Oh Yeah (Ash song)

"Oh Yeah"
Single by Ash
from the album 1977
B-side	"T-Rex", "Everywhere Is All Around", "Does Your Mother Know" "Oh Yeah (Quartet Version)"
Released	24 June 1996
Format	CD, 7", Cassette
Recorded	1995–1996
Genre	Britpop
Length	4:45
Label	Infectious
Producer	Owen Morris
Ash singles chronology
"Goldfinger" (1996) "Oh Yeah" (1996) "A Life Less Ordinary" (1997)

"Oh Yeah" is a song by Ash, released as the fifth single from their album 1977 on 24 June 1996. It was released as a single CD, a 7" vinyl (the limited edition 7" was yellow and came with a picture sleeve), and as a cassette. The UK Promo version of the track is thought of as quite rare, and a collector's item between fans. It comes on orange 7" vinyl and has the same track on both sides.

Overview

"Oh Yeah" was the first single released after the release of 1977 and was their second Top 10 single, reaching number 6 in the UK singles chart. It is probably Ash's best-known song and one of the best known from the Brit-Pop period. It tells a tale of a "bitter-sweet teenage love story" and is very much a fan favourite. It's almost always somewhere in the live set too. It features backing vocals from singer Lisa Moorish.

"Oh Yeah" was also Ash's third "NME Single of the Week". It features on Ash's first greatest hits collection, Intergalactic Sonic 7″s, and live versions can be found on Live at the Wireless and the Tokyo Blitz DVD.

The track was "performed" on Richard and Judy, where bassist, Mark took over vocals duty, in a similar vein to Oasis's performance of "Whatever" on Top of the Pops in 1995. After the performance the hosts informed the band of what big fans they were and hadn't even noticed.

B-Sides

The track "T. Rex" is one of the band's favourite B-sides and can be found on the "Live at the Wireless" album. It was played at almost every show during the 1977 tour. It was a surprise exception from the "Cosmic Debris" collection.

The lyrics of the second B-side, "Everywhere Is All Around", were written by Tim Wheeler's friend, Martin Carr of The Boo Radleys, although Tim contributed the music and arrangement.

The (CD only) B-side "Does Your Mother Know" is a cover of the ABBA track. At the time, it was quite surprising for a band such as Ash to cover a "Europop" song, but Wheeler has often claimed ABBA to be one of his influences. The song also appeared on the BBC ABBA tribute album "Thank You for the Music".

Finally, on the 7" only, a remixed version of "Oh Yeah" can be found, in a 'Quartet' fashion.

Artwork

Mark Hamilton has said of the single cover that it was "supposed to show two young lovers just around 'that' age. Look they're in the woods, they've that sorta look on their faces that they might just have done 'it' whilst their mates waited 10 feet away drinking shandy bass and getting fucked up on a Lambert & Butler. Anyway that jacket's cool."

Music Video

The video for the track was directed by Julian Barton, and consists of Ash playing in a fairground. Eventually, the fairground is set alight, before being doused with rain. The video was banned from Top of the Pops due to the extremely passionate kiss by Mark Hamilton in the video, which was occasionally cut to while Tim was singing.

The song is featured on the 1996 episode of RTÉ's Reeling in the Years.

Track listing

CD

1. "Oh Yeah" (Wheeler) - 4:45
2. "T. Rex" (Wheeler) - 2:23
3. "Everywhere Is All Around" (Carr/Wheeler) - 2:31
4. "Does Your Mother Know" (Andersson/Ulvaeus) - 3:01

7"

1. "Oh Yeah" (Wheeler)
2. "T. Rex" (Wheeler)
3. "Everywhere Is All Around" (Carr/Wheeler)
4. "Oh Yeah (Quartet Version)" (Wheeler)

UK Promo

1. "Oh Yeah (radio edit)" (Wheeler)
2. "Oh Yeah (album version)" (Wheeler)

References