Britpop legends Oasis are known for their legendary live performances and it’s surprising to think several fan-favorite tracks never made it into their live setlists. While songs like “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and “Champagne Supernova” have echoed through stadiums around the world, there are some hidden gems that were never performed live. Songs such as “Roll It Over,” “Bag It Up,” and “Hey Now” remain studio treasures that never had the chance to shine on stage.
Songs Fans Wish They Could Hear Live
“Roll It Over”
Featured on their 2000 album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, “Roll It Over” is a soaring, epic track that many fans feel deserved to be heard live. The song’s powerful combination of guitar riffs and orchestral arrangements makes it an underrated gem, and its absence from live performances is often lamented by diehard fans.
“Bag It Up”
Kicking off the Dig Out Your Soul album, “Bag It Up” is a fierce, psychedelic track with a punch. Despite its gritty edge and energy, it never made it into Oasis’ live rotation, leaving fans to wonder how it could have sounded blasting through stadium speakers.
“Hey Now”
From the (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? album, “Hey Now” is another track that, while overshadowed by bigger hits on the record, has its own unique, melancholic charm. Its mid-tempo pace and haunting guitar work make it stand out, but it was one of the few songs from the album never performed live.
“I Hope, I Think, I Know”
This track from Be Here Now is a high-energy, guitar-driven anthem that feels tailor-made for a live setting. Fans often express their disappointment that it never got its time on stage, as it has the same raucous, fist-pumping vibe that made many Oasis songs live staples.
Why Oasis don’t play every song live
For fans, the idea of hearing their favorite deep cuts live is captivating. However, as much as we’d love it, Oasis had their reasons for keeping certain songs off the setlist. The reality of performing live is vastly different from the controlled environment of a recording studio.
In the studio, the band could do countless retakes until everything sounded perfect. Live performances, however, are raw, and spontaneous, and require the song to be nailed in one go. Some songs, while excellent in the studio, might be challenging to recreate with the same energy or sound in a live setting.
In Oasis’ case, Liam Gallagher’s distinctive voice, while powerful, might have found certain tracks more vocally taxing, especially in long tours where vocal strain is a real concern. The band also had to consider the flow of their live performances. Stadium-filling anthems like “Live Forever” or “Cigarettes & Alcohol” naturally lend themselves to crowd participation, which is key for maintaining the energy in massive venues. Meanwhile, some songs just didn’t fit that vibe, even if they were beloved on the albums.
Oasis have been focused on delivering their best-known songs to guarantee an unforgettable live experience. They couldn’t play every track from their albums, and many bands face the same dilemma. Balancing the setlist with mega-hits and crowd-pleasers, while dropping in a few deep cuts, is a delicate act. As much as fans might crave hearing tracks like “Roll It Over” or “Bag It Up” live, it’s understandable why the band chose to leave some gems in the studio.
