Shakermaker
| "Shakermaker" | ||
|---|---|---|
| File:Shakermaker sleeve.jpg | ||
| Single by Oasis | ||
| From the album Definitely Maybe | ||
| Single Released | 1994 | |
| Single Format | CD, Vinyl record | |
| Recorded | 1994 | |
| Genre | Britpop | |
| Song Length | 5 min 08 s | |
| Record label | Creation Records | |
| Producer | Oasis & Mark Coyle | |
| Chart positions | #11 (UK) | |
| Oasis single chronology | ||
| "Supersonic" (1994) |
"Shakermaker" (1994) |
"Live Forever" (1994) |
Shakermaker is a song by British rock group Oasis, written by their lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. First appearing on Oasis' groundbreaking debuet Definitely Maybe, 1994 it was released as a single later that year, peaking at number 11 in the United Kingdom Charts on 13 June.
The song, much like its predecessor - Supersonic - is a fine example of how Noel Gallagher is able to couple nonsence lyrics with a catchy tune and create a popular song. Noel admits the lyrics are taken from the world around him, for example, Shakermaker was a pupolar toy in the 70s, the character of "Mr Soft" was taken from a Trebour Soft Mints commercial, which featured Cockney Rebel's song "Mr Soft" and the entire last verse - Mr Sifter sold me songs/When I was just 16/Now he stops at traffic lights/But only when they're green - was written in a taxi on the way to the recording studio to record the song. Apparently Liam Gallagher was pestering Noel to finish the song. At 5this point, the taxi stopped at the traffic lights outside one of the "Sifter's" chain of corner shops. Noel penned the lyric and it became part of the song.
However, the song also displays some of Noel's less admirable songwriting tactics as the tune for the verse was originally stolen from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (the song made famous from its use on Coca Cola adverts in the 70s) by Roger Cook, Roger Greenway, Bill Backer and Billy Davis. The song has since been adapted for legal reasons, but still sounds like the original.
Oasis' rhythm guitarist Gem Archer claims this song to be his favorate Oasis track, partly because he thinks the sheer audacity of "ripping off" the Coca-Cola song is funny, partly because he thinks it sums up everything Oasis is about (this may be slightly tounge-in-cheek, considering the song the songs lyric mainly concerns the desire to build a house out of plastercine).
Single Tracks
- Shakermaker
- D'yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?
- Alive (demo)
- Bring it on Down (live)