OASIS: Who Did Noel Gallagher Write 'Live Forever' For… And What Does It Mean? 

I always wondered myself until recently. From Liam's song "One of Us", "Act like you don't remember, You said we'd live forever" I don't think he would have used that line if it was about anyone else.

"Hugh and I are gonna live together" , big clue.

What is great about Noel's songs, is that most of them can be about many things - they have that universal thing about them

Noel actually sang "Live Forever" regularly in the 90's and onwards. Exactly when Liam didn't turn up, or at radio shows or whatever.

It probably isn't about a particular person but more an idea or a feeling. Like the idea of feeling so connected and bonded with someone. "We see things they'll never see." From the interviews I've seen with Noel, most of his lyrics don't have a lot of personal meaning but are just bits of nice sounding words to complement the tune.

It was written in response to Kurt Cobain’s “I hate myself and want to die” Noel said in an interview I saw years ago “I’m not having kids listening to that shit”. As far as I know he was a huge Nirvana fan but really hated the idea of Kurt putting that in kids heads. Oasis and Nirvana are my personal two favourite bands so it was really interesting to hear. True or not lol. Love the channel mate. Keep up the good work!! Oops that’s what I get for commenting before watching haha. I shall keep my post of shame 😊

I've always felt its about a couple of mates who've grown up together. Dreams and aspirations for the future when you're young and dumb and happy. Totally captures how it felt to be young in 1993. What an amazing moment to capture in a song.

Noel sang the song many time before the Oasis breakup and long before his THFB days. I recall one acoustic version he sang something like "you take 2 sugars in your tea" instead of "we see things they'll never see". The Lemonheads did an interesting acoustic guitar cover in the 90's.

As other people have pointed out. Noel did sing Live Forever while in Oasis, l have 3 different versions in my collection & there's probably more than that. I'm far from convinced Live Forever is about Liam. Noel said of Wonderwall once.That it's about an imaginary friend who's gonna save you from yourself. It could be a similar thing with Live Forever. Who knows. I think the 1993 demo is my favourite version with Liam on vocals. I also have that in my collection.

This song is absolutely genius. Its also virtually a nursery rhyme lyric wise - makes it easy to sing along and the clever composition+ brilliant singing makes you really feel it. The lyrics being so vague mean anyone can put any meaning to it - but I think it that feeling of being in a gang and out together having a great time that feels like it will never end

I love watching your videos thank you for doing the digging to present these amazing eye opening mini documentary’s. There is so much to discover and you always seem to find something extremely meaningful and something I would never have discovered if you hadn’t shown me. So thank you. I also feel like we have some things in common. I was also raised in a Pentecostal church. I still wrestle with issues around that to this day. I also love Oasis and the songs they have brought to the world. I am a southerner but I did get to live up north for around 12 years and ten of them was in Manchester. I’m a singer songwriter (whatever that means) what I’m trying to say is I love the life long pursuit of trying to write the perfect song knowing I will never be truly satisfied. However it gives me purpose. I’m now rambling but thanks again

This makes me love this song even more!

In an interview you link to here, Noel says he wrote it as a 23-year-old. Which would place this in 1990. In another interview you link to, he says he wrote it when he was 21, placing it in 1988. Although he clearly didn't bring it to the band until '93, the lyrics likely predate that by some years. That's how songwriting works, ideas and "words that sound good together" get jotted down, and slowly over time they come together to form a song. So the lyrics likely reflect Noel's state of mind before he had any serious inclination that he was gonna be a megastar.

Brilliant channel you got, i love learning more about this band🙂👍

I remember him saying somewhere he was listening Exile of Main Street and the chord progression is nicked from "Shine A Light"...

You make some great analytical videos on oasis man good work 🙏🙏

Excellent video and analysis, as always! I have to admit, without having gone too in depth with analysing the lyrics, I always assumed it was about drugs and how people turn to them as an escape, with the words "live forever" referencing the addiction that comes along with them.

I used to work in an Irish pub in south Manchester, Peggy would come in for half a Guinness and a Jamesons after doing her shopping. We’d chat, she was absolutely delightful, a good laugh and so down to earth.

