“We’re On Our Way Now” by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher’s “We’re On Our Way Now” isn’t the first song we’ve come across where he is addressing a deceased romantic interest. But it is unique in a couple of other ways. For instance, it would appear that the singer is upset with the addressee, despite the latter in fact having passed away. But why is he upset with her? This is simply due to the way she left the mortal plane. 

Indeed this is a narrative which requires a bit of reading in-between the lines in order to piece together the big picture. And the way the story reads is as if said addressee was someone who had the tendency to deal with issues in life via pills, i.e. drug consumption. In other words, she perceived getting high as the key to happiness. 

But this was a habit of hers which the vocalist himself seems to have never approved of. And now that it has apparently taken her life, he really seems to be questioning the validity of the practice. He actually does so in some sort of roundabout, sarcastic way, which is ultimately the concept that the title is based on.

“We’re On Our Way Now”

So all things considered, this actually reads more like an anti-drug song than one that is centered on romance or friendship per se. 

Verily, readers in the know will acknowledge that the UK, i.e. Noel Gallagher’s homeland, has been experiencing somewhat of an illicit drug crisis as of late, which understandably has many people concerned. So this appears to be Noel’s own reaction to the matter. 

And conclusively, it’s as if he is mocking people who rely on drugs as a source of love and happiness. In fact perhaps relatedly the Flying Birds’ single which follows up this one, “Flying on the Ground“, is based on the concept of love itself being a viable drug, so to speak.

Facts about “We’re On Our Way Now”

This is the lead single from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ first compilation album, which is entitled “Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011-2021)”. The song itself was released on 29 April 2021 via Sour Mash Records, a label run by Noel Gallagher. And it is one of two new tracks featured on the project. The other being the aforementioned “Flying on the Ground”.

Noel Gallagher employed a professional actor and actress, respectively Matt Smith and Gala Gordon, to star in the music video of “We’re on Our Way Now”. 

The clip was directed by Dan Cadan and Jonathan Mowatt and serves as a prequel to the music video of “Flying on the Ground”. It employs the same directors and actors also, thus buttressing the theory that the two songs are connected. And the video to this particular song was inspired by a classic French movie entitled Breathless (aka À Bout de Souffle, 1960).

The author of this track is Noel. And he also co-produced it in conjunction with a guitarist/producer he’s been collaborating with since the days of Oasis, Paul Stacey.

Noel Gallagher, Oasis and The High Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher did in fact rise to superstardom, especially across the pond, as part of Oasis, a band he led alongside his younger brother, Liam Gallagher. Oasis was by far one of the most-successful British turn-of-the-century musical acts. All seven of their studio albums from 1994’s “Definitely Maybe” to 2008’s “Dig Out Your Soul” topped the UK Singles Chart.

Unfortunately the Gallagher brothers are also famous or infamous, depending on one’s perspective, for having well-publicized beefs with each other. There problem was a celebrity sibling rivalry, so the speak. And it was such that led to Oasis disbanding in 2009, prematurely in the eyes of many of their fans. 

But both Gallagher brothers also pressed forward with their own separate musical ambitions. And in the case of Noel, amongst other projects he launched the High Flying Birds, which came about in 2010. Despite the movement indeed being a band, it is by and large considered a Noel Gallagher solo project as all of the personnel besides himself are classified as touring members. A couple of them, Russell Pritchard (bass guitarist) and Mike Rowe (keyboardist), have been down with the cause since 2010. 

And the others who are currently listed – Gem Archer (guitarist), Jessica Greenfield (background vocalist), Charlotte Marionneau (tin whistle), Chris Sharrock (drummer) and YSEÉ (background vocalist) – have been involved since the late 2010s.