Wonderwall (song)

**Wonderwall** is a single by the rock band Oasis.  It was written by Noel Gallagher.  Wonderwall comes from _(What's the Story) Morning Glory?_, Oasis's second album.  The song also appears on _Stop the Clocks_ and _Time Flies... 1994-2009_.  It was the only song that reached the top 10 in America on the Hot 100 for Oasis.  It also reached number 1 in four countries and reached the top 10 in 10 countries.

## Background

Noel Gallagher says the song was written about a girl he met at a concert when he was touring with Oasis.
It is said that "Wonderwall" was written for Gallagher's then-girlfriend, Meg Mathews.  Gallagher now says the song was not about her, but he did say "The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it.  How do you tell your Mrs it's not about her once she's read it is? It's a song about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself."

In 2008 Liam Gallagher said this about the song: "I can't fucking stand that fucking song! Every time I have to sing it I want to gag. Problem is, it was a big, big tune for us." Noel said that Liam, "...thought we had gone too dance when I wrote 'Wonderwall' because the drums didn't go boom-boom bap, boom-boom bap."

## Recording

The song was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales in May of 1995.  According to producer Owen Morris, the song was done in 6 to 8 hours.

In the beginning, Noel wanted to sing this song, but he gave his brother Liam Gallagher the choice, and Noel ended up singing "Don't Look Back in Anger".  He later said he had only ever wanted to sing "Don't Look Back in Anger", and had used "Wonderwall" as a bargaining tool.

## Music video

The music video to the song was filmed in the short period when bassist Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan quit the band due to nervous exhaustion; Scott McLeod came in to replace him.

The song won Best British Video at the 1996 BRIT Awards.

## Awards and recognition

- In January 1996, the song was voted #1 in the Australian Triple J Hottest 100 1995, the world's largest music poll.
- In the Grammy Awards of 1997 "Wonderwall" and Oasis were nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song.  They did not win either.
- In May 2005, "Wonderwall" was voted the best British song of all time in a poll conducted by Virgin Radio.
- In August 2006, "Wonderwall" was named the second-greatest song of all time in a poll conducted by _Q Magazine_, finishing behind another Oasis song, "Live Forever".
- In 2006, U2's guitarist The Edge named "Wonderwall" one of the songs he wishes he had written.
- In May 2007, _NME_ magazine placed "Wonderwall" at number 27 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.
- In 20 December 2007, _VH1_ placed "Wonderwall" at number 35 in its list of the 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s.
- In July 2009, "Wonderwall" was voted at number #12 in the _Hottest 100 of all time_ countdown poll, conducted by Triple J. More than half a million votes were cast.

## Personnel

- Liam Gallagher – vocals, tambourine
- Noel Gallagher – backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, piano
- Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs – mellotron
- Alan White – drums

### Weekly charts

|Chart (1995–1996)|Peak position|
| --- | --- |
|9||
|8||
|8||
|2||
|6||
|9||

### Year-end charts

|Chart (1995)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|28||
|82||
|10||
|Chart (1996)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|19||
|37||
|38||
|26||
|2||
|31||
|80||
|52||
|98||
|29||
|90||
|51||
|56||
|Chart (2018)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|168||
|Chart (2019)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|177||
|Chart (2021)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|76||
|Chart (2022)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|80||
|Chart (2023)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|78||

### Decade-end charts

|Chart (2010–2019)|Position|
| --- | --- |
|78||

## Release history

|scope="col"|Region|scope="col"|Date|scope="col"|Format(s)|scope="col"|Label(s)|scope="col"||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|30 October 1995||rowspan="2"|Creation|align="center"||||||
|6 November 1995|12-inch vinyl|align="center"||||||||
|14 November 1995|Contemporary hit radio|rowspan="2"|Epic|align="center"||||||
|23 November 1995|CD|align="center"||||||||

## Infobox (song)

- **name**: Wonderwall
- **type**: single
- **artist**: Oasis (band), Oasis
- **album**: (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
- **recorded**: May 1995
- **studio**: Rockfield Studios, Rockfield (Rockfield, Monmouthshire, Rockfield, Wales)
- **genre**: * Alternative rock
* Britpop
* pop rock
- **length**: *  (album version)
*  (radio edit)
- **label**: Creation Records, Creation
- **writer**: Noel Gallagher
- **prev title**: Morning Glory (Oasis song), Morning Glory
- **prev year**: 1995
- **next title**: Don't Look Back in Anger
- **next year**: 1996