Standing on the Shoulder of Giants 570325 226056945 2008-07-16T17:10:32Z Darwin's Bulldog 639767 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225969429 by [[Special:Contributions/201.19.66.228|201.19.66.228]] ([[User talk:201.19.66.228|talk]]) {{refimprove|date=December 2007}} {{otheruses4|the Oasis album|the metaphor|Standing on the shoulders of giants}} {{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums --> | Name = Standing on the Shoulder of Giants | Type = studio | Artist = [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] | Cover = Standing_on_the_shoulder_of_giants.jpg | Released = [[February 28]], [[2000]] <small>([[United Kingdom|UK]])</small><br />[[February 29]], [[2000]] <small>([[United States|U.S.]])</small> | Recorded = April–August 1999 in [[France]] <small>(Chateau De La Colle Noire)</small> and [[London]], [[England]] <small>([[Olympic Studios]], Supernova Heights, and Wheeler End Studios)</small> | Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]]<br>[[Psychedelic rock]]<br>[[Britpop]] | Length = 46:41 | Label = [[Big Brother Recordings|Big Brother]], [[Epic Records|Epic]] | Producer = [[Mark Stent]], [[Noel Gallagher]] | Reviews = *[[Allmusic]] {{Rating-5|3}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:pdyvadski8w3 link] *[[Robert Christgau]] {{Rating-Christgau|neither}} [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1022&name=Oasis link] *''[[NME]]'' (6/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/1908.htm link] *''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' {{Rating-5|4}} October 2000 | Last album = ''[[The Masterplan]]''<br />(1998) | This album = '''''Standing on the Shoulder of Giants'''''<br />(2000) | Next album = ''[[Familiar to Millions]]''<br />(2000) | Misc = {{Singles | Name = Standing on the Shoulder of Giants | Type = studio | single 1 = [[Go Let It Out]] | single 1 date = [[7 February]], [[2000]] | single 2 = [[Who Feels Love?]] | single 2 date = [[17 April]], [[2000]] | single 3 = [[Sunday Morning Call]] | single 3 date = [[3 July]], [[2000]] }} }} '''''Standing on the Shoulder of Giants''''' is the fourth studio [[album]] by the [[England|English]] [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], released on [[February 28]], [[2000]]. In [[1999 in music|1999]], the year preceding the final release of this album, Oasis had lost two founding members ([[Paul Arthurs|Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs]] and [[Paul McGuigan (musician)|Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan]]) and hired a new producer ([[Mark "Spike" Stent]]) to replace [[Owen Morris]]. Songs such as "[[Go Let It Out]]" the [[Music of India|Indian]]-influenced "[[The Hindu Times]]", the progressive "Gas Panic!" and the electronica "[[Who Feels Love?]]" were a departure from the band's earlier style, resulting in an album more experimental with [[electronica]] and [[psychedelic]] influences. The album was the sixth fastest selling album in [[United Kingdom|UK]] [[The Official UK Charts Company|chart]] history, selling over 310,000 copies in its first week,{{Fact|date=June 2007}} and has sold around 200,000 copies in the U.S.<ref>Downey, Ryan J. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453989/20020515/oasis.jhtml?headlines=true "Oasis Set Up U.S. Tour Whether Liam Likes It Or Not"]. mtvnews.com. May 16, 2002.</ref> Despite becoming their fourth number one album in the UK, it is also the band's lowest-selling studio album, selling 3 million copies worldwide. ==History== The album's title was taken from the words made famous by Sir [[Isaac Newton]]: "If I can see further than anyone else, it is only because I am [[standing on the shoulders of giants]]". [[Noel Gallagher]] saw the quote on the side of a £2 coin while in a pub and liked it so much he thought it would be a suitable name for Oasis' new album. He then wrote the name on the side of a cigarette packet while drunk. When he awoke in the morning, he realised he had written "Standing on the Shoulder of Giants". <ref> Oasisnet "A Bum Title" which was also missing a letter due to him actually meaning to write "Album title Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. [http://www.oasisinet.com/site.php?site=bandview&idx=14] </ref> Missing a letter, the album title is grammatically incorrect: it has the singular form of "shoulder" and the plural form of "giant". Due to the departure of [[Paul Arthurs|Bonehead]] and [[Paul McGuigan (musician)|Guigsy]] from the band while the album was still in production, their parts had to be re-recorded, for legal reasons.