Shakermaker
Encyclopedia
"Shakermaker" is a song by the English rock
band Oasis
, written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher
. The song was first released as a single on 13 June 1994 and later released on Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe
. The single narrowly missed the UK top 10, peaking at number eleven. It was also the first song performed by the band on Top of the Pops
. It is the only single from the band's debut album not to be certified Silver
by the BPI
.
Gallagher admits the lyrics are taken from the world around him, for example, a Shaker Maker
was a popular toy in the 1970s, the character of "Mr Soft" was taken from a Trebour Soft Mints commercial, which featured Cockney Rebel
's song "Mr Soft", "Mr. Clean" is a song by The Jam
, one of Gallagher's favourite bands, Mr Benn
is a British children's cartoon and the entire last verse - "Mr Sifter sold me songs/When I was just 16/Now he stops at traffic lights/But only when they're green" - was written in a taxi on the way to the recording studio to record the song. Apparently, Liam Gallagher
was pestering Noel to finish the song. At this point, the taxi stopped at the traffic lights outside "Sifter's" (a record shop in Burnage, Manchester). Noel penned the lyric and it became part of the song. Noel used to frequent the store to buy old records before Oasis started releasing albums and Mr Sifter refers to the owner of the record store; .Sifter told Noel to mind his words if he ever got famous.
The song illustrates Noel Gallagher's habit of borrowing from the past: the chords are a simple twelve-bar blues progression and the melody for the verse was originally taken from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" (the song made famous from its use on Coca-Cola
adverts in the 1970s) by Roger Cook
, Roger Greenaway
, Bill Backer and Billy Davis
. However, this led to Oasis being successfully sued for the unlicensed use by The New Seekers
and were ordered to pay $A500,000 in damages. When asked about the incident, Noel Gallagher joked "Now we all drink Pepsi
."
The field they are playing football in is Didsbury Toc H rugby field in Ford lane (Didsbury South Manchester) near Fletcher moss.
The album Liam shows to the camera is Paul McCartney
's 1973 album Red Rose Speedway
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
. The song was first released as a single on 13 June 1994 and later released on Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe is the debut album by English rock band Oasis, released in August 1994. It was an immediate commercial and critical success in the UK, having followed on the heels of singles "Supersonic", "Shakermaker" and "Live Forever"....
. The single narrowly missed the UK top 10, peaking at number eleven. It was also the first song performed by the band on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. It is the only single from the band's debut album not to be certified Silver
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
Gallagher admits the lyrics are taken from the world around him, for example, a Shaker Maker
Shaker Maker
Shaker Maker is a toy for making figures. Water and a powder must be mixed in a shaker and after turning the shaker the mixture flows into moulds inside the shaker. Because of fast polymerisation the consistency of the mixture becomes like pudding in seconds. After some days it hardens.Shaker Maker...
was a popular toy in the 1970s, the character of "Mr Soft" was taken from a Trebour Soft Mints commercial, which featured Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are an English rock band from the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:...
's song "Mr Soft", "Mr. Clean" is a song by The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
, one of Gallagher's favourite bands, Mr Benn
Mr Benn
Mr Benn is a character created by David McKee who appears in several children's books, and an animated television series of the same name transmitted by the BBC in 1971 and 1972. Whether in a book, or on television, Mr Benn's adventures take on a similar pattern...
is a British children's cartoon and the entire last verse - "Mr Sifter sold me songs/When I was just 16/Now he stops at traffic lights/But only when they're green" - was written in a taxi on the way to the recording studio to record the song. Apparently, Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
was pestering Noel to finish the song. At this point, the taxi stopped at the traffic lights outside "Sifter's" (a record shop in Burnage, Manchester). Noel penned the lyric and it became part of the song. Noel used to frequent the store to buy old records before Oasis started releasing albums and Mr Sifter refers to the owner of the record store; .Sifter told Noel to mind his words if he ever got famous.
The song illustrates Noel Gallagher's habit of borrowing from the past: the chords are a simple twelve-bar blues progression and the melody for the verse was originally taken from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" (the song made famous from its use on Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
adverts in the 1970s) by Roger Cook
Roger Cook (songwriter)
Roger Cook is an English songwriter who has written many hits for other recording artists. He has also had a successful recording career in his own right.-Early life:Cook was born in Fishponds, Bristol, England...
, Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway
Roger Greenaway , is a popular English songwriter, best known for his collaborations with Roger Cook.-Career:...
, Bill Backer and Billy Davis
Roquel Billy Davis
Roquel "Billy" Davis of Detroit was an American songwriter, record producer, and singer. Davis is best known as a songwriter for a number of soul musicians label, and as a writer/producer of commercial jingles, mostly for Coca-Cola...
. However, this led to Oasis being successfully sued for the unlicensed use by The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
and were ordered to pay $A500,000 in damages. When asked about the incident, Noel Gallagher joked "Now we all drink Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
."
Personnel
- Liam GallagherLiam GallagherWilliam John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...
: lead vocals - Noel GallagherNoel GallagherNoel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
: lead guitar and backing vocals - Paul ArthursPaul ArthursPaul "Bonehead" Arthurs is an English musician and one of the founding members of the English rock band Oasis, best known as their rhythm guitar player from 1991-1999.-Early life:...
: rhythm guitar - Paul McGuiganPaul McGuigan (musician)Paul McGuigan , better known by his nickname, Guigsy , is an English musician and one of the four founding members of the English rock band Oasis...
: bass - Tony McCarrollTony McCarrollAnthony "Tony" McCarroll is an English drummer and one of the founding members of English rock group Oasis, as their drummer from 1991 to April 1995.-Biography:...
: drums
Track listings
- CD CRESCD 182
- "Shakermaker" - 5:08
- "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" - 2:41
- "Alive" (8-trackMultitrack recordingMultitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
demoDemo (music)A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
) - 3:56 - "Bring It on Down" (live) - 4:17
- 7" CRE 182
- "Shakermaker" - 5:08
- "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" - 2:41
- 12" CRE 182T
- "Shakermaker" - 5:08
- "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" - 2:41
- "Alive" (8-trackMultitrack recordingMultitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
demoDemo (music)A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
) - 3:56
- Cassette CRECS 182
- "Shakermaker" - 5:08
- "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" - 2:41
Music video
The video was shot in Manchester outside their house.The field they are playing football in is Didsbury Toc H rugby field in Ford lane (Didsbury South Manchester) near Fletcher moss.
The album Liam shows to the camera is Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
's 1973 album Red Rose Speedway
Red Rose Speedway
-Additional tracks:-Original LP Recording:Originally planned as a double album, this is the tracklisting from the acetates of the early incarnation of the album dated 13 December 1972...
.