2. Liam Gallagher is a folk singer-songwriter based in Philadelphia, PA., United States, who took acoustic guitar lessons from Dave Matthews. Having travelled Australia and New Zealand he started working on his début LP in 2004, helped by his brother Kevin, who produced, mixed, engineered and played multiple instruments. Written In Ink came out in 2005, followed nine years later by a second album, The Poet & The Muse (2014).
1. William John Paul Gallagher, known simply as Liam Gallagher, was born to Irish Catholic parents in Manchester, England, the youngest of their three boys. Liam's older brothers are his future Oasis bandmate Noel (born 1967) and Paul. His father Thomas was said to be abusive, though being the youngest Liam avoided much of the physical abuse. When Liam was 10 his mother Peggy took the boys away and divorced Thomas four years later. Even before he was a rock star, Liam was a known troublemaker, and was involved in petty crimes like truancy and shoplifting. Initially interested in football, Liam claims he wasn't into music much until, at age 18, he was struck in the head with a hammer during a fight with some other students. He then became fixated with the idea of being in a band, like his new idol John Lennon, though he didn't play any instruments (aside from the tambourine).
The band that would go on to become Oasis was initially called "The Rain," formed by Paul McGuigan ("Guigsy"), Paul Arthurs ("Bonehead"), Tony McCarroll, and Chris Hutton. In 1991, Liam was asked to replaced Hutton as the group's lead vocalist. Upon joining the group Liam changed their name to "Oasis," based on a venue (Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon) listed in a tour poster for the band Inspiral Carpets. In this earliest iteration the band did not practice often or play many gigs. Noel joined the band after witnessing one of their few gigs while he was a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets, and quickly assumed the role of lead songwriter.
As Liam describes, Noel was the "weirdo" of the family, often withdrawn in his room playing guitar and smoking cannabis. He had been preparing songs for several years, but didn't find a proper outlet for them until seeing Oasis play. His songwriting philosophy is noted for its simplicity, and Noel has admitted he doesn't like art rock or similar genres. Under Noel's leadership the band recorded a demo tape and was discovered in 1993 by Scottish record label owner and manager Alan McGee after a gig in Glasgow. McGee is also known for his work with acts like Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine. The band had a top 10 single with "Live Forever," and their record-setting debut LP Definitely Maybe was released in 1994.
With Liam and Noel as its face, Oasis quickly became one of the most popular and talked-about groups in the UK. Tabloids frequently covered the drunken antics and drug usage of Liam, who was seen as a "loutish" cross between John Lennon and Johnny Rotten. Before long, a rift opened up between the two brothers that has remained to this day. Notable incidents included the band being thrown off a ferry to Amsterdam after Liam sparked a fight with football hooligans, which the brothers can be heard arguing about in the single "Wibbling Rivalry," and Liam refusing to sing for the band's MTV Unplugged show due to a sore throat (likely exacerbated by days of drinking). Noel took over lead singing duties in his stead, while Liam smoked cigarettes and heckled the band from a balcony seat.
Noel also briefly left the band during their first American tour after Liam struck him with a tambourine during a gig in Los Angeles. Later, while recording (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, Noel was so irritated that Liam brought back a group of friends from the pub while he was working that he struck his brother on the head with a cricket bat. As Liam began to shirk singing duties with more frequency, Noel began to take over lead singing roles on hit songs like "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger." Liam wasn't happy about having to come on and off stage when Noel started singing these songs himself in regular gigs as well.
Tensions between the two brothers remained, and flared again when Liam made crude comments about Noel's wife Meg Mathews while on tour in Barcelona in 2000. He allegedly questioned whether or not Noel's daughter was actually his. While Noel initially vowed to stop touring overseas with Oasis, the brothers were able to patch things up temporarily. In April 2009, almost nine years after the incident in Spain, Noel gave an interview where he harshly criticized Liam, calling him "rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy. He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup." Oasis broke up later that year due to a public dispute between Liam and Noel over a missed gig at the V Festival. Liam claimed to have laryngitis, while Noel stated it was just a hangover. Liam sued his brother, demanding an apology for tarnishing his record. Noel apologized but it was a pyrrhic victory for Liam as the band was soon dismantled. Hours after another cancelled gig near Paris, Noel confirmed on the band's website that he quit Oasis because he could not work with Liam "a day longer."