Best synopsis of a song I've watched/ listened to James ...superb fella 🙌 loved this mate 🎼🎙🎸🎼✌️👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

a deep dive into my favorite oasis song….NICE!

If possible I think u should do a track by track of Live Forever. Like the ones you did for Some might say and Wonderwall etc. I think it would be really interesting because Live Forever is actually a pretty complex song and has a lot of parts to it that people may not hear or not realise are there. Keep up the good work James!

This is a well thought out and presented in depth analysis of what is another masterpiece from the master Noel Gallagher. I have always believed that Noel wrote this song with Liam very much in mind. This belief was majorly reinforced lately while listening to some of Liam's post Oasis stuff on RU-vid. I can't remember the tune, but Liam's lyrics were, "you said we were gonna live forever". To me this clearly confirms that Live Forever is a tune Noel wrote with them both in mind as close brothers who had been through the mill together growing up. Absolutely concur with James' conclusions in this vid.

Re: the identity of the "best mate": Liam is as good a guess as any, but Noel was writing a lot about a hypothetical best mate who never got away from Manchester during this time -- see "D'yer Wanna Be a Spaceman" and "Flashbax." So my guess is, it's a poetic composite figure.

I wonder if he even thought about it at all to be honest. A lot of Noel's best songs as he has put it many times in the past just ' fall from the sky' and I imagine this was just another example of that....albeit in his early song writing days. I really wouldn't be surprised if it's a bit about his mum, Liam, someone imaginary, anyone he knew back then really.........but if anyone has a knack about writing songs that sometimes don't mean very much yet sound great lyrically and melodically strong together then NG is the master at that. Cheers for making this one though James. Keep up the great work

You treat Noel Gallagher songs like poems - analyzing heaven & hell out of it. Those songs have been a great influence for me and my brothers songwriting - thanks for sharing your thoughts about it! I truly appreciate that - especially because we're not from Manchester & therefore don't have that cultural background knowledge! Thanks James!

James, all i know is that when it was played at Knebworth '96 it gave me goosebumps ! Combined with the pictures of rock legends on the screens behing them. Qith Lennon last,.and Noel & Liam payimg tespect to his pic. Phenomenal

Saw him perform it live at a gig just a week ago. You can tell it’s a special song to him….maybe even more so now he’s making a new start in this phase of his life and heading back to where it all started with Council Skies

When i've graduated two years ago, our group could choose a few songs to play on our graduation ceremony, i've chose Live Forever to play, and when it was my time to get my straw, this song played🥰 IT WAS MAGICAL! I won't forget this moment.

Ah hell yes new JHG upload let's goooooo

I remember a couple of interviews - in one he said the song was written in India House, Manchester where he lived at the time. The other he said the melody “Maybe, I don’t really wanna know…” was based on the Stones song ‘Shine a light’ melody from the part “May the good lord, shine a light on you…”

Very much enjoyed this. I'm not sure I 100% agree with the conclusion but it's a fascinating and well researched/presented theory. For me it's always been about escape, escaping from and rising above a shitty beginning or surroundings with someoone important to you - whether that is a friend, family or lover I don't think is important. It's about no matter where you are in life if you have the dream you can get to that better place. It's an absolute belter of a song. My favourite Oasis song and one I'll probably have played at my funeral.

This is fantastic

Great thought process you are clearly a deep thinker. Superb channel (needs more Beatles) I think your life has allowed you to see, all that is said is not what is meant. Ian Brown reason behind magic pie 🥧 again seeing things people never see. Well done James love the content also the tutorials.

Worth noting! In the 2018 YT video "Liam Gallagher vs Cute Kids" at 2:40 he says he thinks Live Forever is about *his mam, and it's a nice song to sing for his mother.*

With this kind of content theres never been a better time to be an oasis nerd

Love the videos! As an aside, my favorite whimsical Oasis theory is that Sad Song is the sequel to Digsy's Dinner, where the lasagna needs to be thrown away - "We're throwing it alllll away, at the end of the day!"

