Don't Go Away

"Don't Go Away" is a song by English rock band Oasis from their third album, Be Here Now, written by Noel Gallagher. The song was released as a commercial single only in Japan, peaking at number 48 on the Oricon chart, and as a promotional single in the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe. In the United States and Canada it was a success, reaching number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and number 15 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart in late 1997. It was the band's last major hit in the United States until 2008's "The Shock of the Lightning".

For the Buckcherry song, see Black Butterfly (Buckcherry album). For the Era song, see The Mass (album). For the Super Junior-T song, see Rokuko.

"Don't Go Away"
Single by Oasis
from the album Be Here Now
B-side
Released13 May 1998 (Japan)
Recorded1997
Genre
Length4:48
LabelCreation / Sony Music Japan - ESCA-6948
Songwriter(s)Noel Gallagher
Producer(s)Owen Morris, Noel Gallagher
Oasis singles chronology
"All Around the World"
(1998)		 "Don't Go Away"
(1998)		 "Acquiesce"
(1998)
Be Here Now track listing
12 tracks
  1. "D'You Know What I Mean?"
  2. "My Big Mouth"
  3. "Magic Pie"
  4. "Stand by Me"
  5. "I Hope, I Think, I Know"
  6. "The Girl in the Dirty Shirt"
  7. "Fade In-Out"
  8. "Don't Go Away"
  9. "Be Here Now"
  10. "All Around the World"
  11. "It's Gettin' Better (Man!!)"
  12. "All Around the World (Reprise)"

Background and composition

Although "Don't Go Away" appears for the first time in 1997, its origins date back to 1993, when Oasis spent time with The Real People at their studio in Liverpool. "Don't Go Away" was included in a batch of songs written under the wing of the Griffiths brothers (which also included "Columbia", "Rock 'n' Roll Star", "Rockin' Chair" and others).[1]

Liam Gallagher claims to have cried whilst recording the song, as a result of dwelling on "a certain thing". He said, in a 1997 interview, "I just thought 'fuck that, I can't be singing this song' and I had to go away and sort myself out". Listening back to the song he admits to being very proud of his vocal performance.[2]

In a 1997 interview promoting Be Here Now, Noel Gallagher had the following to say about the song: "It's a very sad song about not wanting to lose someone you're close to. The middle eight I made up on the spot -- I never had that lyric until the day we recorded it: 'Me and you, what's going on?/ All we seem to know is how to show/ The feelings that are wrong.' It's after a row. Quite bleak."

"We put Burt Bacharach horns on because he was the master of break-up songs. I did all the string arrangements. I tried to keep them as simple as possible. I like the way Marc Bolan used them on Children of the Revolution. People do remember string parts as separate hooklines, you know. You just don't want to use them slushily."

Artwork

The cover of the single features the old Liverpool Speke Airport building. The airport is famous as the scene at which thousands of hysterical fans greeted The Beatles on their return to Liverpool at the height of Beatlemania. Derelict at the time, it has now been turned into a hotel. The aeroplane is an Avro Lancastrian.

Scruton critique

The song is analysed by philosopher Roger Scruton in his book Modern Culture, in particular with reference to the line: "Damn my education, I can't find the words to say / About the things caught in my mind". Scruton writes, "Here, encrypted within the routine protest, is a more strangulated cry—a protest against the impossibility of protest. Trapped as he is in a culture that treats articulate utterance as a capitulation to the adult world, the singer can find no words to express what most deeply concerns him. Something is lacking in his world—but he cannot say what. He excites his fans to every kind of artificial ecstasy, knowing that nothing will be changed for them or him, that the void will always remain unfilled".[3]

B-sides

The live version of "Cigarettes & Alcohol" was recorded 14 December 1997 at the G-MEX Exhibition Centre in Oasis' home town of Manchester.

"Sad Song" originally appeared as a bonus track on the vinyl release of the first Oasis album, Definitely Maybe. It also appeared on the Japanese CD edition of Definitely Maybe.

The 'Warchild' version of "Fade Away" is from The Help Album recorded in September 1995. It features Noel on vocals, and guests Johnny Depp on guitar, Kate Moss on tambourine and Liam and Lisa Moorish on backing vocals.[4] All proceeds from that track went to Warchild Charities.

Music video

The video to "Don't Go Away" shows the band in a house whilst changing sizes. One part of the video shows many versions of Liam Gallagher floating whilst holding an umbrella. The video was directed by Nigel Dick and was filmed on August 11 and 12, 1997 in Chertsey and London, UK.[5]

Track listings

CD – Epic/Sony Music / ESCA-6948 Japan

  1. "Don't Go Away" – 4:43
  2. "Cigarettes & Alcohol" (Live from GMEX, Manchester, 14 December 1997) – 4:58
  3. "Sad Song" – 4:16
  4. "Fade Away" (Warchild version) – 4:08

CD (Promo) – Epic / ESK 2591 United States

  1. "Don't Go Away" (Album Version) – 4:48

CD (Promo) – Sony Music / SAMPCS 5140 France

  1. "Don't Go Away" (Single Edit) – 4:44 (lacks the initial drumstick hits found on the album version)

Personnel

Oasis

Additional musicians

Charts

Cover versions

Kate Rusby recorded the song for her 2019 album Philosophers, Poets & Kings.[16] Rusby had previously performed the song live on Jo Whiley's BBC Radio show in 2016.[17]

References
  1. McCarrol, Tony (2010). Oasis: The Truth, Blake Publishing, ISBN 1843582465
  2. MTV Uncut interview, New Year's Eve, 1997
  3. Scruton, Roger (22 September 1998). "Youth Culture's Lament". City Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  4. "Home". War Child. 21 October 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  5. "PRODUCTIONS 1997". Nigel Dick - Director. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3376." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  7. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3354." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  8. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (4.12. – 11.12.1997)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 5 December 1997. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  9. "Oasis Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. "Oasis Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  11. "Oasis Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  12. "Oasis Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  13. "Oasis Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  14. "Oasis Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  15. "RPM '97 Year End Top 50 Alternative Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  16. "Philosophers, Poets & Kings". Kate Rusby. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  17. "BBC Radio 2 - Jo Whiley, Kate Rusby In Session, Kate Rusby covers Oasis' Don't Go Away". BBC. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
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