Cast No Shadow (song)

Noel Gallagher wrote the song for his friend Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of The Verve;{{cite web |url=https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/oasis/noel-gallagher-cast-no-shadow-richard-ashcroft/ |title= Why Noel Gallagher dedicated Cast No Shadow to Richard Ashcroft|last= |first= |date= 15 April 2023|website= radiox.co.uk|publisher=Radio X |access-date= 12 December 2023|quote=}} in the sleeve notes of the album, Gallagher dedicated the song "to the genius of Richard Ashcroft".{{cite book |last=Heatley |first= Michael|author-link=Michael Heatley |date=24 November 2014 |title=The Boy in the Song: The Real Stories Behind 50 Classic Pop Songs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7k0mEAAAQBAJ |location= |publisher= Pavilion Books|page= |isbn=9781909396876}} Ashcroft later said that he considered the song to be "a great honour".{{cite magazine |last=Taysom |first=Joe|date=11 January 2023 |title= Liam Gallagher explains the brilliance of Richard Ashcroft and The Verve |url= https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/liam-gallagher-explains-the-brilliance-of-the-verve/ |magazine=Far Out |location= |publisher= |access-date=17 December 2023}} "Cast No Shadow" was originally intended to be a B-side, but this changed when the song turned out to be better than expected.{{cite magazine |last= Golsen |first= Tyler|date= 4 September 2022|title= The Oasis classic that was meant to be a B-side|url= https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-oasis-classic-that-was-meant-to-be-a-b-side/|magazine=Far Out |location= |publisher= |access-date=12 December 2023}} "Cast No Shadow" was the last song written for the album; the track was composed by Gallagher while he was riding the train to return to the recording studio in Wales.{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AVQbF9lTBwgC&pg=PA622 |title=The Mojo Collection: 4th Edition |publisher=Canongate Books|magazine=Mojo |date= 1 November 2007 |access-date=13 December 2023 |page=622 |isbn= 978-1-84767-643-6}} Gallagher referred to the song's lyrics as "the best words I ever wrote."

{{quote box|quote="Noel wrote this sparkling blues-tinged ballad for buddy Richard Ashcroft of the Verve, and the specificity might account for why the lyrics and overall presentation ring so true. Noel isn't really equipped to handle the big cosmic questions, but when he's writing about a musician who has trouble saying what's on his mind, he's spot on."|author=Kenneth Partridge of Billboard magazine|width=50%}}

Gallagher initially wanted the song to sound like Pink Floyd,{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date= 8 October 2020|title=Watch: Steo Wall covers Oasis' 'Cast No Shadow' for Hot Press #MorningGlory25 Series |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/watch-steo-wall-covers-oasis-cast-no-shadow-for-hot-press-morningglory25-series-22829599 |magazine=Hot Press |location= |publisher= |access-date=12 December 2023}} particularly their album Wish You Were Here{{cite magazine |last=Coffman|first=Tim |date=7 October 2023 |title= The Oasis song Noel Gallagher said was "the best words I ever wrote"|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-oasis-song-noel-gallagher-said-was-the-best-words-i-ever-wrote/ |magazine=Far Out |location= |publisher= |access-date=17 December 2023}} and its title track, which shared the same opening chords as "Cast No Shadow". Kenneth Partridge of Billboard magazine called the song a "sparkly blues-tinged ballad."{{cite magazine |last= Partridge |first= Kenneth|date= 2 October 2015|title= Oasis' '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/reviews/oasis-whats-the-story-morning-glory-anniversary-6714516/ |magazine= Billboard|location= |publisher= |access-date=16 December 2023}} Music critic Derek B. Scott remarked, "a Beatles-influenced vocal harmony that includes falsetto and echoing of words is heard in 'Cast No Shadow'". Nathan Stephens-Griffin from the band Martha stated about the song, "compared to some of the more classic Britpoppy ones, it has a really cool melancholy, dark, epic vibe."{{cite news |last=Garland |first=Emma|date=20 September 2022 |title=The caustic outbursts, the raw charisma, the conkers … 50 reasons to love Liam Gallagher at 50 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/20/liam-gallagher-at-50-oasis |work= The Guardian|location= |access-date=16 December 2023}} The magazine Mojo said that the song "was an uncharacteristically gentle reflection on his [Noel Gallagher's] difficulties with expressing any deep emotion, both personally and in his lyrics."

• Liam Gallagher – lead vocals, tambourine
• Noel Gallagher – lead acoustic guitar, bass,{{cite web|url=http://www.oasis-recordinginfo.co.uk/?page_id=6|title=Owen Morris: How I mastered Morning Glory|access-date=11 October 2020}} Mellotron, EBow, backing vocals
• Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs – acoustic guitar
• Alan White – drums, percussion

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Oasis|title=Cast No Shadow|award=Silver|relyear=2005|certyear=2020|id=16926-1114-1|access-date=July 23, 2024}}

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"Cast No Shadow" was certified Silver in the UK; along with "She's Electric" (2x Platinum), it is one of the two non-singles on the album which received a certification.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/|title=BRIT Certified|website=BPI}}

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{{Oasis}}

Category:Oasis (band) songs

Category:Songs written by Noel Gallagher

Category:Song recordings produced by Noel Gallagher

Category:1995 songs