"One of Us" is a song by an English singer and songwriter Liam Gallagher, written by Gallagher, Damon McMahon and Andrew Wyatt, who also produced the track. It was released on Gallagher's second solo album, Why Me? Why Not.
| "One of Us" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Liam Gallagher | ||||
| from the album Why Me? Why Not. | ||||
| Released | 16 August 2019 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, symphonic rock, gospel[1][2] | |||
| Length | 3:25 | |||
| Label | Warner | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Andrew Wyatt | |||
| Liam Gallagher singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Composition and lyrics
editThe song features string instrumentation and gospel-influenced backing vocals.[3] According to Liam himself, "One of Us" is a song about "family" as well as "friendship and a sense of belonging".[3] The song's lyrics reminisce Gallagher's youth and details his broken relationship with someone close to him. While Gallagher hasn't confirmed this, it's been heavily speculated by the media and fans that the person Liam is referring to in the lyrics is his brother Noel, given the two have had a troubled and fractured relationship, which was further amplified when Oasis broke up in 2009.[4] The melody of the string instrumentation during the song's chorus is reminiscent of the Bee Gee's song "More Than a Woman".[opinion] The music video for the song features many references to Oasis and Noel, with the lyric "You said we'd live forever", referencing the Oasis song "Live Forever", further bolstering these rumours.[5] Five years after the song's release, in 2024, Oasis announced their reunion. The song also features Gallagher's son Gene playing bongos.[6]
Music video
editThe music video was released on 28 August 2019, and directed by Anthony Byrne, with the concept written by Steven Knight, one of the directors and the creator of Peaky Blinders respectively.[7] The black-and-white video features Gallagher walking through a field, past old childhood photos of him and his two brothers. Child actors portraying all three Gallagher brothers, Liam, Noel, and Paul also feature. The video also features Liam walking down a street and into a building with the date "28.08.09" written on the door, the day Oasis broke up. The release date of the video was also 10 years to the day the band broke up.[8]
Charts
edit| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[9] | 90 |
| Scotland (OCC)[10] | 9 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 50 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Hear Liam Gallagher's Gospel-Inspired New Song 'One Of Us'". Rolling Stone. 16 August 2019.
- ^ "Liam Gallagher and son Gene team up for gospel-influenced single One Of Us".
- ^ a b "Liam Gallagher claims new single One Of Us is about "family"". Radio X. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ "Liam Gallagher - One of Us: lyrics and meanings". Song Meanings. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ Zemler, Emily (28 August 2019). "Watch Liam Gallagher Face His Past in 'One of Us' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Turns Out Liam Gallagher's Son Thought Being On His Dad's Album Would Ruin His Cred". Pedestrian TV. 2019-09-19. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (28 August 2019). "Watch the video for Liam Gallagher's 'One Of Us' — created by the team behind 'Peaky Blinders'". NME. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Liam Gallagher's new video has "hidden messages" for Oasis fans". Radio X. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
- ^ "British single certifications – Liam Gallagher – One Of Us". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
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