Dream On by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Ron Powers

In 2011, two years after the breakup of his band Oasis, Noel Gallagher released his first self-

titled album under the band name Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. The album features many stellar tunes by the Britpop legend, but “Dream On” is at the top of the pile for me. Its high-class guitar production and musical arrangement mix with Noel’s smooth, attitude-soaked vocals, creating a feeling that you really can’t find anywhere else. Although the song didn’t reach the level of cultural impact that his work with Oasis achieved, the songwriting abilities of the eldest Gallagher brother shine as brightly as ever in “Dream On.”

Things get started with Noel counting off, along with the pick scrapes of his acoustic guitar. As

things get rolling, a combination of electric guitar and piano rings out haunting chords, knitted

together with quarter-note acoustic strumming. Additionally, the guitars and piano are supported

by a rich quarter-note bass line and kick drum, setting the stage for Gallagher to display his

melodic abilities. As Noel delivers the verse, he paints a poetic picture—hanging from a ladder,

running out of battery, and about to fall. His vocal delivery offers cool, smooth emotion with a

subtle touch of humor, once again displaying his mastery of music, melody, and lyric weaving.

Transitioning out of the verse, we hear a soaring vocal performance lift the song’s energy as the

chorus blooms. Here, the intensity of the drums increases, and the guitars are given some extra

edge while the rhythm remains steady. Along with the instrumentation, Gallagher displays the

anthemic qualities of his voice while singing the words, “Dream on / Was that songbird singing?

/ Shout it out for me / Shout it out for me.” Serene yet powerful background vocals emphasize

the song’s haunting side, complementing its cool and anthemic qualities. All these elements

come together to create the songwriting magic that many of us know and love Noel Gallagher

for.

After laying a foundation of verses and choruses, Gallagher moves on to the bridge section,

featuring a lyricless “La la la” vocal melody sung in falsetto. The melody is supported by a horn

section and the subtle use of a vintage Mellotron, which simulates the sound of a flute. These

elements blend together to add class and sophistication to the music, reflecting the mature level

of creativity that Noel operates from. As the bridge ends, the song moves into a final chorus and

outro, with Noel repeating the lyrics “Shout it out for me” alongside a big-band-style horn section

that makes you want to do the twist while they bring the house down.

Currently, Noel and his brother Liam are gearing up for a reunion tour with Oasis after roughly

15 years apart. The tour kicks off on July 4th in the UK and will be filling arenas and football

stadiums around the world. If you’d like to listen to “Dream On” or any of Noel’s catalog of work

you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and most other places music is streamed or

sold. If you’d like to learn more about Noel Gallagher, you can find information on Wikipedia,

Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X.

Ron Powers