18 Mar Personal development in Oasis songs

In this first article dedicated to important themes in song lyrics, we will talk about the band Oasis.

Why Oasis? Because they’re my favorite band and the one I know best. But also because, behind their electric guitars and raw lyrics, there’s an unexpected thread: personal development. No, the Gallagher brothers weren’t exactly the wellness influencers of the 90s, but their music carried a powerful message: believe in yourself, rise after failure, and refuse to conform.

So, what is personal development?

It’s a set of practices aimed at getting to know yourself better, valuing your potential, and striving for happiness. Ancient Greek philosophers already talked about it, today’s influencers have turned it into a business, and in between… there was Oasis. From their first single Supersonic (1994), the tone is set: « I need to be myself, I can’t be no one else. » This message is reaffirmed in Whatever: « I’m free to be whatever I / Whatever I choose, » and then in The Masterplan: « Say it loud and sing it proud today / And then dance if you wanna dance. » This obsession with self-affirmation raises a question: why the need to talk about it over and over again?

The broken childhood of the Gallaghers

To understand Oasis, we need to go back to the origins. There are three Gallagher brothers: Paul, Noel, and Liam. Two of them suffered regular physical violence from their father. And according to Paul Gallagher, it was Noel who took the most hits. Liam, the youngest, was never hit, but he saw everything. Growing up in this chaos undoubtedly shaped their view of the world and music.

Noel Gallagher : Dreaming as an escape

Noel is the brain behind Oasis, the songwriter behind the band’s greatest hits: Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger… With his past, he could have written dark and tortured songs, like Nirvana and the grunge movement of the time. But when, in 1993, he hears Kurt Cobain singing I Hate Myself and I Wanna Die, he refuses to add despair to despair. In response, he writes anthems of hope and determination. Thus, in 1994, he responds with Live Forever: « You and I are gonna live forever. »

In Rock N Roll Star, he already sings about the life he dreams of, even though Oasis is still playing in front of twenty people. A few years later, those same songs echo in stadiums. « In my mind, my dreams are real, » he repeats, like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Once fame is achieved, he savors every moment. In The Fame (1997), he even provokes his critics: « I’m a man of choice in an old Rolls Royce / And I’m howling at the moon / Is my happening too deafening for you? »

But there is a « but »

From the 2000s onwards, the tone of Noel‘s songs changes. He has everything to be happy… but he isn’t. The album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000) is full of disillusionment, especially in tracks like Where Did It All Go Wrong and Gas Panic!. But it’s Little by Little (2002) that sums it all up: « And little by little, we gave you everything you’ve ever dreamed of / And little by little, the wheels of your life have slowly fallen off. »

His journey proves one thing: achieving your dreams doesn’t heal the wounds of the past. If everything is based on a goal, what is left once it is achieved? Liam Gallagher will later sum it up in Once (2019): « It was easier to have fun back when we had nothing / Nothing much to manage / Back when we were damaged / Sometimes the freedom we wanted feels so uncool. »

Liam Gallagher : the redemption

If Noel was the brain of Oasis, Liam was its soul. His voice, attitude, and charisma brought the band’s songs to life. No matter the message, with him, everything sounded vital.

Until the end of the 2000s, he was mostly known for his excesses and unpredictable temperament. But when Beady Eye, his post-Oasis band, collapses, he is forced to reflect on himself. The world has changed: arrogant rockstars no longer inspire; they need to evolve.

In 2017, he began his solo career with a first album where he acknowledges his mistakes. In For What It’s Worth, he sings: « I’m sorry for the hurt / I’ll be the first to say I made my own mistakes / For what it’s worth I know it’s just a word and words betray / But sometimes we lose our way. »

More than just a musical comeback, Liam becomes the torchbearer of the Oasis spirit for over ten years. Whether it’s by covering their songs or co-writing tracks like You’re Too Good For Giving Up, he draws from his past while trying to build something new.

His evolution goes beyond music. In interviews, he is more open. On X, he interacts with his fans daily. He also increases his charitable efforts. Little by little, he reclaims his audience while attracting a new generation. He goes from playing venues with 2,000 seats to filling entire stadiums. Unlike Noel, who remains frozen in his image as a rock icon, Liam evolves. Of course, there are still slip-ups: canceled concerts, insults, sometimes even towards his own brother. But now, he owns up to it and apologizes.

And the impact of all of this, then?

Oasis has often been criticized for the simplicity of their songs. Paradoxically, it’s also what makes them so popular and what keeps them stuck in our heads for so long. For an anxious person like me, having Liam Gallagher‘s voice repeating « It’s gonna be okay » over and over is sometimes better than hearing my own negative thoughts telling me I’ll never make it.

So no, the Gallagher brothers aren’t perfect role models. But in 2025, after a pandemic and on the brink of a third world war, it’s refreshing to see two brothers reconcile to remind millions of people that « Maybeeeeeee you’re gonna be the one that save meeeeeee. »