The brothers still do not get along. In a 2017 interview Liam claimed he doesn't even have Noel's number in his cellphone. This was in response to Liam calling Noel a "sad fuck" on Twitter for not attending a show in response to the 2017 terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert in their home town. In a more recent interview Liam said he did invite Noel to his upcoming wedding, planned for 2021, but only at the behest of his mother. Liam also claimed that Noel turned down £100 million to play an Oasis reunion show, which Noel denied. Noel said Liam is "obsessed" with him, while Liam said the same thing about Noel. Despite their frequent battles, there is some mutual respect between the Gallaghers. Liam highlights Noel's talent as a songwriter, while Noel respects Liam's showmanship and looks.
After Noel left, Liam and the remaining members of Oasis rebranded as a new band called Beady Eye. They released two albums, Different Gear, Still Speeding in 2011 and BE in 2013. Both albums received mixed reviews and sales were tepid. It was announced in October of 2014 that Beady Eye was no more. Liam initially balked at the idea of going solo, but in 2016 he announced he had some songs already written and planned for release in 2017. Liam's debut, titled As You Were, was released on October 6, 2017. Reviews were largely positive and the album sold well, debuting at #1 in the UK, having sold more than the rest of the top 10 combined. It was certified gold in a week and has since gone platinum.
Liam's next album was released on 20 September 2019 and was titled Why Me? Why Not., inspired by two drawings made by John Lennon. One that says "Why me?" was purchased by Liam at an auction, while the accompanying "Why not" piece was given to him by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono. The album was proceeded by the lead single "Shockwave," which reached #1 in Scotland, making it Liam's first self-penned solo #1 song. Like its predecessor, Why Me? Why Not. was a critical and commercial success, debuting again at #1 in the UK and becoming the fast-selling vinyl of 2019. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Liam performed a concert on a barge heading through the River Thames in London, where he mixed his solo hits with some classic Oasis tracks.
His third solo album, titled C'mon You Know, was released on 27 May 2022. On 1 March 2024, he released his fourth studio album Liam Gallagher & John Squire, a collaborative album with guitarist John Squire. Like his other studio albums, both albums went to #1 in the UK.
Gallagher is known for his powerful voice and deliberate twisting of words like "shine." When singing he typically projects upward into the downward facing mic while keeping his hands behind his back. According to Liam, this allows his voice to come out stronger. Due to lack of traditional vocal training, and years of drinking and smoking, Liam's voice showed notable signs of deterioration in the mid-2000s, but has since recovered to some degree. The return of Liam's singing voice, as well as the success of his debut solo LP, were viewed as a comeback for Liam in the mainstream media. Liam usually wears a parka when performing, which along with his unique stance, has become his iconic look.
Liam has been married twice and has four children, including his son Lennon, a model and musician. Like Noel, he is an avid supporter of Manchester City FC.
Shockwave
Liam Gallagher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You had to hold me back
You could've looked for the sunshine, yeah
But you had to paint the whole thing black
Now I'm back in the city
The lights are up on me
They tried to keep me locked away
But hallelujah I feel free
All your darkness has come back to you in time
Brace yourself world, it's about to blow your mind
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
You've played the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave, hey
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave
You made your bed all pretty
You reap what you sow
Backstabbed all your friends
And yes it's all about who you know
So don't you dare look my way
To try to make you cry
I don't have to do a thing to you
'Cause it's coming from the starry sky
All your darkness has come back to you in time
Brace yourself world, it's about to blow your mind
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
You've played the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave, hey
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
You're a snake
You're a weasel
You're a pebble in the sea
And the pain you feel is washing over me
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
You played the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave, hey
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave
In Liam Gallagher's “Shockwave,” the lyrics criticize a person who has been deceitful and betrayed others. The song’s opening lines suggest that this person sold out Liam or turned his back on him when he needed help, causing him to feel deeply hurt and disappointed. Gallagher accuses this person of being solely responsible for painting their collective world in a negative light by focusing on its dark side instead of looking for the sunny side of things. The remainder of the song describes how the deceitful person receives karma in return for their bad behavior, as they are now experiencing their own personal crisis.
The song’s chorus begins with “It's coming round like a shockwave, hey,” which could be interpreted as the destructive energy of the dishonest person's actions returning and leveling them. As the song progresses, the force of their destructive energy builds to the point where the lyric warns the listener to brace themselves, as the shockwave will hit them with a vengeance. Ultimately, Gallagher predicts that this energy will cause the person responsible to experience a crisis that will leave them humiliated and ashamed, while Liam is free at last from their deceit.
