Oasis, “Wonderwall” turned 30 (yesterday): the box set

While the celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the album “(What’s the story) Morning Glory“a milestone of Britpop which has sold 22 million copies worldwide, yesterday Thursday 30 October celebrated 30 years since its release official single “Wonderwall” which, with over 3 billion streams, continues to grow in popularity and significance, also driven by the extraordinary success of Oasis’ Live ’25 Tour.

The limited edition 7″ singles box set “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” will be released on December 12th, a replica of the rare 1996 cigarette pack style box set that contained the CDs and still highly sought after. The set includes four 7″ singles in the 2014 remastered versions: “Wonderwall”, “Some Might Say”, “Roll With It” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, along with their original B-sides.

Pre-order is available here.

The Deluxe Edition of has also recently been published “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?”, which includes an unplugged version of “Wonderwall”.

Pre-order of the new 25th anniversary edition of “Familiar To Millions” is also available”Oasis’ first live album, recorded at their historic concert at Wembley Stadium in July 2000. Out November 14th via Big Brother Recordings, it will be available in 2CD and 3LP formats, with the vinyl reissued for the first time since 2000. Exclusive limited editions include silver vinyl (Official Store), red and black marbled (Amazon) and blue with alternate cover (HMV)

“Wonderwall”: a generational anthem

When it was released in October 1995, Oasis’ “Wonderwall” wasn’t just a hit single: it became the sonic manifesto of an era. Written by Noel Gallagher and performed by his brother Liam, the song encompasses in four minutes everything that the Britpop movement was trying to express — a mixture of melancholy, urban romance and a sense of everyday grandeur.

The song, included on the band’s second album, “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory”, was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. “Wonderwall” is based on an acoustic guitar with a hypnotic rhythm, accompanied by a mellotron that reproduces a cello and a voice that oscillates between arrogance and fragility.

The title is a direct homage to the Beatles: “Wonderwall Music” was in fact the name of a 1968 solo album by George Harrison, the soundtrack to the psychedelic film Wonderwall (released in Italy with the title “Onyricon”).

For years it was believed that the song was dedicated to Meg Mathews, Noel’s then girlfriend. But years later the guitarist denied any romantic interpretation: “He wasn’t talking about anyone in particular,” he explained. “It’s a song about an imaginary friend who comes to save you from yourself.”

At the time of publication, Wonderwall it reached number two in the UK charts and entered the US Top 10. But over time it has become one of the most played songs ever on the acoustic guitar.