'The Dreams We Have As Children' is a collection of songs recorded by Noel at the London Royal Albert Hall on March 27, 2007, along with fellow Oasis member Gem Archer. The album's title stems from a lyric in the Oasis song, "Fade Away". The album also features Paul Weller on "All You Need Is Love" and "The Butterfly Collector".
Five of the songs were released over the course of 5 days as free downloads on iTunes, followed by a physical CD give-away with The Sunday Times, which contained an additional 11 recordings from the performance. The album then went on sale digitally in its entirety the following day.
The album was compiled and released in order to raise the profile of Teenage Cancer Trust gigs being held at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2009.
After a high-profile bust-up with his brother Liam in Oasis, Noel quit the band 2009 to pursue solo interests.
For months, Noel remained silent on his plans for his post-Oasis. Finally, on the 6th of July 2011, Noel held a press conference to reveal plans for solo releases, with his new band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Recorded in 2010 and 2011 and co-produced by David Sardy, their first album, titled Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, was released in 2011. In 2015, Chasing Yesterday was their second album. Their third album Who Built the Moon? was released in 2017. All three albums went to No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. In 2023, the fourth album Council Skies was released and peaked at No. 2 in the UK.
Half the World Away
Noel Gallagher Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This old town don't smell too pretty and
I can feel the warning signs running around my
Mind
And when I leave this island I'll book myself into a soul asylum
And I can feel the warning signs running around my mind
So here I go still scratching around the same old hole
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
Half the world away
Half the world away
I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down.
And when I leave this planet, y'know I'd stay but I just can't stand it
And I can feel the warning signs, running around my mind
And if I could leave this spirit, find me a hole and I will dig it
And I can feel the warning signs, running around my mind
So here I go still scratching around in the same old hole
My body feels young but my mind if very old
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
Half the world away
Half the world away
I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down
No I don't feel down (x2)
I don't feel down (x4)
Noel Gallagher's song Half the World Away speaks of feeling trapped in one's own mind and surroundings, and longing for a change of scenery. The singer expresses a desire to leave the city and the warning signs that plague his mind. He hopes to book himself into a soul asylum, a metaphor for a place to find inner peace and a break from reality. This desire for escape is not limited to the city or even the planet, but extends to the singer's own spirit, which he wishes to leave behind in a hole.
Despite feeling worn down, the singer gains a sense of hope and resilience. The line, "I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down" suggests that life has not always been easy, but he still maintains a positive outlook. The repeated phrase of "half the world away" serves as both a reflection of the physical distance between him and his dreams and also a metaphor for the emotional separation he feels from the world around him.
Overall, the lyrics to Half the World Away highlight the universal human experience of feeling stuck or trapped at times, and the desire to escape and find inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
I would like to leave this city
I want to get out of this place
This old town don't smell too pretty and
This place is not very attractive to me
I can feel the warning signs running around my
There are indications that I need to leave
Mind
Mentally
And when I leave this island I'll book myself into a soul asylum
I will get away and seek solace
So here I go still scratching around the same old hole
I'm still stuck in the same situation
My body feels young but my mind is very old
I feel physically fine, but emotionally exhausted
So what do you say?
What's your response?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
I have my own aspirations
You're half the world away
You're too far from me
I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down.
I've had my ups and downs, but I'm still okay.
And when I leave this planet, y'know I'd stay but I just can't stand it
Although I'd like to stay alive, I can't bear it
And if I could leave this spirit, find me a hole and I will dig it
If I could escape this feeling, I would dig a hole
I don't feel down
I'm not depressed
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
fray172
I would like to leave this city
This old town don't smell too pretty and
I can feel the warning signs running around my mind
And when I leave this island I'll book myself into a soul asylum
And I can feel the warning signs running around my mind
So here I go still scratching around the same old hole
My body feels young but my mind is very old
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
Half the world away
Half the world away
I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down.
So here I go still scratching around in the same old hole
My body feels young but my mind if very old
So what do you say?
You can't give me the dreams that are mine anyway
You're half the world away
Half the world away
Half the world away
I've been lost I've been found but I don't feel down
The Sheffinator
A songwriting masterclass in my opinion.
Clifton Lowrey
Just want to encourage new guitar players that this is a easy and fun song to play.
Stephen Sanchez
Best version of this song I've heard - - - impossible to not sing along to.
Jay Smith
Amazing song.
Noel was always the true artist.
In the past in times of stress or woe this song helped me to let go.
Thank you Noel
Ellisha Kavanna
Always love it when Noel does acoustic performances
Steve Bailey
He's one of those famous people who you feel like you know in real life.
Valentyn Koscheyev
This man has such a sound - a conveyance of crisp pronunciation and very wide depth / range of vocal abilities. I found this site by strict accident & am glad that such artistic genius exists in a culturally bankrupt system of the music industry. Thank you so much, Mr. "veniceboy" ....... Bravo!!!
Joe Fitzsimmons
One of the greatest songs ever
Cynthia Blake
I can't stop watching this nor stop singing. 😍
Donut963
never get tired of this song