A simply brilliant video. You had me riveted all the way through and you told the story brilliantly. I was in tears thinking about what happened to that boy. You have got a brilliant way of presenting these videos. I always thought it was about Liam and I'm pleased that you have confirmed it. Thank you for this x

he said in a interview regarding the line “we see things they’ll never see” that it was about a childhood friend who gets things no one else does .. like an inside joke type situation.Its on the definitely maybe 10 year anniversary DVD documentary (2004) The Liam theory is very plausible of course . Always thought the song had a huge deeper meaning ..

This made me emotional ngl

Great video and very interesting I also agree i think it’s about Liam, but also I guess thats what makes a song great though that it can fit into anything you want it to be. This is how people relate to songs

I've always thought it sounded like it was towards Liam. The lyrics of the chorus especially. I think the lyrics are kinda like Aquiesce, they are about the band itself almost. Not wanting to fade away and have your music last forever, which he would back up in interviews that their records will stand the test of time. If we know that Aquiesce is about Liam, read these lyrics and tell me that they don't have similar themes. Live Forever: Maybe I just want to fly, wanna live, don't wanna die. Maybe I just wanna breathe, maybe I just don't believe. Maybe you're the same as me, we'll see things they'll never see. You and I are gonna live forever. Maybe I will never be all the things I wanna be. Now is not the time to cry, now's the time to find out why. Aquiesce: There are many things that I would like to know, there are many places that I wish to go. Because we need eachother, we believe in one another, I know we're going to uncover, what's sleeping in our soul.

He performed it on a number of occasions. 1996 Late Show being one of them

Incredibly done ! Cheers

he sang Live Forever at the concert in Cincinnati I went to this year, it was acoustic and very stripped down, kinda sad sounding honestly. whether or not it was for Liam, it definitely is Liam’s song.

Its about Huw Edwards. Huw and I are gonna Live Forever.

Just like many of the earlier songs and songs later, it’s likely to assume it’s about Liam. Live Forever, D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman, Sad Song, Let’s All Make Believe, Acquiesce. Wonderwall and Talk Tonight being obvious exceptions It annoys me when anti-Oasis people say ‘their lyrics are nonsense and don’t mean anything’. Crikey! Good work again James 👍

Always thought it was about Liam. Nothing in here has me change my mind.

This was fun. I loved listening to your reading. Reminded me of English Lit - you just know not all of it is the artist's intent, but great to explore possible stories regardless and see if they can track. Noel is a (talented) charlatan (proven by the fact that he claims here he never played Live Forever live but he of course did, on the Late Show). Everything he says has to be taken with a pinch of salt, including what he says about LF, their greatest song. In my opinion, like all his tunes, its a mishmash of notions, and not about one person or idea. He probably doesn't know the specifics himself. But as with all his classics, what it DOES do, is connote a 'feeling'. And it does it so so well.

I think it is for John Lennon, an addendum to Elton John's " Empty Garden- hey hey Johnny", Noel makes a reference to a garden, and in live shows they play it to a slide show of famous musician's who have died, with the final slide being John Lennon. Maybe I don't really wanna know How your garden grows 'Cause I just wanna fly Lately, did you ever feel the pain In the morning rain As it soaks you to the bone? Maybe I just wanna fly Wanna live, I don't wanna die Maybe I just wanna breathe Maybe I just don't believe Maybe you're the same as me We see things they'll never see You and I are gonna live forever

I reckon it’s definitely got at least some link to John Lennon - the cover art for the single is literally John’s childhood home, while living forever may refer to John’s legacy and Noel’s wish to recreate it/follow in John’s footsteps

That point on the road coming home from school, where you would see if he was in or not. I remember that point.

He absolutely sang it in a sound check, it’s on RU-vid and it’s a fantastic version, he also sang it acoustically in Dublin many years ago on a talk show, also on RU-vid I also remember an interview from years ago where he stated that it’s not about anyone in particular it was up to the listener to decide, and doesn’t have to be a boyfriend or girlfriend it can be your best friend, sister, brother whatever you want it to be

Will you ever do a video on Slide Away?

