| Side | Track Title | Original Single | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 1. Acquiesce | "Some Might Say" | | | 2. Underneath The Sky | "Don't Look Back In Anger" | | | 3. Talk Tonight | "Some Might Say" | | | 4. Going Nowhere | "Stand By Me" | | B | 1. Fade Away | "Cigarettes & Alcohol" | | | 2. The Swamp Song | "Wonderwall" | | | 3. I Am The Walrus (Live) | "Cigarettes & Alcohol" | | C | 1. Listen Up | "Cigarettes & Alcohol" | | | 2. Rockin' Chair | "Roll With It" | | | 3. Half The World Away | "Whatever" | | D | 1. (It's Good) To Be Free | "Whatever" | | | 2. Stay Young | "D'You Know What I Mean?" | | | 3. Headshrinker | "Some Might Say" | | | 4. The Masterplan | "Wonderwall" |
The band’s philosophy was simple: If it was good enough to be a B-side, it was good enough for the fans to hear. According to popular fan consensus on forums like Live4ever , many of these songs were crafted during the same sessions as Definitely Maybe and (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? , yet they didn’t make the cut for the album because the albums were already packed with hits.
"Those Swollen Hand Blues" (B-side to Falling Down ). A 4-minute instrumental blues jam. It sounds like a hangover feels. A perfect, weary end to the journey.
While The Masterplan is the perfect starting point, deep-diving into the catalog reveals specific tracks that define the band's emotional and sonic range. oasis b-sides
To understand the phenomenon, you have to understand the era. In the mid-1990s, the CD single was a vital format in the UK market. Fans would buy them not just for the hit, but for the exclusive extra tracks tucked away on the disc. Where most bands would slap on a half-hearted demo or a throwaway jam, Oasis treated their B-sides as a primary creative outlet.
Here is the ultimate test of an Oasis fan. If you walk into a room and hear "Little by Little," you nod. If you hear "Champagne Supernova," you raise a lighter. But if you hear the opening acoustic strum of "Half the World Away" (a B-side to "Whatever"), you don’t just listen. You feel it.
: A high-energy anthem that was originally intended for Be Here Now but was swapped for "Magic Pie"—a decision fans still debate today. | Side | Track Title | Original Single
Because Noel viewed his supply of melodies as infinite, he didn’t hoard his best work for future albums. If a song was finished, it went out immediately. This led to a bizarre reality where songs that would have been the undisputed lead single for any other contemporary British band were tucked away behind hits like "Some Might Say," "Roll With It," and "Wonderwall."
: Widely considered Noel Gallagher’s finest songwriting achievement, this orchestral epic was hidden away on the "Wonderwall" single. Noel later admitted that he was young, stupid, and writing so many songs at the time that he didn't realize "The Masterplan" was far too good to be a B-side.
These tracks were often released on CD singles (the popular format of the time) and included live covers, acoustic versions, and brand-new, studio-recorded songs. 2. The Golden Era: 1994–1995 (The "Biblical" Period) Talk Tonight | "Some Might Say" | | | 4
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For most bands, a B-side is a throwaway track, an afterthought designed to fill space on a physical CD single or vinyl flip side. For Oasis, B-sides were a declaration of absolute arrogance and unmatched creative wealth. During their mid-1990s peak, Noel Gallagher was writing songs at such a prolific rate—and with such supreme confidence—that he routinely relegated future anthems to the back of singles.
The Masterplan of Britpop: Why Oasis B-Sides Are Better Than Most Bands’ A-Sides