It was the second single to be released from the band's third album, and peaked at number two in the UK charts in September 1997. It was kept from the top-spot by the record breaking Elton John single "Candle in the Wind 1997", re-recorded and released in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, who had died three weeks before the release of "Stand By Me". Despite this, Stand By Me still went Gold in the UK.
Noel Gallagher claims to have written the song whilst suffering from food poisoning when he first moved to London. His mother Peggy would phone him to check on him and repeatedly told him to ensure he was eating properly. This spurred Gallagher to cook himself a proper English Sunday dinner, which resulted in a bout of food poisoning. In a 1997 interview promoting Be Here Now, Noel Gallagher had the following to say: "It starts, 'Made a meal and threw it up on Sunday'. When I first moved to London my mam kept on ringing up and asking was I eating properly. Yes, Mam. So I tried to cook a Sunday roast and puked up for two days with food poisoning. It was back to Pot Noodles after that."
The title for the song probably comes from the song "Stand By Me", which was covered by the Gallaghers' idol John Lennon. In a characteristic example of Noel Gallagher lifting elements from songs of which he is fond, the rousing sequence of chord changes between the repeated chorus lyrics 'Stand By me/Nobody knows the way it's gonna be' bears a remarkable similarity to a similar chord sequence in David Bowie's "All the Young Dudes", acknowledged by Gallagher: "It's a bit like Live Forever, I suppose, with a touch of "All the Young Dudes" in the background -- though I made sure I changed the chords."
Due to Noel Gallagher's general dislike of Be Here Now, Stand By Me is rarely played live by the band at their concerts, as it is Noel who usually decides the song listings for Oasis' tours. A live version of the song from this tour can be found on the double-CD version of Familiar to Millions.
A well-known acoustic version of Stand By Me was shown on television the night before the release of as part of Be Here Now a BBC1 documentary, featuring Noel, Liam Gallagher and drummer Alan White sitting by the side of a swimming pool, with Liam on vocals, Noel on acoustic guitar and White holding a tambourine.
Stand By Me
Oasis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got a lot of things to learn
Said I would and I'll be leaving one day
Before my heart starts to burn
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know, the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Times are hard when things have got no meaning
I've found a key upon the floor
Maybe you and I will not believe in
The things we find behind the door
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know, the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows
The way it's gonna be
If you're leaving, will you take me with you?
I'm tired of talking on my phone
There is one thing I can never give you
My heart will never be your home
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know, the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
(Hey, hey)
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows
The way it's gonna be
The way it's gonna be, yeah
Maybe I can see, yeah
Don't you know, the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
(Hey, hey)
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me
Nobody knows
Yeah, God only knows
The way it's gonna be
The lyrics of "Stand By Me" by Oasis showcase the feelings of uncertainty of an individual in a relationship. It's about the fear of commitment and the anxiety about whether the other person will stick by them. The singer has trust and attachment issues that prevent them from fully embracing love. The song starts with the singer feeling physically ill on Sunday after making a meal. The song progresses, and the singer expresses they have a lot to learn and acknowledges that they will leave the other person before their heart starts to burn. The lyrics convey the feeling of wanting to be with someone but simultaneously being afraid of being hurt.
The chorus of the song contains the phrase "Stand by me," which is repeated several times. This phrase reassures the singer that they want someone to stand by them and support them during their uncertain times. From the lyrics "Nobody knows the way it's gonna be," we can infer that the singer is unsure about the future of their relationship. At the end of the song, the singer finally asks the other person to take them with them when they leave, but admits they cannot provide them with a stable home.
One way to interpret the song is that it is about the fear of intimacy and mistrust in relationships that prevent people from committing to each other fully. The phrase "cold wind and rain don't know, they only seem to come and go away" might indicate that the uncertainties in life will continue to come and go, but it is essential to have someone to stand by your side no matter what. Overall, the song is about the fear and uncertainty that comes with relationships and the need to have someone stand by you during those times.
Line by Line Meaning
Made a meal and threw it up on Sunday
On Sunday, I cooked and then vomited, indicating that I still have a lot to learn about cooking
I've got a lot of things to learn
I am aware of my lack of knowledge on many topics
Said I would and I'll be leaving one day
I previously made a promise to leave and still intend to do so in the future
Before my heart starts to burn
I need to leave before getting emotionally involved and suffering in the process
So what's the matter with you?
