"All Around the World" is a song by British rock band Oasis. Released on 12 January 1998, the track peaked at Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart; it is the longest single ever to do so. It went Silver in the UK.
"All Around the World", nearly ten minutes long, is embellished with string and horn pieces, and is followed by a two-minute-long instrumental, "All Around the World (Reprise)". Upon its release the reviews were generally positive. It is in keeping with many Oasis songs, such as "Whatever", "Acquiesce", "Live Forever" in that it preaches the belief that "it's gonna be okay". It also features a backing vocal in the coda remarkably similar to the corresponding section in The Beatles' song "Hey Jude".
History
The song was one of the first to be written by Noel, and there are recorded sessions of the band rehearsing it at the Boardwalk club as early as 1992. However, despite Noel's fondness for the song, it did not appear on their first two albums, Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, as he wanted to wait until the band could afford to produce the song in the extravagant manner in which it was to eventually appear. From time to time, Gallagher has claimed that this is one of the best songs he has ever written.
As early as Spring 1994, the final production sound for this song was envisaged. On the interview Wibbling Rivalry, Noel Gallagher said of the song, "With Supersonic, I worried I was never going to write another song after that 'cos I thought, 'It sounds that good'... Two days later I superseded it by about 50 fuckin' times. The reason we haven't recorded that song is because there isn't enough money in Creation Records' bank balance to pay for the production of that record. When we do that record..." Noel also added when asked if there would be an orchestra on it, "Orchestras, man? It's not got to be one, it's got to be two".
Video
Keeping with the feel of the song, the video was also a lavish affair. Featuring the band in a yellow spaceship, the animated piece saw them travel through a world akin to The Beatles' Yellow Submarine film. The video was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and apparently took 24 computer animators 6 months to make. The video itself is not as long as the song, lasting just over seven minutes. The part of the song that was cut out is mostly towards the end.
Description
Noel described the song shortly before the release of the album- "I wrote this one ages ago, before Whatever. It was twelve minutes long then. It was a matter of being able to afford to record it. But now we can get away with the 36-piece orchestra. And the longer the better as far as I'm concerned. If it's good. I can see what people are going to say, but fuck 'em, basically."
"The lyrics are teeny-poppy. But there are three key changes towards the end. Imagine how much better Hey Jude would have been with three key changes towards the end. I like the ambition of it, all that time ago. What was all that about when we didn't even have our first single out? Gin and tonics, eh?"
B-Sides
The B-Sides of "All Around the World" were two Noel sung songs, The Fame and Flashbax. Oasis also recorded a cover version of a Rolling Stones song, "Street Fighting Man".
Trivia
When it was suggested that Oasis take legal action against pop band Hear'Say for their first single's ("Pure and Simple") uncanny similarity to "All Around the World", Noel simply laughed at the hypocrisy of such an act from a man who was famous for "borrowing" from other artists.
The harmonica pieces on the track were performed by Mark Feltham. Noel and Liam's then wives, Meg Mathews and Patsy Kensit and The Verve's front man Richard Ashcroft sang backing vocals.
Portions of the song's chorus were used as background music for AT&T's advertising campaign for "The New" AT&T.
The photograph on the front of the single was taken on Bournemouth beach in Dorset, England.
Track listing
CD CRESCD 282
"All Around the World" - 9:38
"The Fame" - 4:35
"Flashbax" - 5:07
"Street Fighting Man" - 3:54
7" CRE 282
"All Around the World (Edit)"
"The Fame" - 4:35
12" CRE 282T
"All Around the World" - 9:38
"The Fame" - 4:35
"Flashbax" - 5:07
Cassette CRECS 282
"All Around the World (Edit)"
"The Fame" - 4:35
This was the last Oasis single to be released on the Creation Records label.
This was the last Oasis single to include 3 b-sides on the CD version.
