3 Biblical Oasis B-Sides That Helped Define Britpop in the 90s

Oasis B-sides have long been the stuff of legend in conversations about the Manchester band. And I’m not the first to offer this thought experiment: How different would Britpop history be if Noel Gallagher had hoarded songs and saved a few for the third Oasis LP? Imagine a stacked Be Here Now with “Talk Tonight”, “Half The World Away”, and “Rockin’ Chair.”

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Instead, Oasis collected its iconic B-sides and released them on a 1998 compilation called The Masterplan. Here are a few biblical non-singles from the band that helped define Britpop in the 90s.

“Acquiesce”

I’m going to get this thought out of the way because I’m tempted to repeat it for each entry on this list: I still can’t believe this song was released as a B-side. “Acquiesce” highlights what for me are the crucial parts of Oasis’ DNA: Liam’s punk serenades and Noel’s flag-waving optimism. And hearing both voices take the lead condenses this yin-and-yang into a single track. It backed “Some Might Say”, which was Oasis’ first number-one single in the U.K.

Because we need each other,
We believe in one another,
And I know we’re going to uncover,
What’s sleepin’ in our soul.

“Fade Away”

Backing “Cigarettes And Alcohol”, “Fade Away” describes the bleak future many felt in working-class Manchester in the late 80s and early 90s. A similar sentiment had already fueled the angst that gave rise to grunge in America. Yet even while Britpop raged, Noel wrote about fleeting youth. More often, he’d opt for an escapist tune like “Rock ’N’ Roll Star”. But “Fade Away” speaks to the economic despair and delivers the message in a wall of Epiphone guitars and Marshall amps.

I’ll paint you the picture,
’Cause I don’t think you live ’round here no more.
I’ve never even seen the key to the door,
We only get what we will settle for.

“The Masterplan”

“The Masterplan” is a masterpiece song. It arrived as a “Wonderwall” B-side, and for lesser groups, it would be the first track on a greatest hits collection. The earnest ballad features strings and foreshadows the 10-minute and densely orchestrated epic “All Around The World”. The lyric, “Please brother let it be,” does a lot of lifting here. First, there’s the obvious Beatles reference. But anytime an Oasis tune mentions “brother,” you can’t help but think of the Gallaghers’ sibling rivalry. However, there’s a universal “brother” meets “Hey Jude” vibe to the whole thing that makes “The Masterplan” one of Britpop’s defining anthems.

I’m not saying right is wrong,
It’s up to us to make.
The best of all the things that come our way.

Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns