The Hindu Times
Encyclopedia
"The Hindu Times" is a song by the English rock
band Oasis
. It was the first single released from their fifth album Heathen Chemistry
on 15 April 2002. It was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher
. Noel got the name "The Hindu Times" from a t-shirt he saw in a charity shop. The song was the band's sixth UK #1 single, staying on top for one week before being dislodged by the Sugababes
' "Freak Like Me
".
The title has little to do with the lyrics of the song, which are more in the vein of Definitely Maybe
' s "Rock 'n' Roll Star
". It has been speculated that the title refers to the main riffs' similarity to Indian music
in sound, sounding as if they were played on a sitar
. Gallagher himself says that it is because he had already named the song before any lyrics were written for it.
The song, which combines the powerful fast rock of their earlier work with the psychedelic feel of their later work, was one of the first Oasis singles since the singles from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
to receive almost unanimously positive reviews from the critics.
The song was unveiled during Oasis' Autumn 2001
Noise and Confusion Tour. The song was due to be released commercially at the same time but Noel decided the track needed more work done on it to be suitable for release. Many have commented on the main guitar riff being lifted from the Stereophonics
song, "Same Size Feet
", which uses exactly the same, or at least very similar, guitar riff.
In 2008 NME
listed the song as one of the greatest indie anthems of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 143 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
In 2010, XFM
listed it in their ""1000 greatest songs of all time" list
The B-side, "Just Getting Older", was written at the time of the release of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
. The other b-side, "Idler's Dream", is the only Oasis song to not feature any guitars or drums; the song consists simply of Noel Gallagher's vocals and a piano accompaniment.
where the song was recorded. It features a live footage of Oasis in recording sessions, as well as various words that keeping appearing around the place. Words linked to India
. The original video was set to be filmed in New Delhi
, but this did not work out.
It was the 43rd biggest selling single in the UK for 2002.
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...
. It was the first single released from their fifth album Heathen Chemistry
Heathen Chemistry
Heathen Chemistry is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Oasis, released in 2002.The album was written and recorded with a back-to-basics sound with a more rock feel to it; the more crude and simple sound differs from the musical grandiosity of their previous records, Be Here Now and...
on 15 April 2002. It was 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...
. Noel got the name "The Hindu Times" from a t-shirt he saw in a charity shop. The song was the band's sixth UK #1 single, staying on top for one week before being dislodged by the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
' "Freak Like Me
Freak Like Me
"Freak like Me" is the first single from Adina Howard's 1995 R&B debut album Do You Wanna Ride?. Like Howard's image, the song can be best described as hypersexual. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA....
".
The title has little to do with the lyrics of the song, which are more in the vein of 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"....
Rock 'N' Roll Star
"Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It is the opening track from their record breaking debut album, Definitely Maybe. Like the majority of the band's songs from this era, it was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. Noel said that "Rock 'n' Roll Star" was one of only...
". It has been speculated that the title refers to the main riffs' similarity to Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
in sound, sounding as if they were played on a sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
. Gallagher himself says that it is because he had already named the song before any lyrics were written for it.
The song, which combines the powerful fast rock of their earlier work with the psychedelic feel of their later work, was one of the first Oasis singles since the singles from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 October 1995 through Creation Records. The album was Oasis' most enduring commercial success, charting at number one in the UK and number four in the U.S...
to receive almost unanimously positive reviews from the critics.
The song was unveiled during Oasis' Autumn 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
Noise and Confusion Tour. The song was due to be released commercially at the same time but Noel decided the track needed more work done on it to be suitable for release. Many have commented on the main guitar riff being lifted from the Stereophonics
Stereophonics
The Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band now living in turners x that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones, drummer Javier Weyler, guitarist and backing...
song, "Same Size Feet
Word Gets Around
2-disc Deluxe EditionCD 1# Carrot Cake and Wine # Tie Me Up Tie Me Down # Poppy Day # Raymond's Shop # Chris Chambers...
", which uses exactly the same, or at least very similar, guitar riff.
In 2008 NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
listed the song as one of the greatest indie anthems of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 143 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".
In 2010, XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
listed it in their ""1000 greatest songs of all time" list
The B-side, "Just Getting Older", was written at the time of the release of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
Standing on the Shoulder of Giants is the fourth studio album by English rock band Oasis, released on 28 February 2000. The album is the 16th fastest selling album in UK chart history, selling over 310,000 copies in its first week...
. The other b-side, "Idler's Dream", is the only Oasis song to not feature any guitars or drums; the song consists simply of Noel Gallagher's vocals and a piano accompaniment.
Music video
The music video was filmed at Abbey Road StudiosAbbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
where the song was recorded. It features a live footage of Oasis in recording sessions, as well as various words that keeping appearing around the place. Words linked to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The original video was set to be filmed in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, but this did not work out.
Track listing
- CD RKIDSCD 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- "Idler's Dream" - 2:57
- 7" RKID 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- 12" RKID 23T
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "Just Getting Older" - 3:17
- "Idler's Dream" - 2:57
- DVD RKIDSDVD 23
- "The Hindu Times" - 3:53
- "The Hindu Times" (demo) - 4:32
- 10 Minutes of Noise and Confusion - Part One - 9:26
- The demo version of "The Hindu Times" is radically different from the finished album version. Most of the lyrics (sung by Noel) are different, and the slower sound of the song is much more "grungy", with a heavy drum loop running throughout the song. It is also a semitone higher in the demo.
- The "10 Minutes..." documentary is the first part of a unique feature covering 48 hours on the road with Oasis during the Tour of Brotherly Love which took place in the USA with the Black Crowes during May and June 2001.
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...
– 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...
– guitar and backing vocals - Gem ArcherGem ArcherColin Murray "Gem" Archer is a member of the English rock band Beady Eye. He is, however, best known for his work with Heavy Stereo and Oasis. He joined Oasis as rhythm guitarist in November 1999, and handled lead guitarist for acoustics as well. He also contributed towards the writing of some of...
– guitar - Andy BellAndy Bell (musician)Andrew Piran "Andy" Bell is a Welsh musician, currently playing guitar in the band Beady Eye. He is a songwriter, singer, producer, DJ and former member of the early 1990s shoegazing band, Ride, and later, Hurricane #1...
– bass guitar - Alan WhiteAlan White (Oasis drummer)Alan White is an English drummer, best known as being the drummer of the English rock group Oasis between 1995 and 2004, performing on four studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album. He joined the band in May 1995 after the band's original drummer Tony McCarroll was removed from...
– drums
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Polish Singles Chart | 49 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 2 |
It was the 43rd biggest selling single in the UK for 2002.