Lyla (song)

"Lyla"
Single by Oasis
from the album Don't Believe the Truth
B-side "Eyeball Tickler"
"Won't Let You Down"
Released 9 May 2005
Format CD, 7" vinyl, DVD
Recorded
Genre Alternative rock
Length 5:12
4:16 (music video)
Label Big Brother
Songwriter(s) Noel Gallagher
Producer(s) Noel Gallagher, Dave Sardy
Oasis singles chronology
"Songbird"
(2003)		 "Lyla"
(2005)		 "The Importance of Being Idle"
(2005)

"Songbird"
(2003)		 "Lyla"
(2005)		 "The Importance of Being Idle"
(2005)
Don't Believe the Truth track listing
"Mucky Fingers"
(2)		 "Lyla"
(3)		 "Love Like a Bomb"
(4)

"Lyla" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. The song was released as the first single from the band's sixth album Don't Believe the Truth, released in May 2005. "Lyla" was released to American radio on April 12, 2005.[1]

The song was written by Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, who has varyingly described the track as "specifically designed for pogoing", "annoyingly catchy", and the "poppiest thing since "Roll with It"". Noting the varied influences of the song, Gallagher says that it's "a bit like... The Soundtrack of Our Lives doing The Who on Skol in a psychedelic city in the sky, or something".[2]

Composition

Gallagher says that the song existed in an early form as a song called "Sing" and dated from the Heathen Chemistry-era. He also says that the title for the final song should have been "Smiler", but was changed seeing as guitarist Gem Archer's previous band, Heavy Stereo, also had a song called "Smiler".

Sony's insistence that it should be released as the first single from the album helped to fuel the tension between the band and their record label, which led to Oasis not renewing their contract with the record label following the release of Don't Believe the Truth.

"Lyla" became the band's seventh UK number one, when it reached top spot in the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release.[3] The song also debuted at #31 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and has reached #19 since then. It is the first Oasis song to appear on any US singles chart since 2000 when "Go Let It Out" hit number 14 on the Modern Rock chart.

Noel has also joked with the fact that the Lyla in the song is actually the sister of the Sally mentioned in the Oasis single "Don't Look Back in Anger".[2] Also, he had said that the song is a "love song", being about Sally's sister.

Originally claiming that he was not very fond of the song, Noel has said that "Lyla" "isn't even the fifth best track on the album". The song had existed as a demo since the early recording sessions for the album but was all but forgotten until practically the last minute.[4] However, on the Lock the Box feature on the Stop the Clocks, Noel admitted that he "didn't realise how good it was until [we] played it live," while Liam stated that he loved the "guitars, the drums, and the vocals" of the song.

Music video

The video features a woman in a flat being harassed by two men, whom she eventually has leave. Shortly after, a hole in a wall in her flat opens and she walks through it and finds herself amoung a crowd of people watching Oasis performing the song.

The woman eventually leaves and returns to her flat, where she looks out her window and sees the words "Don't Believe The Truth" on the opposite building.

Live performances

When performing on the UK music chart show Top of the Pops, Liam, who was forced to mime to the music, made no secret of the fact, walking away from the microphone with his mouth closed mid-way through lines that he was supposedly 'singing'. It would be Liam's last performance on the programme before its demise in late 2006. However, Noel and the rest of the band would return in August 2005 to perform "The Importance of Being Idle" and later in 2009 to perform their last ever released single "Falling Down".

The song leaked on the internet during late March 2005, weeks before its May release date, after an unauthorised early airing on Polish radio station Radiowa Trójka.

"Lyla" was covered by the Foo Fighters during a show/radio session on 23 August 2005 at the Maida Vale Studios in London for The Jo Whiley Show.

The song is included on Oasis' compilation album Stop the Clocks. It is also included in FIFA 06 as a track.

Track listing

  1. "Lyla" (Noel Gallagher) - 5:12
  2. "Eyeball Tickler" (Gem Archer) - 2:47
  3. "Won't Let You Down" (Liam Gallagher) - 2:48
  1. "Lyla" (Noel Gallagher) - 5:12
  2. "Eyeball Tickler" (Gem Archer) - 2:47
  1. "Lyla" - 5:14
  2. "Lyla" (demo) - 5:29
  3. "Can You See It Now?" (Documentary) - 9:22

The DVD also contains a hidden piece about new drummer Zak Starkey. The video lasts for 1:16 and is accessed by highlighting the word 'Credits' on the main menu, then pressing right until you see the name Zak appear. Then press 'Play' or 'Enter' to view the video.

References

  1. ↑ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "XFM". XFM. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  3. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 712. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ Archived 27 June 2005 at the Wayback Machine.
Preceded by
"Lonely" by Akon		 UK number-one single
28 May 2005 – 3 June 2005 		Succeeded by
"Axel F" by Crazy Frog
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