Don't think it's about 1 any specific person or situation ...think this godlike genius is channeling some freaky hoodoo voodoo shit from the universe & coming out with complete & utter belters ..Immortality fella 🎼🎸🎙🎼✌️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Great video thanks. I always thought this song was about Liam/the brothers relationship since I was a kid. It seemed pretty obvious to me, but I'm not boasting about that lol.

He and his music will live forever. His music is his best friend.

I seen a rare interview from early 2000 with Noel talking about King Tuts and Alan McGee shouting ka-ching when they played Live Forever. This also could be Noel just spinning yarn to one of the hundreds of interviews he did looking bored.

Noel's different stories as to where his songs were written, whom they were written for, when they were written, why, etc... I think that's just a bit of a nod to Bob Dylan, myself. I think it's kinda cool, actually. If I were famous, & particularly a famous rock n roll songsmith... I'd have probably done the same. Yeah, man. Absolutely.💯

Noel sang Live Forever on The Late Late Show with Gay Byrne in 1996, it's on RU-vid.

These songs are about no one and everyone at the same time..not all songs are about someone. I’m glad songwriters make stories up about there songs..why does it really matter? It’s personal to the writer.

Flawless video … again

Noel sang it live several times (MTV unplugged, Dublin 97)

Great video, really great. And not to nitpick but Noel did Live Forever without Liam LOADS of times including MTV Unplugged in 1996!

One of the best songs ever written.

The demo is also on a cd that I think NME released… I still have the CD a with it on

I love your videos about Oasis.

It's about being timeless

I have that cassette creation for the nation!

disregard my last comment. i was thinking of a time he performed Slide Away that i loved. hahahaha. but still i believe he did it during mtv unplugged? and another in the 90s he performed it on a late night show. and also he did it on some BBC radio show as well in 2021. they were all acoustically. so maybe he meant he never performed it as a full band? or maybe he just truly forgot idk either way its not true at all. i’m sure theres many many more occasions he performed it.

Also, in the VH1 Behind the Music:Oasis episode. He wrote it as a response to Nirvana’s I Hate Myself and I Was ant To Die.

I agree with your analysis. I have three elder brothers. I would like to ask you if Noel is so normal, why do I recollect him advocating the "pin in the arm" when us awaken lot think that was a bad idea?

He did sing live forever at the MTV unplugged show though

This is good I'm sorry they've had their problems but I'm proud of both their accomplishments in music...

Hi James, great analysis. Noël sang 'live forever' for MTV unplugged in 1996. There's Always contradiction with noël. Have a nice day Bruno

The bit about Noel never singing Live Forever is bollocks! MTV unplugged Noel sung it then! Plus just remembered a live performance on the late late show in Ireland! Just pointing it out

I’m gonna say it…best song of all time.

The nursery rhyme is about Mary, Elizabeth the First's Catholic sister.

👌👏❤❤❤

Even in that Jo Whiley interview from last year he says he wrote it as a 23 year old which would make it 1990. And given his drug use at the time, I'm guessing he has no recollection about performing it on the Late Late Show in 1995.

Noel sang Live Forever with Bonehead and himself on acoustic guitars for Much Music in Canada and (obviously) for MTV unplugged… he also states in the supersonic documentary that he never wrote a song about his abusive dad or rough childhood.

Noel did sing an acoustic version of Live Forever on 2fm with Dave Fanning in Ireland once. He also did a slide Away. I think. Bonehead was there too. No Liam that day. Must have been around 1994 or 1995 ish

This is a big song, and especially if Noel gets upset when singing it, he must really love Liam.

Had anyone ever interviewed Louise Jones?

Noel had played live forever before and he always changed the lyrics to ‘you take two sugar in your tea’. Here’s the one I remembered ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sMR0_CiVFR8.html Oh and another one ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LXMnL4sT8gM.htmlm37s

c.9:30 he did sing Live Forever. 96? On the Late Late Show.

