Released 22 August 2005 Genre Rock | Recorded 2004 Length 3:39 | |
B-side "Pass Me Down the Wine"
"The Quiet Ones" Format CD single, 7" vinyl, DVD | ||
"The Importance of Being Idle" is a song by the English rock band Oasis from their sixth album, Don't Believe the Truth, written and sung by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. It was the second single released from the album in the UK, on 22 August 2005. The song was written by Gallagher in the summer of 2004, before the band made their final attempt at recording what would become Don't Believe the Truth.
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The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, staying there for one week, marking the first time that Oasis had ever earned two successive number ones in the same calendar year (having also charted at number one earlier in 2005 with "Lyla"). "The Importance of Being Idle" would prove to be the band's last UK number one prior to their break-up in 2009. Noel got the title from the book of the same name, which he found whilst cleaning out a garage (it belonged not to him, but to girlfriend Sara McDonald).
Background
In an interview with Q magazine, Noel Gallagher stated that "The Importance of Being Idle" sounds like songs from two British bands, The Kinks and The La's. In particular, the guitar playing, as well as the sentiment expressed, is noticeably similar to The Kinks' "Sunny Afternoon" and "Dead End Street". He also said that the lyrics are inspired by his own laziness. Additionally, the line "I begged my doctor for one more line" may be a reference to Noel's account of how he gave up cocaine in 1998.
The guitar sound is similar also to The La's B-sides "Clean Prophet". It also is a breakaway from the sound of Oasis's latter albums, especially the straight ahead rock and roll anthems of Heathen Chemistry. The keyboard used on the pre-chorus sections was bought by bassist Andy Bell from the auction website eBay.
Critical reception
Most reviewers acclaimed the track as one of the highlights of Don't Believe the Truth, which itself was widely praised as a marked return to form. The band mentioned in interviews in June 2005 that it would become the second single. The B-sides are Liam Gallagher's "Pass Me Down the Wine" and Gem Archer's "The Quiet Ones".
The song debuted at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, but was knocked off the spot the following week by Gorillaz's new single "Dare". Q magazine readers placed the song at number one in a list of 2005's greatest tracks.
The song was ranked No. 117 in XFM's 1000 Greatest Songs of All Time list. XFM also placed it at No. 48 in their 100 Best Songs of The 2000s list. The song is included on Oasis' compilation album Stop the Clocks.
Music video
The promo film was directed by Dawn Shadforth, whose previous videos include Kylie Minogue's award-winning "Can't Get You Out of My Head". Shadforth's film for "The Importance of Being Idle" starred Welsh actor Rhys Ifans and pays homage to the style of early 1960s kitchen sink drama British films, and is set during preparations for a funeral procession in a northern town, with the extravagant undertakers parading the coffin at the video's climax and Ifans playing the part of a high-kicking funeral director whose own funeral it is.
The video is based on the film and play Billy Liar with Ifans playing the role of Billy. The Gallaghers play Shadrack & Duxbury, the owners of the funeral parlour where Billy works. The rest of the band (Gem, Andy and Zak) make brief appearances as lazy workers playing cards in an undertaker's office. The video is similar in style and concept to the black and white 1966 music video for "Dead End Street" by The Kinks. Liam Gallagher's second child, Lennon, cameos in this video.
A short behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of the music video, which was shot partly in Greenwich, was directed by Dick Carruthers. Archer describes it as "the best video I think we've ever done".
Track listing
- "The Importance of Being Idle" (Noel Gallagher) - 3:43
- "Pass Me Down the Wine" (Liam Gallagher) - 3:51
- "The Quiet Ones" (Gem Archer) - 2:01
- "The Importance of Being Idle" (Noel Gallagher) - 3:43
- "Pass Me Down the Wine" (Liam Gallagher) - 3:51
- "The Importance of Being Idle" - 3:41
- "The Importance of Being Idle" (demo) - 3:40
- "The Importance of Being Idle" (video) - 4:03
- "The Making of" (Documentary) - 5:22
- "The Importance of Being Idle" (radio edit) - 3:37