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} Thus, the album only features the Gallagher brothers and [[Alan White (Oasis drummer)|Alan White]], and the sleeve of the album also features them. ==Album cover== The album's artwork features the photo of [[New York]] skyline made from the rooftop of the [[Rockefeller Center]]. Some famous buildings can be seen here, for example the [[Empire State Building]] is seen in front and the [[WTC]] is seen in the back. This photo has a very special effect - it is impossible to say during what time of day it was shot. To achieve this effect, the photographer had to capture the same frame every half an hour in 18 hours during the whole day's course. Then the photos were digitally edited and united into the actual picture. No visual effects were used while creating it. All of the singles released from this album contained artwork that was based on the album artwork; the shot used for "[[Go Let It Out]]" can be seen above one of the buildings at the front. ==Reception== The album received mixed reviews by the media. It was a darker album possibly reflecting the times, or perhaps reflecting the loss of two original members. But it was also seen by many as a change of direction, a more mature effort from the production to the lyrics and also a transitional period for the band after band members Bonehead and Guigsy had left halfway through the recording of the album. After the departures Noel was left to play lead, rhythm and bass guitar on the album. After the dust had settled and some reflection critics and fans have said some of Oasis' best work was on the album with tracks "Go Let It Out", "[[Gas Panic!]]", "[[Sunday Morning Call]]" and "[[Roll It Over]]" being picked out as some of the band's best material . Noel has said, "''Even though it wasn't our finest hour, it's a good album born through tough times. I worked harder on that album than anything before and anything since.''" The album featured the debut of Liam Gallagher's songwriting skills with the song "Little James". Liam cited at the time that the inspiration for the song came from listening to John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" over and over again on a loop. When Oasis released the single "[[Sunday Morning Call]]" many people believed it was evidence that the band was coming to an end, due to Liam's absence in any of the tracks on the single, including the [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]]. This was compounded by Liam and Noel falling out on tour. These rumors were quickly debunked by the band, however. ''Q'' Magazine ranked ''Standing on the Shoulder of Giants'' 46th in their list of "The 50 Worst Albums Ever."<ref>[http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#50%20Worst%20Albums Q lists - page3<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Although the magazine gave it 4/5 stars and the B-side to "Go Let It Out", called "Lets All Make Believe" was featured in Q's top 500 lost tracks and said that if "Lets All Make Believe" were on the album "it probably would have carried the album to another star". This would mean that it would have earned 5/5, being a "Q Classic". ''Standing on the Shoulder of Giants'' debuted at #24 on the ''[[Billboard]]'' charts in the U.S., selling about 55,000 units in its first week,<ref>Weiss, Neal. [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12041122 "Santana's 'Supernatural' Fights Off Strong Debuts By Bone, Pumpkins"]. yahoo.com. March 8, 2000.</ref> but sales slumped its second week and fell to #84 with a 64% sales drop.<ref>Boehlert, Eric. [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/oasis/articles/story/5924116/my_how_the_giants_have_fallen "My, how the Giants Have Fallen: Oasis, Pumpkins Suffer Huge Sales Slides In Second Week".] rollingstone.com. March 15, 2000.</ref> The album did receive a huge sales hike following the [[VH1]] airing of the groups' ''[[Behind the Music]]'' in April of 2000. Jumping from #194 to #113 on the ''Billboard'' charts.