Line by Line Meaning
You sold me right up the river
You betrayed me completely
You had to hold me back
You prevented me from achieving my goals
You could've looked for the sunshine, yeah
You had the opportunity to focus on positivity
But you had to paint the whole thing black
Instead, you chose to focus on the negative
Now I'm back in the city
I have returned to where I started
The lights are up on me
I am in the spotlight now
They tried to keep me locked away
Others attempted to keep me down or hidden
But hallelujah I feel free
But now I feel liberated
All your darkness has come back to you in time
Your negative actions have caught up with you
Brace yourself world, it's about to blow your mind
Get ready for the impact of the consequences
It's coming round like a shockwave, hey
The resulting consequences are imminent
You've played the game one too many times
You have manipulated others too often
You're gonna burn until you behave, hey
You will suffer the consequences unless you change your ways
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Perhaps the guilt will cause you to see the error of your ways
You made your bed all pretty
You set up a positive situation for yourself
You reap what you sow
You will receive what you put out into the world
Backstabbed all your friends
You have betrayed those closest to you
And yes it's all about who you know
You only care about relationships that will benefit you
So don't you dare look my way
Don't try to involve me in your selfish actions
To try to make you cry
I don't have to do anything for you to suffer consequences
'Cause it's coming from the starry sky
The power of the universe will bring consequences
You're a snake
You are untrustworthy
You're a weasel
You are cunning and deceitful
You're a pebble in the sea
You are insignificant and easily washed away
And the pain you feel is washing over me
The guilt and consequences of your actions are affecting me too
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew Wyatt, Greg Kurstin, Liam Gallagher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Lyrics:
You sold me right up the river
You had to hold me back
You could've looked for the sunshine yeah
But you had to paint the whole thing black
Now I'm back in the city
The lights are upon me
They try to keep me locked away
But
Hallelujah I feel free
All your darkness has come back to you in time
Brace yourself world
it's about to blow your mind
It's coming round like a shockwave
It's coming round like a shockwave
You played the game
One too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave
You made your bed all pretty
You reap what you sow
Backed stabbed all your friends
And yes
It's all about who you know
So don't you dare look my way
To try to make you cry
I don’t have to do a thing to you
Cos it's coming from the starry sky
All your darkness has come back to you in time
Brace yourself World
it's about to blow your mind
It's coming round like a shockwave
It's coming round like shockwave
You played the game
One too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave
You're a snake
You're a weasel
You're a pebble in the sea
And the pain
You feel
Is washing over me
It's coming round like a shockwave
It's coming round like a shockwave
You've played the game
One too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's coming round like a shockwave
@aviation_sean9839
Maybe (to you).
But as LG also said, NG has fuckall to prove! Noel has given everyone songs that will last eternity! If he wants to try something new, d’yer really think he’s arsed what some people think?
I went to see Noel live 2 years ago (when he did his new album) and boy he still put a fucking show on!
Doesn’t need to sound like alternative rock to be good!
Sound is like colour, it’s infinite!
But you wait, I bet NG will be back to put you all straight with a very ‘Oasis’ sounding album soon!
@mysticlawlotus
You sold me right up the river
You had to hold me back
You could've looked for the sunshine, yeah
But you had to paint the whole thing black
Now I'm back in the city
The lights are up on me
They try to keep me locked away
But hallelujah, I feel free
All your darkness
Has come back to you in time
Brace yourself world
It's about to blow your mind
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
You've played the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave (hey)
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave
You made your bed all pretty
You reap what you sow
Backstabbed all your friends
And yes, it's all about who you know
So don't you dare look my way
To try to make you cry
I don't have to do a thing to you
'Cause it's coming from the starry sky
All your darkness
Has come back to you in time
Brace yourself world
It's about to blow your mind
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
You've played the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave (hey)
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
You're a snake, you're a weasel
You're a tadpole in the sea
And the pain you feel
Is washing over me
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave (hey)
You've played to the game one too many times
You're gonna burn until you behave (hey)
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
Maybe the shame will open your eyes
It's comin' 'round like a shockwave
;)
@vvdy858
1994- I live my life in the city
2019- Now I’m back in the city
@SplicedSerpents
I feel so old!
@RideBikes_Walkplaces
25 years wtf
@commonpeople2496
The SUNSHIIIIIIIIIINE stays
@vvdy858
Times come round like a shockwave could say 😂
@angelamarcinkevich9202
Yes
@youfoundtodd5216
Probably one of Liam’s best songs.
@ameliacharles2284
I bet he heard this song first https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gpbjprHivM
@waynejohnson8009
No
@alvarop1984
Really? This is probably one of the most forgettable rock song that I heard...