edit] Track listing

• CD RKIDSCD 27

1. "Songbird" - 2:08
2. "(You've Got) The Heart Of A Star" - 5:22
3. "Columbia" (Live) - 4:48

• 7" RKID 27

1. "Songbird" - 2:08
2. "(You've Got) The Heart Of A Star" - 5:22

• 12" RKID 27T

1. "Songbird" - 2:08
2. "(You've Got) The Heart Of A Star" - 5:22
3. "Columbia" (Live) - 4:48

• Columbia was recorded at the Barrowlands, Glasgow, on October 13, 2001.

• DVD RKIDSDVD 27

1. "Songbird" - 2:07
2. "Songbird" (demo) - 2:48
3. Exclusive interview and live performance footage - 13:48

• Japanese CD edition

1. "Songbird"
2. "Songbird" (demo)
3. "Columbia" (Live)