I don't think it's about or inspired by one single thing or person. I think Noel just shoots out lyrics from whatever suited the melody of the song, but maybe with a number of small passing thoughts. The Nirvana thing is interesting, however I dont think it's got anything to do with the song I Hate Myself, I Want To Die because from what i understand, Live Forever was written before IHMIWTD. I do think there is an element of the anti-grunge "i dont want to tidy my bedroom" music.

"You get the jokes that nobody else gets" - Noel Of course it was for, and about, Liam. Same with Acquiesce and Rock and Roll Star

Always thought it was him n Liam but did he write it in 1993 or 1988 when he was 21 as he says at the end 🤔

I thought it was common knowledge that Live Forever was written about one of the members of the Verve. I can't remember which one, but I remember it wasn't Richard Ashcroft. I seem to remember hearing this back in the late 90s and have heard it told on several occasions since 👍

I always just thought it was for Peggy

He isnt talking about it being about his best friend, but a type of song written about a best friend where you can celebrate and fist pump. Thats the kind of song it is, but that doesnt mean he wrote it about a literal best friend. Its like "we are the champions" is a celebration about winning something or other. It doesnt mean queen won anything, but its the type of song you write or sing when you do.

could be a reminisce of his aging grandmother (live forever) from rainy Ireland (as it soaks you to the bone), did you ever feel the pain..(arthritis) his trips there in the summer with his cousins trashing the garden (how your garden grows)? I just wanna fly...I just wanna breathe .(and not be smuggled on a ferry hidden in a car under stuff with no air) ...haha.

I always just imagined it to be subconsciously written to Liam and for it to be a pseudo-letter between the brother’s. That the both of them can actually do this. They can achieve everything they dream of if they rely on each other, because from this point on, there’s no going back. There’s no other future from this day forward. They are gonna live forever or die trying.

It's about Kurt Kobain. Noel has said so.

Funny because it happens to be Liams favourite song.

i think the line "we see things they'll never see" in this context is not some prophecy about going around the world in a band and literally see things most of us will never see, i think it's more a critic of that whole "holy family" concept, not beeing allowed to divorce an abusive husband when they don't see or even deny the harsh reality they were facing on a daily basis behind closed doors

A blur video would be nice for a change James

And don't forget... Tbey also managed to "break America!" They may not've reached U2, The Beatles-level status over here, but when your first three albums manage to go platinum, (1 million+ albums) your 2nd album going quadruple-platinum, & your 3rd one charted as high as #2 on The Billboard Charts... I think it's safe to say that Oasis did, in fact, manage to crack America... And as far as this #MadFerItAmerican is concerned, they were like a huge breath of fresh fucking air! Nirvana absolutely inspired me to wanna be in a band, but fuckin' hell, man! Everyone walking around acting like they wanna be in a band too... Except you had to act like the fame & money & women part of it was all bullshit, & I just thought, "Hold on a sec... I'm tryna grow my (deeply, deeply brown!) hair long, I'm in flannel & some shitty shoes, & I'm spending my money on equipment & shit... But we're supposed to act like we don't want ANY of the good parts too??? Did I understand correctly?" And the answer was YES! That's when I started to think a lil differently. And then BAM! Here's this group, they actually invite the 'fringe benefits,' they AREN'T dressed like shit, I can actually look like them(!), & we don't have to act like we're constantly on the verge of suicide... Yes, please!" I had my Mom gimme a Noel-style haircut (she'd been to beauty school), I started buying the clothes that I thought looked cool, & I immediately set out to be a songwriter! Oasis may not've been perceived as being just as cool & just as good as a Pearl Jam or a Stone Temple Pilots to some kids... But for any American kid willing to go beyond Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, & Don't Look Back in Anger... They were absolutely mega! Still love 'em to this very day... 😉 Cheers... From America! 🇺🇸🇬🇧

The interview clip you play around 9:15 might be another Noel smokescreen because he says he never sang it after the first time he played it for the band but I'm pretty sure he plays it in the Supersonic documentary

what does lend credibility is the lyric in (I think) One of Us where Liam goes "You said we'd live forever" edit: just noticed someone said and got pinned about this already, my bad