Why are you upset or bothered?
Sing me something new
Provide me with a fresh perspective or a new form of entertainment
Don't you know, the cold and wind and rain don't know
The natural elements don't have emotions, they just exist
They only seem to come and go away
The elements may come and go but they will never stay forever
Times are hard when things have got no meaning
Life can be tough when nothing seems to have a clear purpose or significance
I've found a key upon the floor
I have discovered a clue or a new piece of information
Maybe you and I will not believe in
Perhaps we won't have faith or trust in
The things we find behind the door
The things we discover when we open up a new opportunity or venture
If you're leaving, will you take me with you?
If you're departing, would you be willing to take me along?
I'm tired of talking on my phone
I'm exhausted from communicating digitally through my phone
There is one thing I can never give you
I don't have the ability to give you one specific thing
My heart will never be your home
You will never truly have my love or affection
Stand by me
Support me or stand with me through the challenges ahead
Nobody knows the way it's gonna be
The future is uncertain and unpredictable
Yeah, nobody knows
Absolutely nobody has knowledge of what is to come
Maybe I can see, yeah
I may come to understand in time
God only knows
Only a divine power would have knowledge of the future
The way it's gonna be
Whatever the future holds
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Noel Gallagher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mohdredzuan9
Made a meal and threw it up on Sunday
I've gotta lot of things to learn
Said I would and I'll be leaving one day
Before my heart starts to burn
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new...
Don't you know?
The cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Times are hard
When things have got no meaning
I've found a key upon the floor
Maybe you and I will not believe in
The things we find behind the door
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new...
Don't you know?
The cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows, the way it's gonna be
If you're leavin', will you take me with you?
I'm tired of talkin' on my phone
There is one thing I could never give you
My heart will never be your home
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new...
Don't you know?
The cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows, the way it's gonna be
The way it's gonna be, maybe I can see, yeah
Don't you know?
The cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, God only knows the way it's gonna be
@PeterZeeke
I dont know why but this may be objectively the best oasis song... There are of other good songs, but this one is has what all those other songs have and its massively popular.
Liam and noel singing together - check
brass - check
strings -check
pretty much original line up - check
good lyrics - check
sounds good acoustic - check
dunno just putting out there
@ThisFeatureisPointlessLmao
0:31 [Verse 1]
Made a meal and threw it up on Sunday
I've got a lot of things to learn
Said I would and I'll be leaving one day
Before my heart starts to burn
0:53 [Bridge]
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
1:16 [Verse 2]
Times are hard when things have got no meaning
I've found a key upon the floor
Maybe you and I will not believe in
The things we find behind the door
1:38 [Bridge]
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
2:02 [Chorus]
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows, the way it's gonna be
2:56 [Verse 3]
If you're leaving will you take me with you?
I'm tired of talking on my phone
There is one thing I can never give you
My heart will never be your home
3:18 [Bridge]
So what's the matter with you?
Sing me something new
Don't you know the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away
3:41 [Chorus 1]
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, nobody knows, the way it's gonna be
4:33 [Bridge 2]
The way it's gonna be, yeah
Maybe I can see, yeah
Don't you know the cold and wind and rain don't know
They only seem to come and go away (hey, hey)
4:58 [Chorus 2]
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows the way it's gonna be
Stand by me, nobody knows
Yeah, God only knows, the way it's gonna be
@shashsrivas
You can't have a favourite oasis song, they keep changing all the time
@maplestorms6224
That is the most true statement I've ever heard.
@user-yq3gx9rr6h
it's true. everyday changing
@shashsrivas
Oasis are one of those bands that can lift your mood the second you start hearing one of their songs.
@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335
@MrGoodkat what about coldplay or radiohead
@vintagexela
depends what's currently happening in your life
@Mrsteisag2
"Times are hard when things have got no meaning"
One of Noel's best lyrics in my opinion.
@Mrsteisag2
David Young what's up?
@FM-to3gy
wow ! that's what I love most too !
@peterdunne2756
You Told Me That uhff