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TL;DR:

  • The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” inspired a song written by Oasis’ Noel Gallagher.
  • Gallagher collaborated with a famous group to write the song.
  • Gallagher said the song was one of the best things he ever wrote.
The Beatles‘ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison standing in a row
The Beatles‘ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images

Oasis’ Noel Gallagher said one of his classic rock songs was loosely inspired by The Beatles‘ “Tomorrow Never Knows.” “Tomorrow Never Knows” appeared on The Beatles’ album Revolver. Revolver became a massive hit.

Oasis’ Noel Gallagher took inspiration from The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ for his collaboration with The Chemical Brothers

During a 2021 interview with Mix, Gallagher discussed going to see a Chemical Brothers concert. “In the middle of, you know, their electronic f****** thing, they used to do play ‘Tomorrow Never Knows,'” he recalled. I had never heard that before, not in that context, in a sweaty little basement, and it’s coming in after some f****** Spoony D track!”

“A f****** sandwich!” he said. “I mean, it’s like wow. They took that thing to another level.”

Gallagher collaborated with The Chemical Brothers on a song called “Setting Sun.” “They’re f****** amazing and ‘Setting Sun’ is one of the best things that I’ve ever done and I love them, I’m a fan.”

In a 2011 article in The Quietus, Gallagher also mentioned “Setting Sun.” “When I did ‘Setting Sun’ with The Chemical Brothers it was based loosely on ‘Tomorrow Never Knows,” he said.

Oasis’ Noel Gallagher discussed how ‘Setting Sun’ performed on the charts in the United Kingdom

In addition, Gallagher discussed the chart performance of “Setting Sun” in the United Kingdom. “Do you remember when it went to No. 1, what song we knocked off the top?” he said. “‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Deep Blue Something. We were like Sir Galahad.”

Gallagher quoted lyrics from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” “‘And she said, ‘What about ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and I said, ‘I remember the movie,” he said. “And we came in, ‘Off with your head you piece of s***.'”

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How The Beatles’ ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ and Noel Gallagher’s ‘Setting Sun’ performed in the United States

“Tomorrow Never Knows” was not a single so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s parent album, Revolver, was a much bigger hit. The album topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks, staying on the chart for 85 weeks in total.

Meanwhile, “Setting Sun” became a modest hit. It reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the chart for five weeks. “Setting Sun” appeared on the album Dig Your Own Hole. The album hit No. 14 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for 25 weeks.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Setting Sun” are both classic songs — even if one was a bigger hit than the other.

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