<ref>Skanse, Richard. [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5921959/big_pun_cant_shake_n_sync_santana/ "Big Pun Can't Shake 'N Sync, Santana".] rollingstone.com. April 12, 2000.</ref> Although it received lukewarm reviews from the music press, many fans rank the album high on their favourites list and both Liam and Noel Gallagher have praised certain aspects of the record. During a Radio 1 interview with Gary Crowley in 2002 Liam said "Some people reckon the album is shit, but I think it's a great album...it's just a bit different", whilst Noel Gallagher has stated that he regards "Go Let It Out" as "up there with some of the best things that I've done". He also stated in a 2005 interview with Planet Rock that he thinks "Fuckin' In The Bushes", "Go Let It Out", "Gas Panic" and "Where Did It All Go Wrong?" are "real pieces of music". ==Track listing== All songs written by [[Noel Gallagher]], except where noted. # "Fuckin' in the Bushes" – 3:21 # "[[Go Let It Out]]" – 4:41 # "[[Who Feels Love?]]" – 5:46 # "Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is" – 4:29 # "Little James" ([[Liam Gallagher]]) – 4:17 # "Gas Panic!" – 6:10 # "[[Where Did It All Go Wrong?]]" – 4:29 # "[[Sunday Morning Call]]" – 5:15 # "I Can See a Liar" – 3:15 # "Roll It Over" – 6:31 ==Demos== A bootleg of [[Demo (music)|demo]] sessions recorded for this album was leaked onto the internet in January 2000. Most of these songs were recorded by Noel Gallagher with the help of a couple of friends in his home studio at Supernova Heights and at Oasis' own Wheeler End Studios complex. All of the songs, apart from "Little James", were sung by Noel. The track listing of the demo bootleg is: # "Carry Us All" # "Who Feels Love?" # "[[Fuckin' in the Bushes]]" # "Little James" # "Gas Panic!" # "Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is" # "Sunday Morning Call" # "I Can See a Liar" # "[[Go Let It Out]]" # "Roll It Over" # "[[Revolution Song]]" # "Where Did It All Go Wrong?" # "(As Long As They've Got) Cigarettes in Hell" # "Just Getting Older" # "[[Let There Be Love (Oasis song)|Let There Be Love]]" At the time of the leak, four songs ("Carry Us All", "Revolution Song", "Just Getting Older" and "Let There Be Love") were not scheduled for release on either the album or as [[A-side and B-side|B-sides]] on the new single "Go Let It Out". These songs were also completely undocumented, apart from "Revolution Song", which had been mentioned by author Paolo Hewitt in his 1999 book ''Forever the People — Six Months on the Road with Oasis''. As such, these four songs had made-up titles based on commonly-repeated phrases mentioned in the songs. Whilst "Carry Us All" and "Just Getting Older" were correctly guessed, the other two tracks were given titles which, in time, would prove to be incorrect. "Revolution Song" was given the title "Solve My Mystery" and "Let There Be Love" was given the title "It's a Crime". "Let There Be Love" was released on ''[[Don't Believe the Truth]]''. Because Noel mentioned in a [[February 23]], [[2000]] interview with ''[[Melody Maker]]'' magazine that "Revolution Song" had been demoed — but not released because [[Blur (band)|Blur]] had recently released a similar sounding song ("[[Tender (song)|Tender]]") — it can be assumed that these titles are correct. Currently, only one song ("Revolution Song") remains commercially unreleased. ==References== {{reflist}} {{commons}} {{wikiquote}} {{Oasis}} [[Category:Oasis]] [[Category:2000 albums]] [[Category:Oasis albums]] [[Category:Epic Records albums]] [[bg:Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants]] [[da:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[de:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[es:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[fi:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[fr:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[is:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[it:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[ja:スタンディング・オン・ザ・ショルダー・オブ・ジャイアンツ]] [[ko:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[lt:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[no:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[pl:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[pt:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[ru:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]] [[sv:Standing on the Shoulder of Giants]]