When it comes to British rock history, Oasis and The Beatles are often mentioned in the same breath. While The Beatles defined an entire generation in the 1960s, Oasis carried that torch into the 1990s, channeling Lennon and McCartney’s melodic brilliance through the swagger of the Gallagher brothers. For years, fans and critics have drawn comparisons between the two iconic groups, but Noel Gallagher himself once admitted that only one Oasis track truly lived up to the Fab Four’s legacy.
After the overwhelming success of Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Oasis faced a turbulent period in the late 1990s. Following the exhausting world tour for Be Here Now, the band stepped back from the chaos of fame. During this time, Noel and Liam Gallagher began cutting ties with destructive habits, as well as with long-time bandmates Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs and Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan, both of whom departed due to continued struggles with drugs and alcohol.
This lineup shift deeply impacted Oasis’ fourth studio album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000). While many critics argue that the record lacked the energy of its predecessors, Noel Gallagher has always singled out one track: “Go Let It Out.”
In his words, Noel described the single as the closest Oasis ever came to sounding like The Beatles, saying:
“It’s the first time we ever got close to sounding like a modern-day Beatles, which is what we were striving for for years.”
The track itself echoes Lennon’s influence, with Liam’s gritty vocal delivery bearing a striking resemblance to John’s raw tone. The acoustic guitar foundation and psychedelic touches, including a Mellotron reminiscent of Strawberry Fields Forever, give the song an unmistakably Beatles-inspired character. The result is a track that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking—a bridge between Oasis’ Britpop dominance and their experimental ambitions.
Despite Noel’s admiration for “Go Let It Out,” he admitted that the rest of the album felt uninspired. Reflecting on that period, he remarked:
“I was pretty uninspired at the time, but ‘Go Let It Out’ stands head and shoulders above everything else. It’s up there with some of the best things I’ve ever done.”
The subsequent tour, however, proved to be one of the most chaotic in Oasis’ history. From onstage tensions to a disastrous Wembley Stadium performance—where Liam Gallagher’s erratic behavior and substance relapse marred the show—the band’s internal struggles were on full display. Noel even temporarily stepped aside, replaced by guitarist Matt Deighton, highlighting just how fragile Oasis had become during this era.
Still, “Go Let It Out” represented a creative spark at a time when the band desperately needed one. By blending the rebellious attitude of The Sex Pistols with the timeless sound of The Beatles, Noel Gallagher crafted a song that nodded to his idols while carving out Oasis’ place in the modern rock canon. For fans, it remains a reminder of the band’s ability to channel classic influences into something unmistakably their own.
More than two decades later, “Go Let It Out” continues to be celebrated as a defining Oasis track, one that captures the enduring spirit of 1960s psychedelia while proving the Gallagher brothers could stand tall among their legendary predecessors.
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