Supersonic

 

Documentary about the career of Britpop band Oasis. Growing up on a Manchester council estate, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher started their journey as Oasis in 1991. 

They hit the peak of their fame in 1996 as they played their home ground of Manchester City and two consecutive nights at Knebworth. The band went on to become one of the most successful acts of the time, achieving seven number one albums and 24 top ten singles. 

Throughout their career the band found themselves the subject of many controversies including several legal battles over plagiarism as well as being outspoken about their views on politics and the media. After a very public split in 2009 the brothers went their separate ways leaving behind hours of footage put together in this documentary by director Mat Whitecross.

The US release has an exclusive additional featurette.

The Canadian release has an exclusive additional interview.

Also available in:

- Germany by Ascot Elite Home Entertainment

- Japan by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

- Scandinavia by Scanbox Entertainment

A UK HMV exclusive is also available with additional bonus material

Supersonic

​CD - CRESCD 176

01: Supersonic

02: Take Me Away

03: I Will Believe (Live) 

04: Columbia (White Label Demo) 

7" - CRE 176

01: Supersonic

02: Take Me Away

12" - CRE 176T

01: Supersonic

02: Take Me Away

03: I Will Believe (Live) 

 

Cassette - CRECS 176

01: Supersonic

02: Take Me Away​

Release Date: April 11th 1994

Highest UK Singles Chart Position: 31

Supersonic is the debut single by Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. It also appears on their debut album, Definitely Maybe. It was released on the April 11th 1994 and peaked at number thirty one on the Official UK Singles Chart.

It was the song performed by the band on their debut national TV performance on Channel 4's The Word, which aired on March 18th 1994.

It remains to this day a favourite song of both the band and their fans (on the Definitely Maybe DVD, Noel cites it as his favourite Oasis song).

In spite of its popularity, Gallagher claims the song is basically a collection of nonsense lyrics written in a matter of minutes, just before the band entered the recording studios to record the track. The identity of the character "Elsa" caused some confusion — according to the song She done it with a doctor/On a helicopter/she sniffin' in a tissue/Sellin' the Big Issue. Noel claims, "Someone told me Supersonic was about prostitution. Sh*t!". It has since been revealed that Elsa was a nine-stone rottweiler with a flatulence problem who was in the studio on the day the song was written, hence the line "she's into Alka Seltzer". It was written and recorded at The Pink Museum in Liverpool.

The plan was for Oasis to record Bring It On Down for their debut single and another bunch of demos.

However, Supersonic was written and it impressed everyone so much, it was chosen to be the band's first single.

Gallagher has revealed in interviews that Supersonics distinctive lead guitar part wasn't a deliberate copy of the intro to George Harrison's 1971 single My Sweet Lord. The band recorded two videos for the song, for UK and US release. The UK version of the video features the band playing on a roof, similar to The Beatles' rooftop concert.

 

It is included on the official music album for Euro 2004, Vive O 2004!

In March 2005, Q magazine placed Supersonic at number twenty in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

In May 2007, NME magazine placed Supersonic at number twenty five in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.

The song is included on Oasis' compilation album Stop The Clocks.

 

I Will Believe is believed to have been recorded for a 1993 radio session for the BBC.

The demo of Columbia is the same version as was released on a limited edition white label promo in December 1993, which itself was an edited version of the original demo recorded in Liverpool in the spring of 1993.