The Hindu Times
| "The Hindu Times" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Oasis | ||||
| from the album Heathen Chemistry | ||||
| B-side |
"Just Getting Older" "Idler's Dream" | |||
| Released | 15 April 2002 | |||
| Format | CD, 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, DVD | |||
| Recorded | 2001–2002 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 3:48 | |||
| Label | Big Brother | |||
| Writer(s) | Noel Gallagher | |||
| Producer(s) | Oasis | |||
| Oasis singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Hindu Times" is a song by the British rock band Oasis. It was the first single released from their fifth album Heathen Chemistry on 15 April 2002. It was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. Noel got the name "The Hindu Times" from a t-shirt he saw in a charity shop. The song was the band's sixth number one single on the UK Singles Chart, staying on top for one week before being dislodged by the Sugababes' "Freak Like Me".[1] The single also topped the charts in Canada and Italy, and peaked at number two in the Republic of Ireland and Spain.
The title has little to do with the lyrics of the song, which are more in the vein of Definitely Maybe's "Rock 'n' Roll Star". It has been speculated that the title refers to the main riffs' similarity to Indian music in sound, sounding as if they were played on a sitar. Gallagher himself says that it is because he had already named the song before any lyrics were written for it.
The song, which combines the powerful fast rock of their earlier work with the psychedelic feel of their later work, was one of the first Oasis singles since the singles from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? to receive almost unanimously positive reviews from the critics.[2][3]
The song was unveiled during Oasis' Autumn 2001 Noise and Confusion Tour. The song was due to be released commercially at the same time but Noel decided the track needed more work done on it to be suitable for release. Many have commented on the main guitar riff being lifted from the Stereophonics song, "Same Size Feet", which uses exactly the same, or at least very similar, guitar riff.
In 2008 NME listed the song as one of the greatest indie anthems of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 143 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[4]
In 2010, XFM listed it in their "1000 greatest songs of all time" list.[5]
The B-side, "Just Getting Older", was written at the time of the release of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. The other b-side, "Idler's Dream", is the only Oasis song to not feature any guitars or drums; the song consists simply of Noel Gallagher's vocals and a piano accompaniment.
Music video
The music video was filmed at Abbey Road Studios where the song was recorded. It features a live footage of Oasis in recording sessions, as well as various words that keeping appearing around the place. Words linked to India. The original video was set to be filmed in New Delhi, but this did not work out.
Track listing
- CD RKIDSCD 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- "Idler's Dream" - 2:57
- 7" RKID 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- 12" RKID 23T
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- "Idler's Dream" - 2:57
- DVD RKIDSDVD 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "The Hindu Times" (demo) - 4:32
- 10 Minutes of Noise and Confusion - Part One - 9:26
- The demo version of "The Hindu Times" is radically different from the finished album version. Most of the lyrics (sung by Noel) are different, and the slower sound of the song is much more "grungy", with a heavy drum loop running throughout the song. It is also a semitone higher in the demo.
- The "10 Minutes..." documentary is the first part of a unique feature covering 48 hours on the road with Oasis during the Tour of Brotherly Love which took place in the US with the Black Crowes during May and June 2001.
Personnel
- Liam Gallagher – vocals
- Noel Gallagher – guitar and backing vocals
- Gem Archer – guitar
- Andy Bell – bass guitar
- Alan White – drums
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[1] | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 2 |
It was the 43rd biggest selling single in the UK for 2002.
"The Hindu Times" was played at the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony as an example of British music.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 672. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑
- ↑ "Have Oasis run dry?". BBC News. 2002-04-15. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
- ↑ "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". Nme.Com. 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
- ↑ "The Top 1000 Songs Ever | X-lists". XFM. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
External links
| Preceded by "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira |
Italian Singles Chart number-one single 12 April 2002 |
Succeeded by "Innocente" by Renato Zero |
| Preceded by "Unchained Melody" by Gareth Gates |
UK Singles Chart number-one single 21 April 2002 – 27 April 2002 |
Succeeded by "Freak Like Me" by Sugababes |
| Preceded by "Girlfriend" by 'N Sync featuring Nelly |
Canadian Singles Chart number-one single 25 April 2002 – 2 May 2002 |
Succeeded by "Hero" by Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott |
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