Dont Look Back In Anger

Song Meaning of Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis, and what it is about

It was the first Oasis record to include lead vocals by Noel, as opposed to his brother Liam, who had hitherto solely sang lead on B-sides.

Regarding the song, Noel Gallagher remarked, "It reminds me of a cross between "All the Young Dudes" and something the Beatles might have done." He made the following observation about the song's "Sally" character: "I don't actually know anybody called Sally." It's just a word that fit, so why not include the name of a girl?" he also said, "It's about not being upset about the things you might have said or done yesterday, which is quite appropriate at the moment. It's about looking forward rather than looking back. I hate people who look back on the past or talk about what might have been."

Gallagher stated, "I remember writing it in Paris on a rainy night. We had just played a strip club: our set finished, the strippers came on. We were nothing, an insignificant little band. And I remember going back to my hotel room and writing it, and thinking, 'That'll be pretty good when we record it.' If I'd have known that night what I know now about people playing it at fucking funerals and weddings, I'd never have finished the song. Too much pressure."

Gallagher commented on the intro's similarity to "Imagine":

In the case of "Don't Look Back in Anger"—I mean, the opening piano riff's "Imagine". Fifty per cent of it's put in there to wind people up, and the other 50% is saying, "Look, this is how songs like 'Don't Look Back in Anger' come about—because they're inspired by songs like 'Imagine'." And no matter what people might think, there will be some 13-year-old kid out there who'll read an interview and think, "'Imagine'? I've never heard that song." And he might go and buy the album, you know what I mean?

Lyrics of Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis

Slip inside the eye of your mind

Don't you know you might find

A better place to play?

You said that you'd never been

But all the things that you've seen

Slowly fade away

So I start a revolution from my bed

'Cause you said the brains I had went to my head

Step outside, summertime's in bloom

Stand up beside the fireplace

Take that look from off your face

You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

And so, Sally can wait

She knows it's too late as we're walking on by

Her soul slides away

But don't look back in anger, I heard you say

Take me to the place where you go

Where nobody knows if it's night or day

Please don't put your life in the hands

Of a rock 'n' roll band

Who'll throw it all away

I'm gonna start a revolution from my bed

'Cause you said the brains I had went to my head

Step outside, 'cause summertime's in bloom

Stand up beside the fireplace

Take that look from off your face

'Cause you ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

And so, Sally can wait

She knows it's too late as she's walking on by

My soul slides away

But don't look back in anger, I heard you say

So, Sally can wait

She knows it's too late as we're walking on by

Her soul slides away

But don't look back in anger, I heard you say

So, Sally can wait

She knows it's too late as she's walking on by

My soul slides away

But don't look back in anger, don't look back in anger

I heard you say

At least not today